Time for this month’s Appalachian Vocabulary Test.
- Clutterment
- Cut a dido/rusty
- Cuttin up
- Coon
- Country
- Clutterment-clutter, mess, debris. “The girls’ bedroom is so full of clutterment you can barely get the door open.”
- Cut a dido or cut a rusty-pitch a fit, a tantrum. “The little boy ran up the aisle of the church cutting the biggest dido I ever seen.”
- Cuttin up-acting a fool. “If you kids don’t quit cuttin up I’m going to put you all outside!”
- Coon-a raccoon. “A coon got on the porch last night and tore out all the trash.” (it’s very rare to hear a native of my area say “raccoon” usually “coon” is used)
- Country-an area of land. “The country in the lower part of this county is a whole lot bigger than most folks realize.” (I heard Pap say this exact sentence the other day)
I’m familiar with all of this month’s words-I use all of them regularly except #2. Seems I use #3 on a daily basis-cause the girls are always always cuttin up!
Hope you’ll leave me a comment and tell me which ones you know-if any.
Tipper
My late grandpa used to say, “Well, I’ll just throw a hobo fit” meaning he was going to pitch a temper tantrum. My mother’s family has always lived about 50 miles south of St. Louis, MO. I honestly don’t know how our family, in this area, ended up using so much of the Appalachian vocabulary. I’ve heard and used almost all of the mentioned Appalachian communication terms. When I’m going to the grocery store, I will say, “I’m going to town.” Most people, here in MO., seem to think that is strange.
I’ve accidentally stumbled onto your website and I’m sure glad I did. It brings back so many precious memories of my family who are no longer with us. I still have some of the old time ways in my soul but have softened through the years. Reading your blogs reminds me of how I should be doing things because that’s how my folks lived and I’m just getting “plum” spoiled. See? There’s another one of those Appalachian terms! Keep up the good work Kipper. I really enjoy Blind Pig and the Acorn!!!
I have only heard and used two of these. Cuttin-up and country. 😀
Even though we come from different parts of the South, the old verbiage is very familiar. Not surprising when you trace most southern families root stock. Mine ran back to North Carolina and Kentucky. I hope you and your family have a great Easter. Pappy
Hey vocabulary time, yea!!!!!!!!
I haven’t heard of clutterment, but it makes sense, mind if I use it? The rest I have heard of/used. My daddy used to go coon huntin. He had a black n tan. She sure had a pretty “mouth” on her, and was a very good hound. Thanks for the quiz,Tipper.
Heard all except dido. I saw the doctor this week for serious poison ivy blisters. He took a look at my hand where I had skinned it pretty good over the weekend. I told him it was okay, I had “just knocked the bark off of it” and he enjoyed that one.
I’ve heard people called a cut up and I knew that people in the south say coon. But I guess I’m a Yankee, we have raccoons in our neighborhood and the country is out of town where the farms are.
I love it! Thanks for the vocab. lesson! I just signed up! 🙂
Know them all–use them all, at this very moment one of my cat is cuttin up!
The one I use most is coon and that is because I regularly have coons at my back door to be fed. When they have babies it is a site, mama coon and four baby coons all on my deck. Those little coons are so busy into everything. HaHa! Lots of fun
I always love dropping by to see what new words you have put up. Have a blessed Easter. Blessings, Kathleen
#3 is the only one I’m familiar with – I think you could go on with these posts for years!!
How’s the newsletter coming?
I know most of them. But 2, I don’t think I’ve ever heard before.
Tipper,
I’ve heard and used them all except #2. Dad was always after us about “cutting up,” when we were kids.
Grandpa had coon dogs…beagles and so did my uncle. Hunting coon was a yearly ritual back then.
Enjoyed your Appalachian Vocabulary Test, as always. Take care. I hope you’re weather is warmer than it is here.
Blessings,
Mary
I didn’t know clutterment, but I figured right off what I though it might be and was right. I didn’t know cuttin’ a rusty, but I did know dido. And I’ve heard and used the rest.
I love these posts. Thanks Tipper.
Helen
Good fun! Thanks, Tipper. Those I don’t use I guessed okay.
Have you ever wondered, if you could travel back in time, if you could understand people speaking, say, oh, 300 years ago? How far back before our English wouldn’t sound familiar to us?
I reckon George Washington would sound pretty much like you and I sound.
The only difference would probably be the words used. Words used then, many of them, have faded from use. Words like you often have in your “Appalachian Vocabulary” tests.
I have copies of some primitive recordings that Edison made of Grover Cleveland and William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt, well over a hundred years ago and their lingo, their dialect, their syntax, their words, indeed, sound just like us. Well, they don’t have the beautiful mountain tint to their words like you.
I’ve heard them all, too. On #2 it’s usually cutting a rusty, but I’ve heard dido a time or two.
Hi Tipper,
When I was little my dad would say, “cuttin’ a shine.” I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I knew he wasn’t happy. LOL
Number one is new to me. My Father-in-law, born in Michigan of Pennsylvania born parents used #2. We all use 3-5.
I’m only familiar with the last three. I’ve not been checking your blog recently – things have been hectic around here. I hope you’re doing well! I added you to my “following” list so now I’ll get updates whenever you post!
knew all but the first two.. but they make perfect sense.
I never heard clutterment, but I have heard clutter. Never heard cut a dido,but have heard cut a rusty. the others I have heard and used
I’ve never heard of #1 or #2 before, but the others are very familiar to me.I’ve got a son that goes coon hunting sometimes, even though I’d rather he didn’t.
Cutting up is an expression I used to hear all the time when I lived in Ireland. I wonder if it is an import!
I knew the last three. My mom was fond of saying someone was cuttin’ up.
I’ve not heard the first two, but I definitely know the last three.
Growing up in Oklahoma and raised by my Grandparents, I relate to almost all your vocabulary tests. Instead of cuttin a rusty, my Granny said, pullin a rusty. I was always warned not to be cuttin up in church. We always called raccoons coons and if you didn’t live in town you lived out in the country.
I know and use all but #2…I have never even heard of that!
Tipper: The first two are unknown to me but there is a lot of country in your area of the country. I never got in trouble for cuttin up, but I did “cut a rug” in my day, quite a few. Three times a week at the record hop. Did you?
Funny how I don’t even realize the words I use are “Appalachian” sometimes, like “country.” But I guess I never have heard people use it outside of Appalachia. I didn’t know #2, and I don’t ever use #1. That might change. My house seems full of clutterment now that we have three kids!