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Duncanpup

(14,931 posts)
Sat Jul 19, 2025, 07:41 AM Jul 19

The last person i knew who spoke old Appalachian was my grandmother. [View all]

Old man dyslexic rambling bad punctuation warning.
The other day i traveled back home to visit a friend and his wife.
My friend retired around six years ago as a union freight driver and moved back home around twelve miles from my tribe of northern Appalachian relatives.
My Dunc the golden floof and i headed out on our seventy mile drive not empty handed. You just don’t show up empty handed is the thought as we knew we would be fed.
We had a case of P.B.R. for my friend and around five pounds of butter for his wife.
A bit on my friends he is seventy four his wife i think seventy two in age.
I met this man as a young union driver around nineteen ninety eight and we became close friends.
He would joke that he had to come to civilization to follow the union work as his terminal back then our union company had a change of operations and took out road drivers in his old freight barn.

Yet the other day over a meal of ground beef and noodles with homemade bread i met my friends oldest sister she is eighty four in age.
And i enjoyed every moment with this woman as in listening to her speak or her kindness that was genuine a pure heart as it reminded me of my grandmother.
And was she Ornery in the things she said. Example in visiting my golden seventy nine pound chunk was mooching the ladies as they made dinner.
My friend’s sister looked at Dunc and spoke in the kitchen (Now honey a fed dawg don’t hunt and you look like you haven’t missed too many meals).
Or later Dunc sacked out on their couch after he scored ground beef and noodles from my friend’s wife.
Laying there with all four paws in the air tail between his legs covering himself he’s modest.
Dunc likes to make himself feel at home immediately my friend his sister said.
(At least he has the courtesy to cover his Thang up)as this kind lady was rubbing chunk tummy.
Other old Appalachian sayings i heard this fine woman say.
Redd up- Cleaning up.
Gallavantin- Out running around.
Where there’s bees there is honey.
Shit or get off the pot.
She even said in talking to me and i smiled. She said honey if i was twenty years younger that dawg wouldn’t be the only thang cuddlin you in bed.
Another one that made me smile was in reference to case beer I gave to my friend. She said well that case of beer will keep him out of the Beer Gardten a bar the Beer Gardten not garden for a day or two.
Then she asked me you don’t drank beer no i stopped in my reply to her.
Well maybe you have gotten some sense in getting older she replied cuz my brother sure as shit don’t have any.
My point in this is it was a blessing to meet this woman i enjoyed every moment in experiencing her energy and in how she is in personality.

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You'd a been in hog heaven around both my grandmothers' sisters. I still use reded up for the supper table ... marble falls Jul 19 #1
This message was self-deleted by its author COL Mustard Jul 19 #13
my parents hailed from Arkansas and Oklahoma and relocated here in the pacific northwest... samnsara Jul 19 #2
Pretty much the same story here. multigraincracker Jul 19 #10
I cook blackeyed peas on New Year's Day every year! Silver Gaia Jul 19 #21
Fried okra is yummy! Silver Gaia Jul 19 #20
I sure wish I could get some purple hull peas! bamagal62 Jul 19 #26
They are sooooo goood! I miss them. Silver Gaia Jul 19 #28
Purple hull peas and cornbread!!! bamagal62 Jul 19 #29
Right! Silver Gaia Jul 20 #30
Thank you all Starlight27 Jul 19 #3
I grew up with the language. It is hard to shake off. I also talk slow which makes it even crazier. twodogsbarking Jul 19 #4
Old grown over strip mines. Duncanpup Jul 19 #5
I live in the mid Atlantic now. COL Mustard Jul 19 #15
Great essay, Thank you Duncanpup. Diamond_Dog Jul 19 #6
Don't fear ILikePie92 Jul 19 #7
Virginia is farther west than West Virginia. You are spot on. The people are great. America. twodogsbarking Jul 19 #19
Not only Appalachia but the Deep South also Keepthesoulalive Jul 19 #8
Sorry I forgot one of my faves Keepthesoulalive Jul 19 #12
In 1951 . . . AverageOldGuy Jul 19 #9
Yes! And "young'uns" for children! Silver Gaia Jul 19 #17
"Y'all" is the singular SCantiGOP Jul 19 #23
Another wonderful tale in the life of....... democrank Jul 19 #11
Love this! Haven't heard gallavantin in decades! Joinfortmill Jul 19 #14
Lawd a'mighty! I ain't never heared so much Silver Gaia Jul 19 #16
Sounds like when Figarosmom Jul 19 #18
im third gen ca. AllaN01Bear Jul 19 #22
Thang. Hain't it awful. twodogsbarking Jul 19 #24
Hi ,Duncanpup. I live in SW PA. The following words can be heard here also. Redd up. Gallavantin and Shit or get off of debm55 Jul 19 #25
If you are on instagram, bamagal62 Jul 19 #27
I grew up near Cleveland, Oh Marthe48 Jul 20 #31
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