The charm of the Appalachian mountain folk, living deep in the mountain coves and hollows, lies in their isolation from outside influences. Their manner of speech and way of life dates back to earlier more relaxed times and brings forth a bit of nostalgia to all of us. Here are a few typical expressions of mountain folk…

A-FIXIN' – Getting ready "We're a-fixin' to go to the store."

PEAKED – Pale or sick looking "He's looking mighty peaked today."

ASKEERED OF – Frightened or afraid of "He's askeered of his shadow."

DOIN'S – A function "Are you goin to the church doin's tonight?"

DAST – Dare "Don't you dast ask Zeke to the doin's."

HOLLER – A small valley "She comes from over in the holler."

FETCH – To bring "Go fetch the doctor."

VITTLES – Food or victuals "I hope ma's got the vittles on when I git home."

PUT OUT – Angry, annoyed "He shore was put out 'bout the meetin'."

SMART – To hurt "It shore smarts where I got hit."

YOU'NS – You or you all "You'ns ain't gonna git no vittles."

AIM – To intend or to plan "I aim to buy some land."

CUTTIN' UP – Acting a fool "Maud shore was cuttin' up last night."

BOOK READ – Educated or well informed "We aim for llttle Flossie to git book read someday."

FUR PIECE – A great distance "He lives a fur piece from his kin folks."

GULLY-WASHER – A hard rain "We shore had a gully-washer last night."

HESH UP – Become quiet "Make Jamie hesh up."

HET – To become heated or upset "Don't let that get you all het up."

LOLLYGAG – To loaf or loiter "Why's Clem always lollygagin around?"

PIZEN – Poison "I seen lotsa pizen snakes in these parts."

AWFUL POORLY – Very ill "He's been lookin' awful poorly."

CRICK – A stiffness "Marvin has a crick in the neck."

AIRISH – Breezy or drafty "Shet your window. It's too airish."

BIGGETY – Stuck up or acting big "She's been actin' awful biggety these days."

CLUM' – Climbed "I clum thet hill for the last time."

PLUMB – Completely "I'm plumb upset with her lollygagin' around.

KIVVER – Covered "Them young-uns is kivvered with the pox."

SHED OF – Get rid of or unload "You got to get shed of that old mule."

SMACK-DAB – On the dot, exactly "I shot him smack-dab thru his heart."

POKE – Paper bag "He put the chicken in a poke."

RED – To clean or tidy up "Red up your room before you fetch Grandma."

WHUPPED – Whipped or spanked "Pa shore whupped me when I fibbed to the widder woman."

SKITTISH – Nervous "Them mules git kinda skittish when his dogs howl."

ET – Eaten "Have they et?"

GANDER – To look at "Take a gander at her new outfit."

NAW – No "Naw, I never fetched the syrup."

PARTS – Area or neighborhood "What's he doin' in these parts?"

Try out your Mountain Talk at Cooter's!