Exploring Appalachian English

[littleweloosmom]

Part 4: "When we hear somebody say Appa-lay-chia, we know right away that the person we're listening to is not on our side, and we hear a whole lot of cultural nuances about stereotyping and condescension and ethnic bigotry, just built right in. So you go on and call this place Appa-lay-chia if you want to. But you need to know that by doing that you have made a po-li-ti-cal decision, and you'd better be prepared to live with the consequences. Friend." - This is from a book of Appalachian lit.

[littleweloosmom]

Part 3: "You are telling the people you are talking to which side you're on, what cultural values you hold, and maybe even your religious preference. You are telling some people that they can trust you and other people that they can't. All in one word. One word with a load of signifiers built right in. Now, I reckon Appalachia is a word like that.The way people say it tells us a lot about how they think about us."

[littleweloosmom]

Part 2: "But the British, who conquered Ireland a few thousand years back, they refer to it as Londonderry. One place: two names. If you go to Ireland, and ask for directions to that city, you can call it by either name you choose. Whichever name you say, folks will know where it is you're headed and most likely they'll help you get there. But you need to understand this: When you choose what name you'll call that city- Derry or Londonderry- you are making a political decision."

[littleweloosmom]

Here's an excerpt that may help you understand the importance of place name pronunciation. I have to break it up over several comments though. Part 1:

"Over in Northern Ireland once I visited I visited a beautiful walled city that lies east of Donegal and west of Belfast. Now, for the last thousand years or so the Irish people who built that city have called it Derry, a name from darach, which is the Gaelic word for 'oak tree.' "

[deborahdeedah]

I am a native to the Blue Ridge mountain area, and I say "appa-LAY-cha." My mom pronounces it the same way. But maybe that's just us.

[BlueRidgeDarlin]

I think it's interesting that an outsider finds it irritating that our home is being pronounced CORRECTLY!! I find it irritating when outsiders try to tell me how to pronounce the place of my home!!

[terpfan042]

I am from far W. MD. , a stone's throw from WV, and I guess, we are in the middle between the northern and southern pronunciations since folks here say it both ways and nobody bothers to correct you on your pronunciation. Either way, they know what you mean.

[luciouslucius]

While exploring inland along the northern coast of Florida in 1528, the members of the Narváez expedition, including Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, found a Native American village near present-day Tallahassee, Florida whose name they transcribed as Apalchen or Apalachen [a.paˈla.tʃen]. The name was soon altered by the Spanish to Apalachee. Pánfilo de Narváez's expedition first entered Apalachee territory on June 15, 1528 and applied the name. Now spelled "Appalachian"

[COUNTRYMAN223]

im from western maryland and i got the mountain talk. and when i go to difeerent areas like up in ohio they aint gota clue what im tryin to say. 

[snoopyflick]

It's latch if you South, lay is much more common in the North. Everybody's wrong, happy.

[kwerna]

I've never heard it pronounced "appa-LATCH-a." Very irritating. The linguist at .30 has it right.

[N2shato]

@kwerna Who are you to say whether it is pronounced correctly or not. Do you happen to live in the Appalachian area? I do, and I can tell you that anyone from those areas will say it "appa-LATCH-a".

[myfletcher]

@N2shato my family is from eastern KY. we just hillbilly! LOL

i imagine app-a-lay-cha is an indian word? not sure. but Kan-tuck-ee is an indian word.

i never heard anyone mention "the holler" as in valley.  we have kin in bull run holler outside of Barboursville KY. I love hearing the accent.

[Buanand]

@kwerna the person at .30 says appa-LATCH-a. That's the CORRECT pronunciation. Every branch of my family is from there -- I know. It is NOT appa-LAY-cha.

[Buanand]

@kwerna The "inguist" is mispronouncing it. It is NOT appa-LAY-sha. It is appa-LATCH-a. Every branch of my family is from there -- I know what I'm talking about.

[4wheelmud]

@kwerna Hey, it's definitely Appa-LATCHA-a. I've lived in WV my whole life and this is how we pronounce it. It comes from the Appalatchee Indians.

[Wodenhelm]

@kwerna Hey outsider, wrong.

[PooPoo2U]

@kwerna: well, since according to your profile you've lived 53 years and haven't learned to keep yer trap shut unless you know what's what, I can tell you that you are WRONG and that it is in fact "appa-latch-uh", which I can say with a great deal of certainty as I live in APPALACHIA, VIRGINIA and even graduated from Appalachia High School.

you want irritating, try having some jackass correct you on how to pronounce the name of YOUR HOME for no better reason than to make yourself seem right.

[mountainmanboogie]

I didn't have any problem understanding them.

[Camm0Blue]

Dude does this go into western maryland because I can understand everything their sayin? I suppose I speak this dialect if I can understand what their sayin lol. I didnt think I had an accent I thought the people north and south of me only had it and their was just "generally" a northern and a southern accent. Thats pretty weired. By the way im from Sharpsburg, Maryland.

[snt0]

I have a hard time understanding this english dialect

I'm not a native english speaker, can you guys understand it easily?

[WhiskeytheCowboyCure]

No, even Americans from other regions have a hard time understanding this dialect of American English. Part of the reason why mountain folk continue to speak with this accent is because it confuses outsiders.

[pimpmasteroftheworld]

@WhiskeytheCowboyCure thats not part of the reason at all

[ArxVirtus]

I can...but then again, I live in southern Appalachia

[lvxobscvra]

@snt0 I am from Indiana, and spend a lot of time with my dad's family near Chicago, and I can understand it without problem.

[Oksenholt]

From Chattanooga, Tennessee!!

[Rereversed]

APPLE ACHA~!

[ch3ll1]

Ive never heard "appalachian" pronounced that why hahaha

[ArxVirtus]

There are about 4 different ways that both Appalachia and Appalachian can be pronounced. The lady at 0:31 pronounces it differently than the narrator.

[barnstormer66]

@ch3ll1 That's how it's pronounced if you are from there; to say it otherwise immediately marks you as an outsider. ;) First time I said "Appa-lay-shin" to some relatives living there I was greeted with gales of laughter! I learned real quick-like that it's Appa-lah-chin. Being laughed at will teach the error of your ways pretty darn quick! :D

[cdogslovergirl1]

God bless you :) From eastern Ky :)