A few days ago Blind Pig reader Ron Stephens commented about the word unthoughted and wondered if it was in the dictionary I use for reference.
I found this entry for the word.
unthoughted See also thoughted, unthoughtedly.
A adjective Thoughtless, without thinking, spontaneous, impromptu. See also unthoughtless.
1915 Dingus Word-List VA 192 = thoughtless (also adverb). 1937 Hyatt Kiverlid 97 “Well, I was unthoughted not to a drawed hit back an’ pinned hit better,” said Nancy. 1975 Chalmers Better 32 Reckon I was jest unthoughted. 1989 Buxton and Burns Blowing Rock 112 The girls are eager to learn and to try, but they are so “unthoughted,” as they express carelessness.
b adverb Unexpectedly, unintentionally, uncontrollably.
1925 Furman Glass Window 5 ‘Pears like I think of ’em unthoughted, paw. 1942 Hall Phonetics Smoky Mt 58 It happened so quick and unthoughted.
—Dictionary of Southern Appalachian English
Ron said he thought he remembered hearing the word in the past. Seems like I do too, but its not one I say nor hear on a regular basis.
Are you familiar with the word?
Last night’s video: Mountain Man Talks About Dangerous Drag Racing When He Was A Boy.
Tipper
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Never heard that word/phrase, but the definition makes sense. I just adore your vocabulary posts. I try to incorporate them into my daily vernacular. You are amazing! Keep on bringing us more knowledge… ❣️
Unthoughted is new to me. However, I’m wondering if untelling is related to untold which I say and/or hear often. As in untold numbers of something meaning countless. Also, I’m very familiar with ain’t no telling. My granddaddy would say ‘cain’t never tell what a possum’s been eatin’ !!
Haven’t heard any of my people use that word.
Inthoughted isn’t a word that I’ve ever heard used, but it’s always good to learn something new.
Many of my German ancestors moved into central North Carolina in the mid 1700’s. I remember my grandmother using the word “hope” instead of “help”, as in “Can I hope you?” One of my professors at WCU said that probably came from a Middle English infinitive, “to holp”.
Tipper,
New word for me . Have a great day!!
How is Granny Wilson doing? Praying for better health for her. God bless you and your family. Hilary
Hilary-she is doing well 🙂
No ma’am in unthought. My families were country folk, around and about Northern Arkansas. If you type it out on my I phone it doesn’t relate either. Have heard untelling. It doesn’t come up as a word on my phone either. Have a blessed day y’all. Jennifer
I’ve never heard that word before but find it very interesting. Thanks, Ron, for bring it to our attention and thanks Tipper for sharing the information about it. Really enjoyed last night’s video also. Have a great day everyone!!
Unthoughted: my Mother used it often, meaning, to me, “thoughtless”.
“Now that was unthoughted”, spoken with a sad undertone as unintentional, but thoughtless.
I’ve never heard unthoughted, I’ve heard and said “ain’t no telling” as in, ain’t no telling how many pecans dem squirrels get off my tree.
I have never heard this word – but I like it!!! Take care and God bless! ❤️
That’s a brand new one to me. My family is from the heart of Appalachia and they did use “hit” as in your example sentence “‘Well, I was unthoughted not to a drawed hit back an’ pinned hit better,’ said Nancy.”
I don’t recall ever hearing that word, but when I read your title I immediately knew what it meant.
Update on my health: I’m getting stronger every day and feeling pretty good for an old fat feller that was near death three weeks ago. One doctor said I was rapidly approaching a stage called “Active”. That’s when organs and systems vital for life begin to shut down. He asked how I felt about that and I said, “I’m ok either way. Either you fix the problem or I’ll see Jesus sooner than I expected.” I even went to my workshop yesterday and did about 2 hours of woodworking.
Jackie-wonderful news about how you’re doing!! I’ll keep praying 🙂
Well just as I read the word unthoughted; I thought why that is common to me but I’ve usually said it as “unthoughtedly.”
I love history so I did enjoy listening to Mr. Robertson’s life story. My Grandfather Haynes was raised in Waterloo, AL., in a Timber Business family. When he married my Grandmother in East TN., he started his own business (sawmill) and would buy a tract of land with timber and have his men with horses go in cut the timber and haul it out to sell to the lumber companies. Cutting timber back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s was really dangerous for the men cutting and dragging those huge logs out with horses or mules.
new to me
unthought of is the closest
New word to me.
Thanks for posting this, Tipper. In my mind, for whatever reason, I particularly connect “unthoughted” to the explanation how something said hurt somebody’s feelings because they “took it wrong” where no harm was meant. But of course the larger idea is just “not thinking ahead” to foresee reasonable consequence. Regardless, it always has that letdown ‘I can’t believe I did that!’ feeling. As I’ve heard many times, “I wouldn’t have done that for the world.” And I have heard and used “untelling” many be the time; untellin’ how many.
I’ve never heard the word unthoughted but in East Tennessee untelling is the word used more often. Everyone have a great day.
I have never heard the word unthoughted. Someone else mentioned untelling. This word is very common to me and one I will often say. I enjoyed the video, especially the talk of cutting and hauling pulpwood in 5 ft lengths to the pulpwood yard. I have done that to make a little extra money. After cutting and hand loading 3-4 cords on the back of an old truck, you don’t need to go by the gym to exercise. There was a teenage hangout in my area at onetime at a community called the Ware Place. There was a roller skating ring and a little restaurant there. This was back in 50-60’s. The late 60’s was the era of the “Muscle Cars.” The boys had marked off a straight section (about a mile) of the highway there for a drag strip and people would gather and stand along the shoulder of the road and watch. The law finally came and made a halfhearted effort to arrest some, but they did stop the racing. This was not as dangerous as it may seem, I drove through this area many times in the late 70’s and early 80’s around midnight and would seldom meet another car for miles, back then there would have been very little traffic and someone would always be watching for other cars. Now the cars are almost like ants at all times of the day.
I can’t recall hearing or read “unthoughted”. I have heard unthought and more commonly unthought out. If you can have unthought I can’t see why you couldn’t have unthoughted.
Because, papaw, there is a thing called verb tenses. “Thought” is the past tense of “think.” Many verbs add an ‘ed’ to the root to change them to past tense. Consider ‘expect’ and ‘expected’. “Think” is an irregular verb changing its root to form the past tense. To add an ‘ed’ to thought is just bad language usage. If you wish to describe something that happened without one thinking about it, you might say, “It was an action unthought by him.” (however, it would be better expressed by saying, “It was an action not thought of by him.”) but it would be extremely awkward to say, “It was an action untoughted by him.” It might well be a colloquialism, but it’s not good use of language and might lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding.
I have never heard unthoughted. Much I heard through the years I find right here on your blog. Sometimes, it has been many years. and is much like remembering an old friend to hear those words and phrases. I remember words occasionally that are no longer spoken, and I ponder their origin. One my dad used was corker. It was of Irish irigin according to google, and I never hear nor read it anymore.
Thanks for sharing the Mountain Man’s memories of his time and places he remembers. I remember the first time visiting ‘Blairsville’. It always brought a smile to me to hear how that word was pronounced. Those that live there and those that visit…’Blarsville as opposed to Blairsville. Oh how I do miss those and your mountains and the people who live in those mountains. Prayers for Granny and God’s Blessings on all you guys.
I’ve never heard it pronounced any way other than “Blarsville”.
New to me. A friend used to say “untelling”. He was the only person that I ever heard use that word. Anyone else ever hear it.
Joe-Untelling is common in my area 🙂
It’s untelling at the times he hooked a biggin and it got away. Untelling is quite common here.
Joe-untelling is used quite often here in East Tennessee.. with Easter being early this year it’s untelling what the weather will be!
In all my years I’ve never heard that one. But , then again, I’ve not heard everything . Sounds like a word from home though.
I have never heard the word, unthoughted; but, as usual, I have learned something new today. I always enjoy reading Ron’s, as well as everyone else’s, comments. Everyone has a story to tell or something to teach us.
Very interesting. I personally. have never heard it.