Thursday, October 13, 2011

Virginia Folk Speech #3

Photo taken on Mill Mountain, Roanoke, Virginia 2009


Ailing--To feel pain; be unwell.  "She is ailing today."  (When I was growing up, there was a woman who lived near us and she was constantly complaining about her health. So anytime her name was mentioned, the first response was usually, "So, what's ailin' her today?")

Jaw--To talk or gossip.  (Many times I heard my grandpa tell grandma to "stop her jawing" when she was talking with friends on the phone!)

Ailments--Disorders; disease.  "She is full of ailments."

Jimber-jawed--Having a projecting lower jaw.

Amind--Aminded--Disposed; inclined to.  "I have amind to buy that new spinning wheel."  "Any person aminded to buy that ugly heifer must be half crazy."

This, that and tother--This, that, and the other.  "What have you been doing all day?"  "Oh, just this, that and tother."  (My grandmother used to say this all of the time so of course, I picked it right up from her much to my mother's dismay!)

Ammon--Almond.  (We always called them ammons.)

Bark--To knock the skin off.  "I just barked my shin against that door."

Muley Cow--A cow without horns.

Knit--To grow together, as the ends of a broken bone.  "The bones of his leg didn't knit straight."

Jowl--The lower jaw, usually refers to a hog jowl but also a human jaw.  "I am going to smack you right in the jowl if you don't stop backtalking your mother."

Tom-walkers--Stilts on which a child walks.  Usually made of saplings with a short limb being used for the footrest.

We also just LOVE to string together a whole bunch of prepositions!   "You come on out from down in under that table!"  Every time that I hear myself or my husband do this, it just makes me smile.  It really does place a nice emphasis on what you are trying to say! 


4 comments:

  1. Kimberly, this picture is beautiful...it looks like a painting. I love the folk speak...jaw is my favorite. "You two gonna jaw all day er what?"

    ReplyDelete
  2. I especially love the multi-prepositional phrase. If I live here long enough do you think there's hope for this poor old Yankee to learn some of this sweet jargon? (And you surely know who I am. Just how many Yankee friends are you allowed, girl?)

    ReplyDelete
  3. M--I have always loved to "jaw" too! I am sure that I didn't have to tell you that!

    Anonymous Yankee Friend--well, now, of course I know who you are! I think that you can put on a pretty convincing accent when the need arises. We will convert you to an honorary Virginian before it is over!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Loved them all-and knew them all. Barked was my favorite-I still say that one : )

    ReplyDelete

All comments will be moderated. Your comment will appear after it is reviewed.