As a southern writer who uses southern vernacular in her writing, I often wonder if readers are confused by some of the words I use. Well, that confusion ends today! I have compiled a list of a few words and phrases southern writers often use to aid non-southern readers who pick up our books. Behold, the Southern Writer Dictionary!
Ain’t: (Contraction) Slang for “am not” or “is not”.
‘Backer: (Noun) Slang term for tobacco.
Boot: (Noun) Another word for a vehicle’s trunk.
Britches: (Noun) Another word for pants; usually men’s pants.
Chaw: (Noun) Slang for chewing tobacco and/or tobacco dip.
Chicken and Pastry: (Noun) Another way of saying chicken and dumplings.
Dag on: (Phrase) Another way to express dang or darn.
Fly Flap: (Noun) Another word for fly swatter
Four-Wheeler: (Noun) What most people in the South call a four-wheel-drive ATV.
Miss Priss: (Noun) Nickname for a snooty/preppy female.
Nabs: (Noun) A slang (mostly in North Carolina) term for orange Lance snack crackers.
Pecan: (Noun) (Pronunciation: Pee-can) A type of nut, typically pronounced as pi-caan by others.
Porch: (Noun) Another word for a home’s stoop.
Shug: (Noun) An affectionate nickname for someone (usually a female) | Short for the word sugar.
Slaw: (Noun) Short for coleslaw; usually paired with pulled pork (eastern NC style barbecue) on a sandwich.
Wallago: (Phrase) A verbal slang for “a while ago”; can mean any length of time.
Y’all: (Noun) Slang for “you all”; can mean two or more people. “All y’all” means a large group.
Youngin: (Noun) Slang combination of “young one”; another word for child or kid. | Plural form: Youngins.
Talk to Me, Arrowheads!
What other words can you think to add to the Southern Writer’s Dictionary? Let me know in the comments!
Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.
-Allyson 😀
Authoring Arrowheads 
Allyson you just keep on giving me great ideas…I should do a post on British slang since my rock band characters are Brits… “Bloody” thanks, mate! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! 🙂 That would be a really cool post! 🙂
LikeLike
This is funny and helpful! When I first read “Can’t Beat the Heart…” it took me a few times of seeing Shug to figure out it must be short for Sugar. I’m from Wisconsin, so even though I love pretending to have a southern accent, the terms are not all familiar 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! 🙂 Shug is one of those words that I’m not sure if it’s just a NC thing or not haha 🙂
LikeLike
Y’all got ‘boots’ down south? I thought only tea-drinkin’ Brits had those. Jeff Foxworthy says that ‘You’uns’ is y’all plus three. 😆
LikeLike
Yep, we sure do! 😂 Where I’m from, we actually say boot more than you’uns. I think we just use y’all for that too haha. 😂
LikeLike
Hey Allyson! In my WIP I have a minor character from Tennessee….do southerners still use the phrase ‘What in tarnation?’ or is that archaic? Thanks for your help 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
oooh, I just googled it….is it like a swear word? Sorry if I wrote something offensive….
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s all good, I don’t find it offensive! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey Liz! I think tarnation may be more of an old south-western word; I don’t hear it a lot in the south-east. I hope this helps! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to know! Thank you!
LikeLike