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comprised the majority of early mountain inhabitants. In addition, there were some French, Dutch, and “Irish Irish". There were very few English and blacks, contrary to some historical texts.
Inconsistencies between Appalachian and modern standard English can be in the form of what outsiders might call "made-up words,” “mispronunciations,” and "rotten grammar.” “This is not standard English," Mrs. Dial repeatedly pointed out, "but what you hear are the old traditional forms.” To the speakers, their words are good words, and their pronunciation and grammar are proper and acceptable.
“Made-up Words”
A "side of folks" (meaning “Lots of people”) and “to bath the baby" are common Appalachian phrases. They are also perfectly proper Old English words. Even today, said Mrs. Dial, in England if you take a bath, you "bath.” If you “bathe", that means you're going swimming.
Chaucer, ca. 1350, would have said something like "put your pigs in a poke.” “Fixen” was a Scotch word for ‘‘she-fox" (vixen). A “skit” or “dominicher” of snow are Scotch ways of saying "a little snow." (Dominicher was a breed of chickens with speckles of white feathers.) “Ferments" was another Scottish word, meaning “across” or “opposite from".
“People don't recognize these words because they haven’t heard them," said Mrs. Dial.
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