I’m still studying a book called Smoky Mountain English, which is a dictionary of mountain dialect. I was blessed to be around my grandparents quite a bit growing up and heard a lot of phrases and word pronunciations that aren’t used much today. But some of it is still hanging around and I find myself using it without thinking about it, which my granddaughters find puzzling. So what follows is my latest list of words in the book that I personally have heard used sometime in my lifetime. I’m sure you will find many familiar as well if you’re from around here.

Beggar Lice: any of several plants having burr- seed casing that can easily attach to clothes.

Beholden (to): To be obligated or indebted to. “I’m beholden to you for the help.”

Beside oneself: disoriented; very upset; “He was beside himself over his lost dog.”

Betwixt: in between; there’s also “atween” with the same meaning.

Biddy: A young chicken.

Big Eye: Insomnia; “I had the big eye last night”.

Big Old or Big Ol’: Emphasizing something large; “That squirrel run up that big old oak.”

Big’un: Big one, again something large; also a tall tale likely not true; “He told some big’uns.

Blackberry Winter: a late killing frost that occurs around when blackberries bloom.

Blame or Blamed: a mild oath; “Blamed if I know.” “That blamed rabbit ate our cabbage.”

Bless Out: To scold or rebuke: “She blessed him out somethin’ fierce.”

Blink or Blinked: Milk turning sour; “You can’t drink it cause it’s blinked.”

Booger: A ghost; a mischievous person; “That booger snuck off with my shoes.”

Boogerish: Something frightful; “Them storm clouds look boogerish”.

Boot: something added to even up a sale or trade; “I’ll trade my knife and five dollars to boot.”

Bow up: To turn mean; refuse to work: “He just bowed up and wouldn’t do nothin’.

Brickle: Brittle; “Them tobacco leaves are too brickle to work.”

Broom sedge (also sedge grass): a course native grass that was used to make brooms out of.

Bumfuzzled: Having a confused mental state; “He woke up plumb bumfuzzled.”

Bunch Beans: Type of green bean with short bushy growth that doesn’t need a support like pole beans.

By Ned: a mild oath: “by Ned! You better straighten up or you’ll get a whoopin’.