Tipper a true raconteur
I was recently chided for saying things like okry, tater, and mater in my videos. Anyone who watches many videos or visits Blind Pig and The Acorn will know my great love for mountain talk such as okry, tater, and mater.
I believe the way folks in Appalachia speak is beautiful, colorful, and rich.
Most people speak one way and write another. Although I’m no grammar expert I fall into that category too. I don’t judge someone’s educational prowess by the way they speak. In fact I typically don’t judge it at all. I’m much more in tune to someone’s obvious abundance of common sense or lack thereof.
Just because I love the word usage in Appalachia like okry, tater, and mater doesn’t mean that I don’t like learning new words.
Recently Patricia A. (Jewell) Fulwider left the following comment.
I love the music of your Dad and Paul. What a blessing it must be to you to have all these videos. I found Celebrating Appalachia earlier this year. You are truly a raconteur of home. Our family is from Jewell Ridge, VA. We moved away when I was 7. (1946) We went “home” every chance we had until we had to sell the home place to take care of our grandmother. (1988). No one lived in Virginia any more. But, it will always be home. You bring it close again.
Thank you.
Patricia A. (Jewell) Fulwider
I was humbled by the kind words of Patricia, but I had no clue what a raconteur was. A quick search turned up the answer for me.
“storyteller, person given to or skilled in relating anecdotes,” 1817, a French word in English, from French raconteur, from raconter “to recount, tell, narrate,” from re- (see re-) + Old French aconter “to count, render account” (see account (v.); and compare recount (v.1)). Generally in italics in English until well into 20c. Related: Raconteuse (fem.).
The definition of raconteur put a big smile on my face. In addition to Appalachians being known for their sometimes strange way of speaking they are also known as storytellers.
I’ve never considered myself a storyteller until the last few years. When I look back over my life I see clearly I’ve always been drawn to stories.
Whether it was the hundreds of books I’ve read or the rapt attention I’ve given to the accounts of my elders my life has certainly been shaped, enriched, and even educated by the stories. I suppose while I was busy learning the tales of others I begin to tell the stories of myself, my family and of my people.
Last night’s video: Gardening Alone & Planting More Fall Vegetables In Appalachia.
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Tipper,
I just saw your video on Appalachian accents and I want to thank you for making me feel better about how I say the word “Appalachia “. I was born and raised in southeast Texas. and still live in my home state. my forebears were Scotch-Irish that came to Texas from the Carolinas to Georgia to Mississippi to Texas. My ggggrandfather was born in South Carolina before the American revolution.
I have always pronounced “Appalachia” with a long A as App-ah-LAY-CHA”.
when watching your videos, I felt I was saying it wrong and have made an effort to pronounce it as you do. try as I may, this has seemed wrong to me. I’m grateful that you feel either way is fine. Now I can go back to saying it the way I have all my life. 😉
Thanks
I’m in South Eastern KY, in Clay County, and if I pronounced it with a long A sound I’d be chided for it. Never EVER heard anyone from around here in the mountains pronounce it that way.
Seeing as the Appalachian mountains cross thirteen states, I’m sure there’s more than one way to say it but I’ll stick to pronouncing it like, “I’m gonna chuck an apple at cha.”
I as many others love your ability to speak true to the Appalachian life , words and all .
Although I love the proper English , grammar and correct verb tense , a conversation with a wise person is such an enjoyable experience whether they use the same words as I . Hearing their life experience is like finding gold !!!!
We grew up in an urban setting, but our roots were country. When we’d go to the country they would call us “city slickers” and in the city they would refer to us as “country bumpkins!” As we travel through life and onto new ventures, a little bit of our previous destinations tends to attach itself to our fabric, as might a dusting of Goldenrod,some red clay or a briar from the fields. All this just becomes who we are. No way can we dust it all off. And there’s no way someone not from the south can successfully pretend to be a southerner and vice versa. Where we’ve been, what foods we’ve grown to love, our favorite books, etc…All this becomes a permanent part of our fabric. Everyone needs to learn to celebrate and an enjoy these differences.
This makes me smile Tipper, remembering the first time I heard my voice played back on a recording. Until then I never even realized that I had a country accent! And that’s just fine. I am what I am by the Grace of God and He allowed me to be born in these Appalachian mountains surrounded by the kindest, smartest, most wonderful kin folks around. I’m so thankful for my Heritage and for all the good memories I have of growing up Appalachian! I love to talk. Someone once told me that if we ever had a “talk-a-thon” that I would surely win. I took that as a compliment. And I believe that it was meant to be taken that way. Let’s keep on being real Tipper. Some of these days maybe you and I can be in a talk-a-thon!!! Wouldn’t that be fun!!!!!!
How about winder? “How bout somebody crack a winder, it’s getting hot in here!
Or medder? It’s milking time and the cows are still out in the medder.
Or cheer or chur? “Set your cheer down on the floor. It ain’t no rockin cheer.
Do you remember how Ken Roper talks? I sound about like he does when I talk. I tried to “clean it up” when I got a job in management but it sounded fake to I reverted to my native tongue. I tell people that if they don’t understand me I will be glad to explain it to them in their language.
I did know what raconteur is but I don’t use the word when I speak. It sounds too much like racketeer when I say it.
I took a writing class many years back and our teacher told us two important things: use our own voice and write about what we know. You do this so perfectly Tipper. I hear you speaking in your blogs the same as I would on your videos. Thank you for being yourself and including us. I can almost smell that deer meat that was cooking overnight and wake up happy on Fridays knowing you are going to be reading to us. I’ve learned so many things and feel so at home while learning. Am looking forward to the next walk in snowy woods with maybe some hot chocolate by a little fire along the way.
I’m sorry people have commented negatively on the way you speak. And I love that it doesn’t affect you! Your accent and speech pattern in videos bring me such joy, because they take me back to my childhood and visiting with my granny and extended family in southern West Virginia. As a kid who grew up just outside Pittsburgh, PA, the Appalachian way of life and ways of speaking were exotic to me and I loved them. Because I loved those people, I, like you, never judge someone by how they speak. My great uncles were some of the smartest men I ever met and couldn’t have been more ‘hillbilly’ if they’d tried. The things I learned from them and my aunties lives on in my memory still.
You are definitely a storyteller! That’s one of the things I adore about the Appalachian culture. And I love how speech patterns vary across our country. I used to think that out here in the Pacific Northwest we didn’t have much that was unique about our language. That all changed when I was attending a conference in California. I told someone I thought the event was a little spendy, but it had been worth every penny. They looked at me like I was from the moon. Apparently “spendy” is a word unique to the northwest and most of the rest of the country would say “pricey.” I had no idea! I think we should all be proud of our unique speech patterns and fight to preserve them. Our language would be much less musical if we all spoke precisely the same way.
Many years ago I placed an order for something in California. This was when you ordered through a phone call. The lady taking the order was very professional with her speech butI guess she couldn’t hold back any longer, after getting my name but before getting my address she told me you live in South Carolina, I can tell by your accent. I was surprised and said I didn’t realize we had an unusual accent. She told me she use to live I SC and that is how she knew. Have you ever noticed these automatic answering machines -or whatever you call them- and people from the south don’t speak the same language.
I meant my reply for Tina, Sorry.
I am in a professional position and thus have to pronounce words carefully when speaking with management or the executive leadership team, but I also talk with varied persons in my position. Much of that one to one includes interactions with many cultures and personalities. I try to alter my choice of words, tone, inflection with whomever is in front of me. When a person sits with me who begins with a slight Southern twang it’s as if kindred spirits are having a party!
Immediately my voice changes, my accent resumes, my heart is lifted and all familiarity takes over! No matter what, we don’t need to change for the naysayers! Keep up the great work of being exactly who you are! God bless!
Tipper–Wear that hillbilly accent as a badge of honor. It absolutely exudes authenticity.
I would also note, in expanding on pronunciation of the word okra as “oak-ree,” that rendering an ending “a” in a word is commonplace. For example, a section of Swain County, Alarka, is invariably offered as “Alarky” or maybe just “Larky” by the folks who lived there. Similarly, although I don’t think it is as prevalent as was once the case, the state of Georgia is often pronounced “Georgy.”
To me, distinctive mountain talk is colorful, endlessly interesting, and most of all, true to one’s roots.
Yes, I’m late today, got intercepted.
Not only are you a storyteller, you have drawn a collection of storytellers around you. I think we could all have a great time together telling stories and jokes, pickin and grinin, singing, swapping recipes and memories and any number of the kinds of things we all enjoy. I suspect a reading of your archives would serve well to make a list of names and connected stories to match that would fill more than one book.
I think Appalachian universities ought to be asking you to be a guest lecturer in their Appalachian Studies program. And the International Storytellers Center should come calling to. Could happen.
Tipper, I love all of your accents and words you speak with down there. I myself have been told I sound like someone from that Fargo movie when Ive been traveling.
Tipper, I love your accent!! Being from Northeast Mississippi, I say a lot of things like you do. I have noticed, however, that the Appalachian folks pronounce their A’s longer than most of us do in my area. I remember on one of my trips to Maggie Valley a few years back, I was staying at the Four Season’s Inn & standing on the bridge one morning enjoying Jonathan Creek. An hunched over elderly lady & her black dog were walking down the mountain toward me. She came down every morning going to the community center. I started talking to her each morning (whether she liked it or not) I would call her dog’s name & pet it. She finally asked me why I was calling her dog “Blankie?” I told her I thought that was his name & she said his name again & it still sounded like Blankie to me, so I asked her to spell it & she said B-l-a-c-k-i-e. We both had a big laugh & that was the exact second she finally warmed up to me. I think her name was Katherine Carpenter & she told me she had been given to the Carpenter family at birth & she remembered walking up the mountain to work in the garden. We exchanged letters & phone calls between my visits there until one day she just stopped. My heart was broken when I found out she had passed away. I loved that little old woman.
Tipper, don’t change one bit on anything! You are special to all of us & those who criticize your Appalachian talk & my Mississippi talk need to be prayed for because they have some sort of problem with loving all people as they are. Variety makes the world go around. Love you & you whole family!!
Tipper, this blog wouldn’t be the same if you changed. I love the way you speak. I was raised in the country and your words and phrases are so familiar to me. I could listen to you read and talk all day. It’s like being with family around the kitchen table. Just because we may say words and phrases that sound different to others, doesn’t mean we are dumb. I too am proud of where I came from. Wouldn’t change a thing. I also will say all your family is precious. Love hearing them sing and talk. Have a blessed day!!
I just love to hear you talk . Love your country accent cause that is just like we talk around here . Keep up the great work ! I love reading your blog , I just don’t always comment !
Tipper, personally I love your authenticity. You are true to who you are and where you came from. I believe that is why people are so drawn to you and your family.
Oftentimes we minimize our inner voice and lose touch with our higher consciousness. We adopt the beliefs and behaviors of others and disconnect from the deepest part of ourselves. You not only teach people about your love of heritage, home life, and childhood; and without knowing, you encourage people to do the same.
Your speak reminds me of the book, The Four Agreements, one of the four principles is to always “be impeccable with your word”. When we are impeccable with our word, you build your integrity and reputation. You are the creator of your own life story.
Thank you for sharing your authentic self and life with so many and teaching people to value where you came from.
I love hearing yall talk–just like home to me!
Tipper, I call Okra “Okry” and my family said tater and mater. Your old videos telling stories using the words from my childhood is what drew me to your blog. I know what Cherry Tomatoes are but I call them Tommy Toes and by the way, they are still hanging on producing in my planters. The nights are getting cooler here so I’m not sure they will be for long, but I sure enjoy stepping out on the patio and eating Tommy-Toes fresh from the vine. You sure can work fast cleaning up your garden. I would say that was also a great exercise routine for arms and thighs! Keep on doing what you do for you are an inspiration to all who enjoy your blog!
Our mountain language is more than just words and phrases. It’s the way they’re delivered that warms the soul and envelops us with such a wondrous feeling of belonging to naturally beautiful family of hard working and hard loving people. Northern folks in our adopted homeland have always been good to us, but the often come across as more standoffish than those with whom we share southern roots.
Good morning! This post hit home. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents while my parents worked. They were from Appalachia. My speech and dialect are very unique. Add a distinct southern drawl to the words you say and there you have it. When I became a teacher, I was keenly aware of how I pronounced words as I was teaching first graders how to read. Later in life, I became a mental health therapist. I recall the day I slipped and told a teenage client, I was going to teach him about the dangers of “alkihol.” We both burst out laughing. It was definitely an icebreaker. I chose early retirement due to health issues. Appalachian words and colloquialisms flow like a river. I have three college degrees and I’m a proud PhD dropout and I speak in a way that’s comfortable for me.
By the way, I lived in Missouri for a few years. Now, there’s an interesting dialect.
My maternal grandparents in Vermont said for example, chimbley (chimney), down cellar (down in the cellar). Their dialect, etc., is disappearing through lack of use, when it should be remembered and treasured
I love our mountain dialects and so often I hear a faint Scottish accent among the old timers… “het” instead of “it”. There’s a lot of old English words in our mountains too, leftovers from our ancestors who immigrated here from the British Isles. I’m glad to hear all older accents and dialects because tv has homogenized accents and even dumbed down vocabulary. Language with its diverse accents and dialects can embody the thinking of a culture and quite frankly, we are poorer without that diversity.
So I’ll just keep saying neeps, okry, taters, maters, “don’t do no” and so on. I’ll let the shallow people misjudge because the my Masters’ and Doctorates’ credentials on my wall laugh at them. I’m grateful for my family’s culture and will never be ashamed of it.
Patricia, I was born on Jewell Ridge in 1979! My dad grew up on Chicken Ridge and my mom grew up on Compton Mountain. They attended school Whitewood. We moved off the mountain, into town (Richlands) when I was about 5 but some of my cousins still live there. Then, I moved away for school (Eastern VA) but quickly learned where my heart and soul belong, so I moved back to SWVA and I am continuously learning about, and appreciating my Appalachian roots. I like to garden and save seeds, I ferment with a crock from my great-grandmother, and make cheese. In my opinion there’s a satisfaction in doing these types of things, a reason to be proud because you made it with your own hands. I’ve dug into my ancestry and I can trace my roots from the Scottish Highlands/Ireland to Carter County, KY. My next goal is to go there and visit those trees and creeks, and connect with that land. Even if you don’t get to see VA again, I hope my comment brings you joy knowing there are people still there appreciating and taking care of the place you long for.
Tipper, I also talk or say words like you mentioned. I heard the older people say hope instead of help, ate instead of eat- sounds,Ike at I was not sure of spelling that one. None of us are from the mountains although I often think of how proud I would be to have a log cabin built by a creek in the mountains. I just call it country boy language. A few years ago my church had a preacher that was raised in Pickens, SC and loved spending time hunting and fishing in the Horse Pasture area that would say he was going to use his country boy language in his sermons. One of his favorite sayings was “if that don’t get your fire going your firewood is wet”. Me and the others I mention live in southern tip ofGreenville County, SC near a spot in the road named Princeton. I don’t apologize for how I talk. Like you I know how to correctly spell the words (most times) but pronounce them in my own way.
I have often said this, but I will say it again, I dearly love listening to Pap and Paul and the rest of the BP&A sing, especially the old time hymns that we grew up singing and still sing to this day at my church. The videos of them sitting around the kitchen remind me so much of my father in law and some of his friends playing and singing. I will sometimes listen for hours. Two of my favorites are Until Then and Precious Memories, I will play these two over and over and cry.
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Sorry for the big mistake in my comment that should of been sounds sorta like “at”. I try to proof read before posting but I still miss things. My eye is better but still a long way from being well.
Randy, I just saw something you posted that brought back some good memories for me. My Daddy would always say, hope for help and the same for ate instead of eat. My Daddy was one of 10 children and was so smart but only got to the 6th grade because my Grandpa got sick and the older boys had to quit school and work on the farm. I can just hear him now saying, ” I hope him out.” I couldn’t have been prouder of him. He was a good man.
Gloria, my father in law and mother in law used those words. My daddy only had an 8th grade education. He was the oldest boy and dropped out of school to help his daddy farm (sharecroppers). If the number of people that come to the visitation at their deaths is an indication of being respect or well thought of, my father and mother in law, my parents, daughter-10 years ago today-and my wife were each respected and loved. The 2 hr. visitation for each lasted about 4 hrs. with the line being a contendious line no breaks. They were all salt of the earth country people. I am very proud of each of them. I would tell my wife when I died she would have to pay someone to come to my funeral and cry and act sad!
“Speak freely!”. Love our culture! I remember some of my aunts and uncles complaining about the new at the time, Beverly Hillbillies tv show and how they thought it was poking fun at the way they talked. I loved the show, especially when Flatt and Scruggs were playing on the show
I watch and love ALL your videos because in addition to learning lots of neat stuff, it’s so good to hear someone who sounds like me. I love people who are real, never change a thing!
Tipper – Critics should realize that dialects exist in every known language. It’s not even limited to humans. Birds, for example, have the equivalent of dialects linked to the region they live in. As for me and my house, we shall speak Native Hoosier. We reserve the right to end sentences in prepositions once in awhile. Sometimes we “feesh in the crick.”
Don’t let the naysayers get you down, Tipper. There are colloquialisms in every accent, region and language.
I’ll take our Appalachian pronunciations any day! Thank you again for your efforts to preserve a way of life
that is too rapidly disappearing.
You are in indeed a raconteur. (I see recount in that word.) I’ve always LOVED being judged by the way I speak. It really lets me know EXACTLY who the big shots are so I can leave them in my rear view dust as I spin away quickly! Please feel free to judge me based on my exterior. I’ve got “aplenty” surprises for ya like how I how really don’t care at all what others think and coincidentally or not, the bigger one thinks he is, the smaller he actually is when you spend time around him. Perfect examples are celebrities, athletes, and useless politicians…ALL of the best folks I know were never deemed special in this world and they never will be… speaking of words did you ever hear of CHINCHY which means really greedy and tight…. ex: “Shes so chinchy, she won’t turn on the heat until it’s freezing.” Lol
WOW, I thought chinchy was a real word from the noun chinch (tightwad) – until I read your comment. Now I’m wondering if tightwad is a word – LOL. As along as people understand what you are saying – it works! I’ve always thought that the lesser known words that are sometimes uses, are the most descriptive!
Several years ago, I read a book in which the author stated that every tribe needs its storytellers. Right now, I can’t readily recall the title of the book or her name, but she made an excellent point. You are one of our storytellers, and I am blessed by and thankful for your stories. Keep up the good work.
Hey, I just never even noticed when you pronounced those words because we say them like that too. Tater, mater, bakker (tobacco), okry, kyarn (something smells real bad, it stinks like kyarn) and more that I can’t think of right now. You keep on keeping on and don’t change a thing. We love you and Deer Hunter and the girls and all the stories you tell. It makes me think of all the times growing up and helping on my grandparent’s farm and all those good memories. And yes, you are a master story teller.
I thought that kyarn is the word for decaying flesh. I just googled it and informed it was short for carrion or rotting flesh. Yea! I got something right today – got to take the wins when I get them lately as I forget so much else.
another beautiful word and fitting. I love words, I also love hearing the words spoken as people spoke when I was a child. over the years the accents changed where I’m from to reflect the was the people spoke that moved to my state. this is why I love it here, to hrar the forgotten words the was they were pronounced when I was a child
When someone gets perfect, other than Jesus, let them find fault with others. For the way they dress, look, speak, walk, blah blah blah, to judge and see fault, in my opinion, is to belittle others to make themselves better, taller, smarter, blah blah blah. We are not to judge others, that is not our place. I will say, however, when I moved years ago to upstate Georgia, I was taken aback when I heard a local say ‘yuns’. I thought it meant you yall or ya’ll, but I really had to ask to be sure. Another one was, ‘I have to tell you this’. So, having said all that, you keep talking and reading and doing what you are saying reading and talking any way you want to, we are hear to watch, hear and learn as you are a great teacher. God Bless you guys and give my regards to Granny.
Tipper, you are, for sure, a storyteller and it’s our story that you are telling. Our mountain lore is your story, and you tell it very well, every single day!
A big “Thank You” for telling our story, with kindness, and respect!
Tipper,
That was some fast work you did in the video!
Sandford-if only I could really work that fast 🙂
Keep your way with words, your pronunciation of those words. Those pronunciations are beautiful and tell the story of the heritage of many.
The statement that our language is still the closest to the “Old King’s Language” is probably still true. Much of it was the language the settlers brought with them and has endured the ridicule all these years.
Long live the dialect.
Tipper, never be ashame of our beautiful language or cadence in the way you speak.
I traveled for work for years speaking to groups of people around the world. I use to start Monday morning off by apologizing for my accent until once in New York city, one of the students pointed out that everyone in the class had an accent, even if they were all new Yorkers. The familiarity of your speech is a major draw to your post and YouTubes. keep up the good work !
I love hearing your stories and watching you and The Deer Hunter and Chitter and Chatter and occasionally Granny and Paul. Please don’t change anything just because there are a few snobbish purists out there that would love to make us all robots in the way we think and speak. I chuckled the first time I heard you say okry. I decided I liked that pronunciation better than the other one and have since used it every time I say the word.