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A-huntin' The Sources of Appalachian English
Backcountry Notes ^ | March 26, 2010 | Jay Henderson

Posted on 03/26/2010 7:00:19 AM PDT by jay1949

An order of the Virginia Colonial Council dated May 4, 1725, concerned an allegation that "divers Indians plundered the Quarters of Mr. John Taliaferro near the great mountains [i.e., the Blue Ridge] . . .[and carried off] some of the Guns belonging to and marked with the name of Spottsylvania County . . . ." The Council concluded: "It is ordered that it be referred to Colo. Harrison to make inquiry which of the Nottoway Indians or other Tributaries have been out ahunting about that time . . . ."

Now, the Colonial Council was an august body and its proceedings were formal, so we can be sure that "ahunting" was not common slang. It was, on the contrary, an accepted usage which is now obsolete except in Appalachia and the Ozarks, where folks still go "out a-huntin'."

(Excerpt) Read more at backcountrynotes.com ...


TOPICS: History; Society
KEYWORDS: appalachia; appalachian; dialects; english; englishlanguage; language; linguistics; rural; seedofalbion; virginia; virginiahistory
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To: DManA

We found it amusing. Like the Snuffy Smith cartoon — a caricature.


61 posted on 03/26/2010 8:08:27 AM PDT by jay1949 (Work is the curse of the blogging class)
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To: jay1949

Jay...your threads really take off in here...I, for one, want to thank you so very much for what you do...It is extremely entertaining, and nostalgic...A lot of times, it takes me back to my childhood and the screen kinda blurs....

Thank you so much....


62 posted on 03/26/2010 8:09:13 AM PDT by Boonie
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To: Boonie; don-o
You may be familiar with the “Heartland Series” on WBIR.

I once saw the host, Bill Landry, speaking with a Professor of Linguistics from UT and he claimed that the East Tennessee dialect was the oldest existing dialect in the english language. Now that's a pretty strong statement right there. Whether true or not it's still a shame that the dialect is disappearing.

63 posted on 03/26/2010 8:09:41 AM PDT by Semper Mark (Both oligarch and tyrant mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms. - Aristotle)
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To: DManA

But don’t call an East Tennessee redneck “Jethro” or a Southwest VA hillwilliam “Snuffy” unless you’re looking to duke it out . . . .


64 posted on 03/26/2010 8:09:49 AM PDT by jay1949 (Work is the curse of the blogging class)
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To: Boonie

Thanks for the kind words, B — I enjoy writing about such things and hope that a few others enjoy reading about them.


65 posted on 03/26/2010 8:11:23 AM PDT by jay1949 (Work is the curse of the blogging class)
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To: DManA

Yep...I found it very funny...Like “’Lil Abner” in the comics....


66 posted on 03/26/2010 8:11:31 AM PDT by Boonie
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To: Markos33

Oh yeah...One of my brothers-in-law has appeared on Heartland several times....I was in a group scene taped in Cades Cove back in the 90’s...*S*


67 posted on 03/26/2010 8:14:32 AM PDT by Boonie
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To: DManA

When I was in sixth grade (just like Jethro Bodine) my class wrote and presented several skits related to Tennessee history. As the final one, we did a “send up” on the Beverly Hillbillies, with the our Principal taking the place of the banker and the story being mountain folk (from way back in the hills) coming to our school.

As I recall, we made the Principal the butt of the jokes, like the TeeVee show seemed to do with the banker. Jed was a lot like Andy Griffith - he seemed to be the only grown up.


68 posted on 03/26/2010 8:14:36 AM PDT by don-o (My son, Ben - Marine Lance Corporal texted me at 0330 on 2/3/10: AMERICA!)
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To: Genoa

Here in southern Indiana we would use a camera to take a pitcher of a crick.


69 posted on 03/26/2010 8:15:32 AM PDT by wordsofearnest (Job 19:25 As for me, I know my Redeemer lives.)
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To: jay1949

Same here with “Fargo”. Wildly exaggerated caricature but definitely recognizable. Like a political cartoon of Obama. You instantly know who it is even though Barry doesn’t really have elephant ears.


70 posted on 03/26/2010 8:16:02 AM PDT by DManA
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To: Markos33
You may be familiar with the “Heartland Series” on WBIR.

Not a TV watcher any more; but, I heard that mentioned just the other day. Is it available online?

71 posted on 03/26/2010 8:16:10 AM PDT by don-o (My son, Ben - Marine Lance Corporal texted me at 0330 on 2/3/10: AMERICA!)
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To: jay1949

*LOL*

A “hillwilliam” is a hillbilly who went to college...*L*


72 posted on 03/26/2010 8:17:07 AM PDT by Boonie
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To: Boonie

Here, in Hillbilly Heaven, you are instantly identified as an outlander if you say “creek”.

In 48 years of life, I’ve never heard any native *not* say crick.

[and we get’em in our necks, too]....:)


73 posted on 03/26/2010 8:17:19 AM PDT by Salamander (....and I'm sure I need some rest but sleepin' don't come very easy in a straight white vest.......)
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To: jay1949

Never heard “snuffy” before. I’ll keep it in my back pocket in case I need it some day.


74 posted on 03/26/2010 8:18:14 AM PDT by DManA
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To: Salamander

Up here in the north I’d say people say crik about 50% of the time. Creek the rest. A crik is smaller than a creek is smaller than a stream is smaller than a river.


75 posted on 03/26/2010 8:20:05 AM PDT by DManA
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To: Salamander

Whar ‘bouts are ye, Salamander???


76 posted on 03/26/2010 8:21:13 AM PDT by Boonie
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To: DManA
Were you guys offended by Jed Clampett or did you find him amusing?

I found him very down to earth. Would make a good neighbor.

77 posted on 03/26/2010 8:21:30 AM PDT by OB1kNOb ( I WILL NOT COMPLY !)
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To: OB1kNOb

“Pert” becomes “putt”, here.


78 posted on 03/26/2010 8:21:55 AM PDT by Salamander (....and I'm sure I need some rest but sleepin' don't come very easy in a straight white vest.......)
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To: DManA

In the southern mountains a “branch” is smaller than a creek...


79 posted on 03/26/2010 8:22:21 AM PDT by Boonie
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To: wordsofearnest

My mother-in-law always calls the guy who takes the pictures a FUR-tographer. Now that I noticed that in her I’m to self concious of it to see how I naturally pronounce it.


80 posted on 03/26/2010 8:23:25 AM PDT by DManA
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