Phrases of Appalachia: Like It Or Lump It

"Like it or lump it": To accept or tolerate a disagreeable situation whether one likes it or not.

Example: We're going to have leftovers for supper and you're just going to have to like it or lump it. 

I used this phrase this weekend. Actually, I used the exact example that I shared above. My son had asked, not even 15 minutes after finishing Easter lunch, what we'd be having for supper. He is 15 so food is constantly on his mind. He earns that honest! He wasn't too happy to hear that he would be looking at the same food choices again but, he just had to like it or lump it. I asked him if he knew what like it or lump it meant and he said, "I can either like it or like it." Ha, pretty much. 

I found some conflicting information as I was researching the origins of this phrase. Some sources claimed it originated in England while others said Ireland. I also found that in Northern English, "lump" as a verb also means carry, especially something heavy - so you can like it or have to carry it anyway. No matter where it started, it definitely made it's way to Appalachia. This was the "go-to" phrase for my parents and grandparents whenever there was something that I complained about. Looks like the phrase will hold up well for at least another generation. 

Have you ever heard or said this phrase? 

Phrases of Appalachia: Poor As Job

"Poor As Job": poverty stricken 

Ol' Joe is as poor as Job. He ain't worked in well over a year. 

This is a phrase that I know a good many of you have heard. If you're a Bible reading and believing somebody, you know all about how hard of a time poor ol' Job had. He was a righteous man and God allowed his faith to be tested by Satan. He lost his children, his health, everything he owned, and his livelihood. Through all of that, he remained faithful and his perseverance was rewarded. So to say "he/she is as poor as Job" would be comparing someone's situation to the worst of the worst. 

Over time, this phrase has been embellished to include Job's critters. "Poor as Job's turkey" is one that I've heard growing up. I'm not sure that ol' Job even knew what a turkey was but if had he belonged to Job, you can bet that he was poor. I found that some areas use "poor as Job's cat" but I don't remember hearing it around here. 

Another phrase that includes Job is "he/she has the patience of Job" and knowing what all Job went through would mean that this person was a very patient person. This is definitely one thing that me and Job do NOT have in common. I'm working on that. 

Have you heard or used these phrases where you're from? 

Phrases of Appalachia: Cooterin' Around

cooterin' around 

hanging around, doing nothing

Example: What are you doing on your 
day off? Ah, I'm just cooterin' around. 

According to Smoky Mountain Voices: A Lexicon of Southen Appalachian Speech Based on the Research of Horace Kephart, a cooter (noun) was a box-tortoise. "The noun is turned into a verb with an ease characteristic of the mountaineers." It is chiefly a southern Appalachian word and believed to be a Scotticism which is a phrase or word that is characteristic of dialects of the Scots language. It makes perfect sense that it would be a Scotticism since so many Scots settled in the southern Appalachian mountains. 

According to Kephart, in Our Southern Highlanders, similar terms include: broguin' about; loaferin' about; prodjectin' around; santern' about; shacklin' around; spuddin' around; and traffickin' about. .

A few more that I've heard and occasionally use:

lollygagging; dilly-dallying; dawdlin'; piddlin'; assin' around (sometimes pronounced asslin'); monkeying around; and my personal favorite and most used, fiddle farting around. 

Example: Son, I told you to turn that video game off 30 minutes ago. Now stop fiddle farting around and get ready to go! 

Appalachian vocabulary sure is colorful, ain't it? Have you heard any of these phrases in your area? Did I miss any that you've heard or still use? Let me know in the comments! 

An Outsider's Guide To Appalachian Directions

No Fool
This city fellow was driving down through the mountains when he got lost. He saw a farmer standing near the road behind his pasture fence. He stopped his car and asked, "How far to Knoxville?" "Don't know." "Well, how far is it to Chattanooga?" "Don't know." "You don't know much, do you?" "Well, I ain't lost." This angered the city man, and he said, "There isn't much between you and a fool, is there?" "No, sir, just a fence," the farmer said. 
-Jim Ralston, Paint Lick, KY Curing the Cross-Eyed Mule

Before I even begin to explain how directions are given in my area of Appalachia, let me say that these may apply to other parts of the country (specifically the south) and may not apply to other parts of Appalachia (specifically the north). I'm going to explain how it is done in MY neck of the woods, western North Carolina. 

There are countless back country roads throughout the many rural areas that make up Appalachia. Many of the roads aren't even marked which can render your GPS completely useless. Think you can do a Google search to find out where you are and to help you get where you're wanting to go? Don't count on it. Cell phone service isn't always available in these areas. So what's a person to do??? Something that most men have avoided since the beginning of time. ASK FOR DIRECTIONS. 

Once you find a road side produce stand or gas station, don't expect a quick exchange. We don't get in a hurry for much and giving directions isn't going to be the exception. We also tend to be pretty friendly and don't pass up an opportunity to get to know someone. The conversation will probably go something like this:
"Well, how are y'all a doing? That's good. Where are y'all from? Miami? Gracious, y'all are a good ways from home, ain't ya? Oh sure, I can help you get to where you're aiming to go. You have people in these parts or are y'all just out loafering?"

After a little small talk, you'll soon find out that people around here don't bother giving road names or numbers. We prefer something a little more colorful...like landmarks. So instead of simply telling you to turn left on Main Street and go 15 miles until you reach Walnut Lane, you'll hear: "Alright, you're going to go back out the way you came in but this time you're going to take a left at that pretty little Missionary Baptist Church. You know, my momma and daddy were married at that church back in '67. It's the truth! They'll be celebrating their 50th anniversary in June. Folks just don't stay together like the used to, do they? Now when you get to the fork in the road where that chicken truck turned over, you're going to want to go right. It'll seem like you're just going straight but you're really going right."

I should also let you know that we use certain directional phrases to explain how far you need to go. 

• Down the road a piece. Translation: About a mile or two.  
• Just a hop, skip, and jump. Translation: About 15-30 minutes.
• A little ways. Translation: Usually less than 5 miles. 
• Just up the road. Translation: Less than a mile.
• Over yonder. Translation: Sorry, this could mean anywhere from 5 feet away to the next county over. 

Now that you can somewhat translate our directional phrases, be prepared for a little more friendly conversation. It may take a little while but we will almost always get you where you're wanting to go. The best advice I can give an "outsider" would be to simply slow down and don't be rude or try to rush whomever is taking the time to help you. People from these parts will not be disrespected or rushed. You've been warned. 

I hope you'll find these tips helpful if you ever decide to visit the beautiful area that I call home. You won't regret it! 

Phrases of Appalachia: Fair to middlin'

A conversation that I had with my son today...

Son: How are you feeling, mom?

Me: Ah, fair to middlin'.

Son: *blink, blink*

Me: Fair to middlin'....it means so-so, average, okay.

Son: Then why didn't you just say average.

Me: *blink, blink*

I figured that if he didn't know what it meant then there might be a few of you who didn't know either. Just like many words that end with -ing in Appalachia, middling got whittled down to just middlin'.

"Middling is and old Scots word and has been in use since at least the 15th century with the same meaning as now, that is, 'of medium or moderate size, strength, quality." - phrases.org

Middling is a term used by farmers to identify the quality of products such as flour, sugar, produce, and cotton. For cotton, the specific grades ran from the best quality (fine), through good, fair, middling and ordinary to the least good (poor), with a number of intermediates, one being middling fair. 

While the phrase is still used this way, it has also worked its way into everyday conversation. It is a phrase that I hear and use quite often.

Have you ever heard or used this phrase? 

Phrases of Appalachia: Lo And Behold

Today's phrase, lo and behold, is one that is used frequently by my Granny. It seems that she can't tell a story without throwing a "lo and behold" in here and there. It's a phrase that you use when you want to express that you couldn't quite believe that something happened. 

Example: The weatherman said we were going to get a good snow and that we needed to make sure we were prepared. I decided to go to town to get a few things and, lo and behold, there wasn't a loaf of bread to be found for 30 miles!

This is a great phrase to use when you're trying to exaggerate a point in a story that you're telling. It helps express your excitement a little better. 

According to phrases.org, the origin of the complete phrase is first recorded in an 1808 letter in the Correspondence 1787-1870, of Queen Victoria's lady of bedchamber - Lady Sarah Spencer Lyttlelton: 

"Hartington...had just told us how hard he had worked all the morning...when, lo and behold! M. Deshayes himself appeared."

Now, thanks to Granny, several of us are using the term in everyday conversations. We all like to talk *ahem* and tell stories when we're all together and we like them to be as exciting as possible. I believe my Dad and his brothers like to try to outdo each other once they get started. They can't hold a candle to Granny or Pa though. Granny also usually ends her stories with "and that's the end of that bear tale!". 

Have you heard this phrase used in your neck of the woods?

Phrases Of Appalachia: Eating High On The Hog

The phrase "high on the hog" originally came from the fact that the wealthy ate the the best cuts of meat from a pig - ham, chops, and loin. The not so well to do folks ate the lesser cuts - side pork, spare ribs, and just about every other part of the pig. 

This phrase has come to not just refer to pork but to eat well in a general sense. Example: Leroy cooked enough prime rib to feed an army. We sure did eat high on the hog!  

It is also used as a way of saying that someone is doing well in life or living beyond their means. Example: Jimmy sure seems to be living high on the hog since winning the lottery. What does an old country boy need a private jet for anyway?

I've heard it used both ways in my part of Appalachia. I've even heard a few people use "low on the hog" to mean that someone isn't doing so well in life. 

This picture was taken during a 1980 something Thanksgiving. I'm not sure who's idea it was to take our picture with the remains of the turkey instead of the whole thing but you can tell that all of us must have eaten high on the hog that day. You don't mess around with a thing like picture taking when it comes time to eat! 

Me & the Mater Hater. :)

Since Thanksgiving is fast approaching, I'd like to know what some of your favorite Thanksgiving foods, traditions, and memories are. Do you spend the day eating high on the hog? Let me know in the comments & I might just choose a few to share in a Thanksgiving post next week! 

Phrases Of Appalachia: You're just like a fart in a hot skillet!

When it comes to funny southern sayings, my family is well versed. Out of all of them, "You're just like a fart in hot skillet" is my favorite. This was a common phrase used by my Granny and Pa Holloway. My Granny would probably skin me if she knew that I was writing about such, but she doesn't know anything about the internet or blogs so I think I'm in the clear. 

I remember asking her where she had heard it and what it meant. She told me that she had always heard her dad say it as she was growing up and it meant that a person couldn't make up their mind or they didn't know if they were coming or going. Her dad probably heard his dad say it too. I'm sure they would laugh if they knew their  great or great great granddaughter now finds herself using the phrase fairly often! 

This saying fits me well. My decision making skills resemble that of a squirrel when crossing the street. It takes me forever to make up my mind about anything! I let my mind fill up with too many "what if" scenarios. I'm working on that. I usually don't know if I'm coming or going either! I don't know if I'll ever be able to fix that one. 

Have you ever heard of this saying? What are some funny sayings that you've heard growing up? I'd love to hear them! 

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' peart, an' 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?