Posted on 03/29/2010 5:52:06 AM PDT by jay1949
Here's the challenge: certain words and phrases characteristic of Appalachian English in Eastern Tennessee and elsewhere can be traced back to Scottish English imported to this country by Scotch-Irish settlers. Some of these are disappearing; others have spread throughout the South; a few seem to be making it into widespread usage. How many do you know? 1. piece; 2. beal, bealing; 3. mend; 4. airish; 5. chancy; 6. muley; 7. bottom; 8. discomfit; 9. singlings; 10. fireboard . . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at backcountrynotes.com ...
Thanks Jay, you’re a crackerjack.
crackerjack= a marvel. :^)
“They were among the bravest and most effective militia, when called into the field. Gen. Washington signified his opinion of their when, in the darkest day of the revolutionary struggle, he expressed his confidence. that if all other resources should fail, he might yet repair with a single standard to West Augusta, and there rally a band of patriots who would meet with the enemy at the Blue Ridge, and there establish the boundary of a free empire in the west. This saying of the father of his country has been variously reported; but we have no reason to doubt that he did, in some form, declare his belief that, in the last resort, he could yet gather force in western Virginia which the victorious armies of Britain could not subdue.”
Henry Ruffner, President of Washington College, in “Early History of Washington College,” excerpt printed in Henry Howe, “Historical Collections of Virginia” (Wm. R. Babcock 1852)(”The first settlements in this portion of the valley were made by the Scotch Irish, with a few original Scotch among them . . . .”)
BUMP for later!
Don’t forget ‘revenooers’.
The over-Mountain men made up of mostly scots-Irish annihilated Ferguson’s troops at Kings Mountain and solidified resistance against the British throughout the South. This was repeated a few months later at Cowpens. I am proud to have people in my family tree who participated in both battles.
Did you ever wonder how Lynchburg got it’s name? btw, I was raised in Augusta County.
Were it not for the largely Scotch-Irish militiamen from the mountains, we’d have remained British subjects —
Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America
http://www.amazon.com/Born-Fighting-Scots-Irish-Shaped-America/dp/0767916883
Former navy secretary Webb (Fields of Fire; etc.) wants not only to offer a history of the Scots-Irish but to redeem them from their redneck, hillbilly stereotype and place them at the center of American history and culture. As Webb relates, the Scots-Irish first emigrated to the U.S., 200,000 to 400,000 strong, in four waves during the 18th century, settling primarily in Appalachia before spreading west and south. Webb’s thesis is that the Scots-Irish, with their rugged individualism, warrior culture built on extended familial groups (the “kind of people who would die in place rather than retreat”) and an instinctive mistrust of authority, created an American culture that mirrors these traits.
Great link, thanks.
Author James Webb: my grandmother’s maiden name was Webb.
Considering all the Scotch Irish freedom fighters that came to Texas, it stands to reason that many of thier terms became Texas jargon too.
My dad always used a term “black Irish”, “black Dutch” to describe someone’s ancestry. I do know he was not talking about African ancestry. I think he was referring to the Spanish gene pool giving them dark hair and eyes. Does anyone else know for certain or have you ever heard the term?
Hoodat? ;^)
Yes, I have heard it many times.
I've also heard the theory held by some that the so-called "black Irish" and the "black Dutch" may well have had Spanish/Portuguese mixed with American Indian ancestry.
I was about to buy the book and then I read reviews to realize that this is the Senator Jim Webb, Democrat, and I stopped. Tell me if it is worth buying or if there is another book with similar theme that I should buy instead.
6. muley; Obama?
My Dad's side used that term “Black/Irish” to describe us before through family research I was able to make the Scots/Irish connection. My Dad had coal black hair, green eyes and a Mediterranean brownness to his complexion. All of us 5 kids have that same skin tone and dark brown hair. We tanned very well in the summer. What was the true origin of the Black/Irish, is anyones guess, and you will get many different theories if you do a web search on it.
Do check it out. I know it was written by Webb, who for the life of me I don't understand why he went Democrat, escpeccialy after doing the research for this book, but it is a good book just the same. Should be on any conservative readers club list.
Loved it. But a much more scholarly book is Albion’s Seed, Four British Folkways in America by David Hackett Fisher.
He goes into depth about the origen of the Scots/Irish immigration into the U.S. in the 1700s and the three migrations west via different geographical treks.
No son of Scotland or N. Ireland should be without it. Kind of pricey though Amazon has some used.
Anybody know what an eaves trough is?
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