One of my favorite things about the book I’m currently reading on Fridays over on Celebrating Appalachia is the language.
The book is Aunt Arie: A Foxfire Portrait.
The rich colorful Appalachian language leaps off the pages as she tells her life story and talks about her daily activities.
After reading, I discuss the way the current book relates to the traditions, culture, and heritage of Appalachia and my life.
Since starting Aunt Arie much of my discussion has focused on language.
Examples of language used by Aunt Arie.
- winder for window
- using the word at in conjunction with location: he lives at Canton
- thrash for thrush
- I don’t care to
- pine blank
- meaness
- botherment
The list could go on and on!
Equally enjoyable to me are the many sayings she uses. Here’s a few.
- guess works as good as any if it hits
- poor as a whippoorwill
- where there’s a will there’s a way
- fierce words needs mendin’
- love many and trust few and always paddle your own canoe (go here for a thread about this one)
- ain’t no use to grieve after spilt milk
What I’ve shared is from the beginning of the book. The remainder of the pages are chock full of rich colorful Appalachian language too.
If you’d like to pick up a copy of the book you can find it over on the Foxfire site here.
Last night’s video: Matt Had A Great Birthday.
Tipper
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Tipper, I meant to say “own” the book not “won” the book. I buy almost every book you read because I want to refer back to certain passages. Each book is so inspirational and educational. Thank you again.
Tipper, I won this wonderful book thanks to you reading it in the past. I love it so much! And thank you so much for sharing the books you love with us. I do look forward to Fridays readings.
Hi Tipper and Acorns. I talk just like her. I love hearing you read Tipper. TY for these posts and videos.
I think I’ve heard you say you love Appalachian speaking. The Aunt Airy book spoke to you in familiar words and phrases or – if not – in ways you easily understood. They are a voice from the hills of home. As I grow older I want to hear that talk more and more. I’m not in the best place for that. And I’m haunted by the feeling it is getting harder and harder to do. I associate many expressions from my childhood with those – like Aunt Airy was – who were middle-aged or elderly then and now are long gone. I fear I have forgotten ways of speaking I commonly heard then. Even to think it might be so makes me sad.
Always entertaining! Love & prayers for you all !
Happy Birthday to Matt ! Loved the video of course !:)
Here’s one of my favorites:
“Take what you git and don’t pitch a fit.”
The Foxfire series is such a treasure! I particularly remember my grandmother describing a badly behaved child or unethical person as “being just full of meaness.” She also used “I don’t care to” instead of “no,” when she wanted to be a little kinder in a decision.:)
Lynn, do you also remember your grandmother saying what the cure was for a badly behaving child and their meanness-a clue, it was not found in a doctor’s office, but out in the yard, it was a keen hickory switch applied to their rear end. A few doss of this cured a lot of children of their meanness. I think I if this cure was still used more often today, you would see a lot less of the young people behaving like some of them do today!
training thunderstorms here, that means they are coming in succession, one after the other, could be severe flooding overnight, God bless us and protect us
“Love many and trust few…” is an odd proverb, but, to get all stuffy-philosophical like I just went to college (it was decade ago in real life!), those two alternatives are, respectively, “The Principle of Charity” (always see if there’s anything good in what people say even if you suspect there is not; in other words, don’t take something as an insult unless you know they’re actually trying to insult you), and “The Principle of Candor” (figure they’ll probably tell you the truth if that won’t cost them anything to do so, but otherwise, hold off on trusting what they say if you think they might have a reason for for not being completely forthcoming).
Reading those “sayings” as I call them reminded me of the old women I once knew who were of a certain time and made of a certain rarity that will be no more-not ever. I find in reading them they seemingly jump off the page and old often forgotten memories come to life again. I see the faces, but the voices are gone from my recall. Good news: there’s a whipporwhil in a tree across the street and he really cuts loose after dark! I just love hearing him and hope he meets that special someone soon cause he gives it all he’s got! He’s a keeper. lol The chickens turn 8 weeks today so I’m making them a hot boiled egg and getting some dried mealworms out for the little biddies. They sure are pretty little things…do you know they sell chicken XYLOPHONES at the store? There’s hats and scarves too… Can you imagine such? Lol have a good day yall. Is spring here yall? Quit “teasing” me here with above freezing temps in May…can you imagine such? Lol
Do botherment and botheration mean the same thing?
I can’t fully trust anybody, not even myownself.
I just love to listen to you read.
I love Aunt Aerie’s colorful language! I’ve been enjoying your read aloud of that book. Matt’s birthday celebration looked wonderful! My birthday is on Monday and I am tempted now to make that same cake! It looked SCRUMPTIOUS! So kind of you to make his day so special, Tipper. You have a wonderful family.
That is a good saying. I need to be less trusting, but it is so hard! I find myself believing what people say, and sometimes it isn’t true. Love many. Yes thatis good. There are people in this world I love but don’t trust.
The words and expressions Aunt Arie uses sound like she could be any one of my seventeen aunts. They all said plime blank, and so do I.
I haven’t been able to listen to Friday night readings in a long while. Hopefully I can get back to listening in on you reading the books and having discussions.
I like the saying love many and trust few and always paddle your own canoe.
My grandmother Seward said urnion for onion and Kervington for Covington. She was born in 1888 about the time of Aunt Aerie. Other sayings we heard were cool as a cucumber for a person who showed indifference or I swanee for I swear. One of the most serious/hilarious stories in the book about Aunt Aerie was when Wig took some students to her house and she had a hog head trying to clean to make souse. An interesting lady.
Herman, thank you for bringing back a memory of my mother, when I was a youngster I remember her saying “I swanee” she stopped saying it later on. She was a Christian lady and I seriously doubt that she knew it could be considered the same as saying I swear.
I’m a transplant from Wisconsin (We hadve our own unique phrases and words.) but I love the southern expressions! I hope you share more from the book but I’m planning to get a copy. I love the one about fierce words—very true.
i’ve always heard “don’t cry over spilt milk.” since you say “grieve” here, it makes me wonder it it wasn’t actually a corruption of “greet” which, in scots, means to “cry”…
I also recommend looking for it on the Thriftbooks website. I have never gotten a bad copy of anything from them.
I buy a lot of used books from eBay, often times the price will include shipping. I only buy from sellers that have a high rating 98% or better. Like you I have bough from Thriftbooks and never been disappointed.
I have heard and used some of them. I have heard this saying concerning hard manual labor jobs, “give a hard job to a lazy man, he will find the easiest way to do it.” Sometimes I have heard it joked and said he will just pass it on to someone else!
Pam , thank you for giving me the tip about the Hercules pea seed. I looked and they had on their site, short supply, expect delays. I want to check out another one I couldn’t think of yesterday, it is Clossus. The problem around here is with deer, planting peas is like throwing steak out in front of a pack of hungry dogs, the deer will start eating them as soon as the peas get big enough to begin putting on leaves.
When my wife asks me after I come back from town” did you see anybody you know?” I answer “ nary a soul”. Curious if others do this too?
I say it Richard. My folks did too.
I have a friend that likes to say nary in place of none.
I would say “not nary a one”.
The wonderful movie “Foxfire” is about her and Rabun County, GA. John Denver is in it.
I say love many trust few is a good way to live nowadays. I love people and I love their stories, but my younguns are always telling me I’m too trusting. Seems strangers always find me if we’re out and tell me about their life. My husband says they start talking to me even when I have my back to them. I reckon I want to find the good in people and things. I don’t think we take time to talk and listen anymore. Like waiting in doctor’s offices, restaurants, standing in line, etc. That used to be a thing to talk to those around you. I never want to lose that.
We always say ain’t no use to cry over spilt milk.
May y’all find many blessings in your day!