Witchore and Other Southern Words

August 31, 2015 by jansenschmidt

I’m a word snob; I admit it. But, I have to be. I’m a writer, it comes with the territory. If’n I didn’t talk good nobody’d buy my books. But here in the south, folks, even well educated folks, look at you funny if you speak proper English.

Image courtesy Google Images

Here, people like to run words together. I find it amusing to listen to the locals talk. I know what they’re saying, but it’s ain’t said right. Here, they use words like “witchore,” and “atchu.” I’ve started a mental dictionary because I hear repeated piggybacked words all run together a lot. Here’s a partial list:

Photo courtesy Google Images

Witchore – “What kind of dressing you want witchore salad?”

Tars – “Yesterday I had two flat tars on my car.”

Atchu – “I’m looking atchu.”

Deygohn – “Are the Rickrodes still in California?” “No. Deygohn.”

Andem – “Who’s coming for dinner?” “Patricia andem.”

Ohl – “You put a little ohl on that and it’ll slide easier.”

Gwan – “Gwan down the Frontage road to Wal-Mart.”

Sumpin – “You want sumpin to drink?”

I’m trying my darndest not to laugh at these colloquialisms but sometimes a smile still creeps onto my face. So far I haven’t had to explain myself, but I’m sure one of these days, someone will ask me what I find amusing.

What about you dear readers, what expressions make you smile? What wrong words drive you crazy? The one I find the most annoying is using “axe” for “ask.” Drives. Me. Nuts. Don’t axe me why.

Word of the Day: Bonbonniere

Fun Fact About Me: I secretly enjoy silently making fun of the way people talk. Hey, I’m a self-admitted word snob.

Original post by Jansen Schmidt, August 2015. Photos courtesy Google Images

Posted in authors, blogging, Fiction, grammar, hill billy, humor, Jansen Schmidt, redneck, words, writers, writing | Tagged books, buy books, colloquialism, dictionary, English, lanugage, proper grammar, snob, south, southern, word snob | 16 Comments

16 Responses

on August 31, 2015 at 4:23 am | Reply Bec J. H.

I love these kinds of interesting pronunciations and blurrings of word boundaries… but then again, I am a linguist, it’s kind of my thing 🙂

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- on August 31, 2015 at 7:22 am | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  I am having so much fun listening to people down here in the south talk. I am sure being a linguist is very interesting.
  
  Thanks for stopping by and offering your thoughts. I appreciate the support.
  
  Patricia
  
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on August 31, 2015 at 7:46 am | Reply susielindau

I LOVE accents. I come from a place where e’s and a’s rule supreme.

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- on September 1, 2015 at 7:53 am | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  Well down here, everything runs together. Sometimes it’s so bad it sounds foreign. You’d have a blast in Mississippi.
  
  Thanks for your support.
  
  Patricia
  
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on August 31, 2015 at 9:38 am | Reply cjburright

I get a kick out of how language gets twisted in various places. Gitch yore hind end over ‘ere, pronto. Hehehehe.

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- on September 1, 2015 at 7:55 am | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  “Gitch yore,” would be “gittcher” down here. I think it’s especially funny listening to little kids. I’m smiling all the time when I go out these days.
  
  I’m glad someone else appreciates my humor. And, don’t get me wrong, I am not making fun or anyone, I’m simply enjoying the differences in speech patterns.
  
  Patricia
  
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on August 31, 2015 at 12:18 pm | Reply Jennette Marie Powell

When the car’s dirty, my mother-in-law used to go to the “car worsh.” I don’t know where that came from. “Axe” drives my husband nuts! Sometimes, someone calls about an apartment for rent and says “can I axe you a question,” he tells them he can’t chop wood since he broke his arm.

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- on September 1, 2015 at 7:57 am | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  I think I’m really going to lie your husband.
  
  And, yes, that worsh. Where in the world did that originate? And in Boston it’d be “wash the caa.” Love it!
  
  Thanks for your thoughts.
  
  Patricia
  
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on August 31, 2015 at 3:38 pm | Reply Katie Chapman

One day soon ya’ll be talkin’ lak that.

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- on September 1, 2015 at 7:59 am | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  Oh good lord, just shoot me. And it’s more like “tawkin’.” There ain’t no “L” in that word.
  
  Thanks for stopping by Katie. Good to see you.
  
  Patricia
  
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on September 3, 2015 at 8:00 pm | Reply Beth Lucas

“Smint”

Just a minute.

Smint and I’ll go with ya.

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- on September 4, 2015 at 8:51 am | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  Ha. I’ve not heard that one. I’ll add it to my dictionary.
  
  Thanks Beth.
  
  Patricia
  
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on September 3, 2015 at 8:34 pm | Reply Holli Ehnisz

Have you found anybody ‘fixxin to’….When Kirk and I were in Alanta, that drove me crazy because nobody could tell me what was broken..

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- on September 4, 2015 at 8:52 am | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  Oh yeah – “fixin to,” is abundant here too. Even the Southern dialect changes from region to region. It’s different in North Carolina than it is here, but some of the pronounciations are the same.
  
  It’s crazy and I’m loving it.
  
  Thanks for visiting Holli. Hope you’re doing well.
  
  Patricia
  
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on September 4, 2015 at 3:19 pm | Reply The Regular Guy NYC

Isn’t this basically the Redneck vocabulary down there? 😉

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- on September 4, 2015 at 4:14 pm | Reply jansenschmidt
  
  Pretty much. It’s a hoot.
  
  Patricia
  
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