In one of my recent videos Granny said her mother would send her along with her grandpa when he went fishing down on Caney Creek because she was afraid he would pitch over in the lake.
I’ve heard pitch used in this manner my entire life, after all Granny is my mother 🙂 But several folks commented about the word usage.
Here’s the entry for pitch from the Dictionary of Southern Appalachian English.
pitch verb
1 (also pitch off, pitch out) To thrust, move with vigor.
1886 (in 1938 Taliaferro Carolina Humor 8) They could make no money at home, and they “pitched” vigorously into this new operation, especially the Duck Townsmen. 1864 Joyce CW Letters (Aug 19) the yankeys was about to slip up on us we had to Drop every thing and pitch oute after them we whip them Back over the River. 1896 Fox Last Stetson 186 He pitched right into the feud, as he [ = the preacher] calls hit, ‘n’ the sin o’sheddin’ human blood. 1958 Campbell Tales 101 He met a giant and pitched into fight. 1975 Gainer Speech Mtneer 14 Pitched off (v.), left hurriedly. “When it began to rain, he pitched off from home.”
2 To stagger, fall (as in phrase pitch and stave).
1962 Hall Coll (Hartford TN) I worked at Waterville on a bittin’ machine. I could have stayed there yit if I didn’t have high blood. I pitched an’ staved. He fetched me home. 1971 Granny Women 255 Th’horses would break through th’ice and th’mudholes and just nearly pitch on their heads. 1976 Thompson Touching Home 15 = to fall: “I felt funny and started pitching.” 1989 Landry Smoky Mt Interviews 194 I got out there in the creek, and I went to slipping and a-falling and a-pitching. 1997 Montgomery Coll = to have dizziness, stagger (Brown). 1999 Morgan Gap Creek 78 He was helping me to churn and just pitched forward into the yard.
3 Of a bird: to alight, perch.
C1975 Lunsford It Used to Be 162 “Pitch” means to light or perch, as “that hawk pitched in a dead chestnut.” That is, he flew to a dead chestnut tree and was there on its perch.
4 In Phrase pitch a crop.
1944 Wilson Word-List 48 = to plant a crop.
5 To engage in (a form of unrestrained behavior).
1966 DARE Survey (Brasstown NC ) pitch a fit; (Highlands NC) pitch a drunk. 1972 Cooper NC Mt Folklore 95 pitch a fit = to fuss or rave in anger.
Number 2 is what Granny’s mother used when she sent Granny fishing with her grandfather.
When we first moved into our house here on the goat bluff I could scramble around on the bank below the house and the bank above the house without worry, now if I have to climb down or up I feel like I’m about to pitch off of it.
Another usage from the list that is very common in my area is pitch a fit. I’ve also heard pitch a drunk.
I have never heard number 3 and 4 and I’m not sure I’ve heard number 1 either, but it does seem more familiar.
During the horrible storm Helene, people, houses, vehicles, trees, and more pitched off into the rushing waters. Please continue to remember the victims of the storm when you pray as well as for those who are giving them aid.
Tipper
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Funny that after all these years, 68 in fact, I’ve never known that “pitch” was an unusual way of saying any of those meanings! Guess it’s just in my blood!
~newly returned to Appalachia
I always heard it used as ‘he pitched in to help us’. Or, pitch those sticks over the bank…as in throwing like pitching a baseball.
I have heard of ‘pitch a fit’, ‘pitch a tent’, ‘its pitch black dark outside’, pitch.the ball’, and ‘pitch in to help’.
Don’t forget about “Pitch a tent”. I’ve heard of pitch over. My pawpaw pitched over while mowing with his tractor on the pond bank.
Have you ever heard of the card game called Pitch? It’s a lot of fun and my grandparents would go down to Boonie and Inez’s house to play cards on Fri and/or Sat night. Seems like Inez made me some popcorn once while I waited for them to finish up their card game.
Fun times!!
I guess I’m old enough to have heard them all. When I was little, I’d get accused of pitching a fight with my younger brother (although he started it ;>). The second one I tend to do if I’m not careful. Being a birdwatcher I have actually used “pitched in the big oak ,” which most people just thought I said perched. I’d dearly love to pitch a crop, but the soil’s too rocky and we don’t get enough sun. By far, though, the most common usage for me is the last. I’ve been known to pitch a fit now and again. Glad to say I’ve never pitched a drunk.
Another seldom heard phrase is “tump over or tumped over”. My Indiana born and raised husband had trouble accepting this was a legitimate term.
It’s amazing that a word can have so many different meanings. As always, understand a word’s meaning with the context that it is used.
Thinking back to when I was a kid, I remember that I usually got my rear end busted any time I pitched a fit! Hickory tee was a sure fire cure for children pitching a fit. Pitch in and help someone is also very common around my neck of the woods.
TIPPER THAT PIE AND OVEN BAKED CHICKEN AND GRAVY MAKES ME DROLL. MY MOTHER COOKED LIKE THAT! I THINK (PITCH A FIT, OR HISSY FIT) IS PRETTY COMMON IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. I TYPE IN ALL CAPS AS MY EYES AINT WHAT THEY USE 2 B.
Most commonly heard for me was my dad kicking people out of his car if they became car sick. While he was pulling off the road, I can remember his saying, “Girl, don’t pitch your dinner on my upholstery! Get out of the car!”
We say “pitch a fit” too, as well as “pitch it” to mean throw it in trash.
Both my grandmother’s would say pitch a fit. And if we kids pitched a fit over something of no account we got our hide tanned for it. Here in the north we were raised to pitch in and help when we saw a need. Those are the ones I can recollect.
I had never heard pitched over until Granny said it in the video. We use pitch in and help, pitched a fit, birds pitching on a roof and another one that comes to mind is pitch me a blanket. Continued prayers for all those affected in the storms.
Having had spent my entire career in healthcare, a lot of that doing home care. the #2 about “high blood” made me smile. Trying to obtain a health history on my patients and hearing that statement. It took a bit of discussion to figure out if it was high blood pressure, or high blood sugars. Usually a review of meds would help me solve the puzzle.
“I’ve got the high blood”
I’ve heard of someone pitching a fit, I almost pitched over, and It was pitch black outside. I questioned what pitch black is, and was told that pitch is a black tar that you put on a roof. I always enjoy your videos and now that I’ve found your blog, I’m sure I will enjoy it as well. I somehow missed that you were still coming to your book signing at the Ramsey house. After the horrible damage from the hurricane, I thought your trip was cancelled. I was so very disappointed that I missed a chance to meet you and Matt. Maybe there will be another time.
Pitched was used exactly as Granny described it when I was growing up. A pitching and a stumbling were perfect ways to describe a drunk or someone whose head was swimming. It seems like I remember they always pitched head first. Another way we used the word was to say pitch me that hoe when you’re done using it.
I haven’t heard 3 or 4 either, but one time my aunt was workin in her garden, all of a sudden she just pitched over. She had tripped over a vine and down she went! I got in BIG trouble caused I laughed so hard. I still do that today. Whether it’s me or someone else, I can’t stop laughing! I try really hard not to, but it just don’t work. I guess I just pitch a fit of laughter.
I’ve heard and still use, pitch a fit.
Being From mid – Missouri area originally, we always heard Pitched a fit or pitched a royal fit, both were very common to describe a breath holding, foot stomping, red face, screaming, hissy fit. Have a great day today y’all. Still praying for all those who were in the storms and all the aide workers. May our God in heaven bless y’all today, tomorrow and always. Love to you and the whole family Miss Tipper. J
I’ve heard “pitched a fit”, but not the other uses.
I’ve heard pitch in a couple ways. Pitch the ball, or pitch out the trash, but I’ve mostly heard it in reference to someone being mad like She pitched a fit when she heard the news.
Prayers continue for all hurricane survivors. Praying for our country too.
“Pitched” is a good, handy word ’cause it can be used so many ways. The one I know best is “pitch in” to do whatever. (Another way to say it is “take a hand”.) Just tack on other words like off, over, down, out, up and so on and it can suit about any occasion. And then there is horseshoes, always “pitch” them never throw them! Now that you made me think of it, what does pitch as an action have to pitch of a roof? So far I don’t pitch over but that may be coming.
Tipper, I always get a kick out of learning and reading words and phrases unique to Appalachia you present here every day! I laughed over you living on the goat bluff and I must say I too live on a goat bluff or a deer bluff. Last night 2 deer just strolled by the terrace looking in the patio door. I got some cleaning up done outdoors yesterday. It felt like progress. My bedroom seems ok after pulling off ceiling and wall dry wall etc, there’s a beam or two under impact area that needs replaced and one long one is leaning but can be straightened back, and the roof needs replaced but it’s better than I dreamed! The only thing I’d like is vinyl plank flooring in the back to get rid of this carpet. I like clean and carpet ain’t it. Well I gotta pitch in and help clean up outside today, I pray I don’t pitch myself over the hill ( nor you either Tipper) and just maybe I can come up with a pitch to get friends to work for a roast for supper…. Oh you know I am praying for all the storm impacted folks as long as there’s air in my lungs… hillbilly strong! God bless all! I loved Granny’s beautiful photograph and her lovely flower pot of knot flowers! Is there nothing beautiful, creative, talented, tasty, interesting or superb you or granny or the girls CANT do???? You just pitch them PURTY heads back and get stepping getting busy!!!
“His hawg pitched over yestiddy.. don’t know wat kilt it..put he shore pitched a fit”.. my grandpa would have said that.
Same for me, 2 and 5 are the usages I grew up with. It tickled me to hear people say, “Well, she sure threw a hissy fit, didn’t she?” Nope (To my knowledge), no one ever said that about me. Like Granny, when fishing, Daddy would say, “Pitch it over there.” When visiting at a friend’s house or having friend’s over in the winter and we’d take our coats off, we often said, “Just pitch it on the bed.”
I didn’t know my grandpa Daniels in Virginia but newspaper clippings revealed he pitched over a cliff one night while coon hunting!
The most used when I was growing up was pitch a fit and still hear it today!
So thankful for this beautiful weather for workers helping in flood areas. If you can, get out and help someone today.
I’m familiar with pitch a fit. But the other usages not so much.
We use this phrase a lot. I still use it when I take my daughter Sayward some place where she needs to be quite or very respectful. I will tell her that she had better not pitch a fit on me. lol Sometimes language is so common you forget how truly special it is to your region and upbringing. God bless.
3 and 4 are alien to me but 1, 2, & 5 are quite common. 1. Please pitch in and help those effected by the flood. 2. I walked around behind a big oak tree but there was no behind back there and so I “pitched” off into the river. 5. They all “pitched” a great big party, but I didn’t go.
PS: #2 is a true story.
Ed, I read about a mountain turkey hunter who shot a gobbler that then began flopping and rolling down the steep slope. As he was trying to catch up with the tumbling turkey, they both pitched over a steep precipice the man had not seen. “There was no behind” beyond. His momentum carried him over the edge. He had a long fall and a hard landing. After catching his breath and checking his limbs, the fortunate fellow collected his gobbler and his shotgun, and started the long climb up the mountain.
Pitched a fit is common around here in north Alabama
I have often heard pitch a fit but don’t think I have ever heard it used in place of falling. It seems like I have heard out of pitch to describe a shed or something that was leaning a little but I am not about sure. Now with my bad knees and back, I have to be real careful on hills, steps and such to keep from pitching over and busting my ignorance! I have found it is easier for me to back down steps than to go down forward like most people do.
What about kicked the bucket?
the first definition sounds vaguely familiar. I grew up hearing the second one, as in “he done pitched over.” Pitched a fit was common usage but I never heard pitched with drunk. My people were from the Ozarks.