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February 6, 2025 11 mins

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You know the phrases "How do you like them apples?" and "Them's fightin' words!" We'll talk about the Scotch-Irish roots of them for these and those. Then, I'll tell you three of the top reasons why Appalachian speakers won't give up their dialects despite the risk of stigma. Then listen to an excerpt from the essay "Southern Exposure" by the wonderful Appalachian author Lee Smith, as she describes how she came to own her voice as a writer and explains why her accent is a means of power.

Sources: The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project and Dictionary of American Regional English

Barbara Kingsolver announced the opening of Higher Ground Women's Recovery Residence in Lee County Virginia, this week (my native county.) She calls it "the house that Demon built." 

Help HGWRR by making monetary donations through their secure link or by mailing a check to their Post Office Box 3, Pennington Gap, VA 24277. All donations are tax deductible. Another way to help is by purchasing from their Amazon Wish List, as items can be sent directly to the residence at shipping address: 10 Spring St., Big Stone Gap VA, 24219. Additionally, consider giving the gift of self. The women of Higher Ground need volunteers to help integrate them into their new community.

To learn more, go to www.hgwrr.org and find out how you can help families.

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Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain

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