Saturday, September 10, 2016

Phrases Of Appalachia: Are you peart?


peart-  (adjective) lively; brisk; cheerful

Chiefly Southern and Midland; first known use: circa 1520


Examples:
The fathers of other "peart boys" cleared their throats uneasily,
 but offering contradiction."  The Young Mountaineers by Charles Egbert Craddock
He uster be chipper, an' peartan' clost frens with me; 
an' now he don't saynothin. A Pessimist by Robert Timsol 


Peart is a word that I've heard for most of my life. When I was younger I asked my Granny what it meant and she said, "I don't directly know the real definition of it but I use it when I'm meaning to ask if you're feeling well and happy." 

Granny asked me if I was peart today and I didn't waste a second when giving her my answer. I'm getting ready to spend my fifth night, back to back,  in the hospital. Chronic pancreatitis is the opposite of peart.

Have you ever heard anyone use "peart"? Does it fit how you're feeling this Saturday?


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