Like other remnants of early Appalachian mountain life, the old time speech of the original settlers has been largely eroded away by modernization.

Most of the original settlers were immigrants from the English Isles, although some German and Dutch settlers also made the journey. They brought with them colorful, Elizabethan era words and phrases which one can find in the works of Shakespeare.

As time passed, the isolation of mountain life transformed the language. Words were mispronounced, phrases and sentences were rearranged, and new words were created to fit the rugged mountain life these settlers faced. Intermarriage within mountain communities also caused this unique language to flourish for many years.

It wasn't until the twentieth century that mountain language was transformed by the modern influences of the outside world. Radio, television and newspapers, along with an influx of modern schools and colleges, taught the younger generation a new, "grammatically correct" way of speaking. As the exodus of young families from the mountains grew, mountain dialect became less prevalent.

One can still hear some of the original dialect in the more isolated mountain communities. If you find yourself in such places, listen closely for unique words and sayings like:

a-childing : pregnant

acorn-fed critters : poor people

a give-out : an announcement

arm baby : child small enough to be carried in someone's arms

a whoop and a holler : a long distance

ain't had much schoolhousing : isn't very educated

bald faced whiskey : fresh whiskey from a still

bigging it and bigging it : exaggerating

bonny : good

butter-mouthed : speaking in flattering terms

chunk-washer : heavy rain

death watch : ticking insect in the wall of a house that meant death in the family.

dogtrot : covered passageway between two rooms

doney-girl : female sweetheart

et : ate

fur : far

graveyard cough : deep, tubercular cough

goozler : boy whose voice is changing

jairy : nervous

kiver : cover

knee child : child small enough to sit on a knee

lap child : child small enough to be held in a lap

pap : father

pile up with trash : associate with low class, immoral people

rip and tear : raise cain

since Heck was a pup : a long time ago

skun : skinned

turn right-handed : turn right

turn left-handed : turn left

yan : yonder

yan side : the farthest side

A more complete glossary of early mountain words can be found at The Smoky Mountains Web site.