The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-18
cop,r,spt,o.. 20 American Dialect.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sir: I was much
interested In reading an editorial some time ago
published in THE SUS on the work proposed by
the American Dialect Society. Perhaps | can
add something Of interest in the Hoosier dla-
lect. a. | was brought up in the wilds Of Indi-
ana. literally in the backwoods. In 1925 my
father buried himself in the deep forests Of
Indiana, about four miles from Terre HRu;e,
and rs a little lad I caught many OF the peculiar
from my memory.
When a boy or girl got In a sullen mood and
would not speak they were d" putchiky." People
seldom said they intended doing a thing. they
allowed" or lowed" to do It. A woman
who visited TO the neglect Of her home affairs,
was called q "runagate," probably q corruption
OF the word renegade. Some men always an
nounced their intentions OF turning In and
doing n certain thing.
Planting was always putting in a crap"
4" Drapping' and " kiverinG' corn was some
times the duties OF the wimmen folks" Farm
ing on rented land was spoken of as Graphing
1t on the sheers." The oldest son was sometimes
called Bud" or Buddy" a corruption OF
brother. The oldest daughter was often called
isis" When a person became too weak TO
rise from his bed he was said to "be on the
lift" This saying probably was suggested
by the custom OF placing a strong grain
bag or a heavy piece of cloth I'M
uerneath an animal weak from disease or want
of food. and by the help Of two men. one on each
side. lifting II to its feet. Cows and horses were
generally spoken as CRITTERS Cows. oxen.
and the like were horned critters Pork was
sometimes called "hog meat Some Of the
women. desiring to call their husbands or sons
from the fields. stood on a stump or on the top
of n rail fence and shouted, "Y-a-h-o-o-o!"
Anoth er mode OF calling was blowing ear-split-
ting blasts on a tin horn. "A bad row for
stumps" was said Of a man who was in any kind
of n dilemma, referring. no doubt. 10 the SLOW
progress made in ploughing a field newly cleared
Preaching meetings and schools always took
mp" Evening meetings took up at early
in the price Of mast fed" and corn fed" hogs.
The former ran at large In the woods, living on
corn in enclosure. Funerals were spoken OF as
" buryings;" aud a"mourner," II excessiye grief
was shown, took on turribul about it," When
they were said to have :" got shet OF each other
When n man or a boy in a scrimmage received n
blow in the stomach 1t was spoken Of as a . gut:
II in the face or neck. il was a "chug."
When a person. after an illness, was getting
again" II a man spoke OF a good crop pros
pect. he was "going to, have q right
:mn,. chance 99aI; of a c. SFTaP." Any kind Inn Of
SssTSvsting way was sass" to ali intent, and
orally Thank you. / would not choose any"
or, THANK you. ! have no occasion" II a man
was especially astonished, even though a mem
her OF the church, he was privileged to exclaim.
could say. sdod blast it !" or "do3 burn III
without danger of being " churched" for pro-
family. Horses were called by cope, cope,
cope, cows came to the call 81 SOCK, so3k;
to the prolonged and oft-rrpeated call, ".Pigo-
o-o-e-e-e or "Po-o-oe-e-e." when school chill
dren or others wished TO express their Joy over
misfortunes they generally shouted;
Goody, goody, gin; shirt tails In
After hitching around on the rough slab seats
during a winters term Of "deestrict school"
the Z" shirt tails out was not an unusual sight,
among the boys who wore !" round-
or Jackets reaching only to the waist.
was being played about the tick and a kctch
will always fetch" has been settled by yielding
the point, with the warning remark that Cheat
Cotton garments we're :" billed" rubbed on a
:. washhOard," and " renched " in clear water.
To e mosey along " was to 20 with promptness.
To be I" slack twisted " was equivalent TO the
people. \ man could he " powerful !" sick, have
u powerful y good health; or a sermon or good
e heap " was sometimes used for a quantity. 4
woods !" Tor ncIghborhood. oh. just %tollol."
given IN answer TO the question. " How are
you - and meant "tOlcrable,' or "tolerahls
Ike" "Ornery /" meant low lived OF mean.
nered " meant diagonal. There were many
other expressions more or less pertinent to life
In the woods, but enough have been given
10 show some OF the peculiarities OF the English
In the timber lands OF the HlOosier state.
JAG HUssEY, Editor Mad aud Times.
DIES MoISEs, la, Nov. II.