Interviewer: You're still- so, you're still involved with the bank here? 579: What? Interviewer: You're still pretty well involved with the bank? 579: Oh, I come every day almost. Interviewer: Um, we were talking about, um, 579: Would you speak a little louder please? Interviewer: Sure. {NS} There. Um, we were talking about distance. You'd say, if- if something isn't- um, isn't- you'd say, well, I'm not sure exactly how far away it is but it's just a little? 579: You mean about the approximate distance of something from where you are? Interviewer: Uh-huh. 579: A little distance. Interviewer: Or just a little what over? 579: Well, we usually say distance. I don't know if white people do say piece. Like as the colored do. Interviewer: Mm-hmm Ho- How do they use that? 579: But they would say it's a short piece from here or a far piece from here. Interviewer: Uh-huh #1 What would they # 579: #2 Most of them would. # Interviewer: What would a white person say? For a long- longer distance? 579: We'd call it a long distance. Interviewer: Mm-hmm 579: Oh, I've been trying to think of a more or less illiterate older person. I know one. Interviewer: uh-huh 579: She murders the King's English, oh, good gracious! And she'll talk as long as you'll let her lalk- let her talk. Uh, but she lives in- on the upper floor of a century old house on the corner around the corner. Interviewer: Uh-huh 579: And, uh, I don't like the looks of those out stairs. outside stairs. They look to me as though they could collapse any time and I don't want to let- want you to go there. Besides which she'd take too much of your time. Interviewer: Well, heck. 579: And inside is the most fascinating spiral staircase I ever saw. It goes up from the lower hall floor through the floor of the second floor Interviewer: Mm-hmm 579: and there's no central shaft in it. I wouldn't walk on it for anything, it's- I think that the house was- I know it was built before the Civil War. I wouldn't walk on that thing. It might have dry rot. What is fascinating is he- what a beautiful piece of carpentry work it is. No central shaft. I never saw before a spiral staircase without a central shaft to give it- give real support to it. Interviewer: Uh-huh. 579: But I wouldn't want you to go there. Interviewer: I'd like to go- go see her if I'd like to go see her. 579: What? Interviewer: I'd like to go see her if you could 579: #1 Uh # Interviewer: #2 get me her name. # 579: #1 # Interviewer: #2 # 579: Alright. Write, uh, uh, you got a piece of scratch paper there? Interviewer: Mm-hmm It's here. 579: Nine hundred. 579: I don't know how you're easily going to have access to her apartment. Because she has paranoia, which is a delusion as to persecution and what not. Now, I'm sure that's what it is. She tells me that people walk on the floor up there on the second floor and knock on the wall and knock on her door and try to get in her window. It's all imagined. Well, she got tired of that so she moved to another house in another part of town. Interviewer: Mm-hmm 579: Stayed there about six months and now she's back there. Still talking about these delusions. Interviewer: Is she crazy? Do you think she's crazy? 579: No. Just, uh, Oh, I'd say, uh, deterioration of the arteries of the brain. She's not really insane though. I- I knew another old lady who had delusions like that. She thought people were trying to break into the house and that's- I'm sure that's what it is. Interviewer: Hmm. 579: But she's- she's eighty-six or something like that and, uh, I guess she attended the Sister's school. Catholic school across the street from where she lives. But, beyond that almost no education. However, I believe that her memory is pretty good about the old days. Interviewer: mm-hmm Well, I might run by and see her. 579: You'd be entertained by the way she murders the King's English. #1 {NW} # Interviewer: #2 {NW} # 579: #1 # Interviewer: #2 # Um, say if something was was real common and you didn't have to look for it in a special place. You'd say, oh, you can find that just about? 579: Any place. Interviewer: mm-kay. 579: Anywhere. Either one. Interviewer: And, if someone slipped and fell this way, you'd say he fell over? 579: Backward. Interviewer: This way would be? 579: Forward. Interviewer: And, say if you had been fishing and I asked you if you caught anything you might say, no what? 579: Since- since what? Interviewer: If you had been fishing and I asked you if you caught anything, you might say, no? 579: No. Interviewer: What a one? 579: What? Interviewer: No, a one. 579: Well, you'd mention the number or the approximate number if there were a good many of them. Interviewer: mm-hmm Would you ever say no, nary a one. 579: What? Interviewer: N- nary a one. 579: Oh, the colored say that. White folks don't. That is, educated ones. Interviewer: How do- how do they say that? 579: Well, a colored person would say I ain't caught nary a one. Interviewer: mm-hmm And say if, um, if you got rid of all the brush and trees on your land, you say you? 579: Cleared it. Interviewer: And Do you know what they call it when they cut the hay off a piece of land and then enough grows back so you can cut it again? 579: Cut the hay what? Interviewer: So you can cut the hay a second time? Do you know what they call that? 579: They would call it a second crop. Interviewer: mm-kay And wheat is tied up into a? 579: Wheat? Interviewer: Is tied up into a? 579: Sheafs or sheaves but we don't have any Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: in this part of the country. Interviewer: Whe- where do they have those? Did you see them? 579: I was told that some was grown up in the Delta about about 90 miles from here, I guess, but I never heard of its being grown on any other piece of property. I think that was an experiment. Interviewer: mm-hmm And talking about how much wheat you raise to an acre, you might say we raised forty? What of? 579: Bushels. Interviewer: mm-kay And what do you have to do with oats to separate the grains from the rest of it? 579: Thresh it. Interviewer: mm-kay And say if, um, if there was something that we had to do today, just the two of us, you might say we have to do it or you might turn to me and say? 579: Most likely we'd say I've got to which is not correct. Interviewer: What- what would you say? 579: We'd- most likely we would say I've got to do this or that. I've got to go here or there. I have to would be better. Interviewer: mm-hmm Well, what if you're talking about both of us having to, um, you might say we have to or you might say? Would you say me and you or? 579: We do not say we or us. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: We say you all. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: That's the only, uh, way in which we use all. You all. We don't say we all. Interviewer: mm-hmm Would- say if- if you were talking about say if a group of people was at your house and you were asking them about their coats 579: Now what? Interviewer: If there was a group of people at your house and you were asking them about their coats 579: Coats? Interviewer: uh-huh How would you ask that? You'd say where are? Would you say you all's coats? #1 Or y'all's? # 579: #2 mm-mm # Your. Uh, you all is used just in addressing more than one person. Interviewer: mm-hmm You don't use it as you all's? You don't use it? 579: In a- in a case like that we would use the proper word your. Where are your coats? Interviewer: Meaning 579: All of them. Interviewer: mm-hmm What about say if there was a group of people group of children playing and they obviously belonged to more than one family, um, how would you ask about that? You'd ask, well, would you ever say who all's children are they? 579: No, we'd say whose. Interviewer: mm-hmm And if there had been a party that you hadn't been able to go to you were asking about the people that had gone how would you ask that? 579: How did you enjoy the party? Interviewer: uh-huh Well, would you ever ask who all was at the party? 579: Rarely. We'd say- usually, we'd ask who was at the party? Interviewer: mm-hmm Did you ever hear it who all? 579: Oh, I can't remember when I have but it probably has been put that way. Who all was at the party? Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: There'd be a little pause between who and all. Interviewer: mm-hmm What about- say if if someone had made made a speech that you hadn't been able to listen to you were asking about all of the speaker's remarks you know every thing that he said how would you ask that? 579: Most likely we would say Did he make a good talk? Or did you enjoy his talk or speech? Interviewer: Or asking what he said, would you ever say what all did he say? 579: No, I can't recall that. That would be asking to much of the hearer anyway. Interviewer: Well, how have you ever hear that what all? um used 579: What? Interviewer: The expression what all? Have you ever heard that used? 579: Don't remember it, no. Interviewer: mm-hmm What would you probably say? 579: Uh, if you were going to inquire about the content of his speech we- well that- what you have- what- I most- I say the most likely way would say what did he say? Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: What subjects did he cover? Interviewer: mm-hmm Say, um, if you were talking about the two of us having to do something would you ever say me and you will have to do it? Or? 579: You and I. Interviewer: mm-kay What about if- if it was another man and you? You'd say 579: If we knew him well, we'd call him by his first name. Bob, Jim, what have you. Or mr so-and-so and I have to or have got to which would be wrong. do this or that Interviewer: Well, referring to him as he or him How would you say that? 579: Properly, where we'd ought to be. We'd refer to them properly as he or him. Interviewer: Uh, uh, would you say him and me or? 579: Mm, no. Not an educated person, no. Interviewer: What would an educated person say? We'd say he and I are going to or have to. mm-hmm 579: But, we wouldn't say him and I, no. Not an educated person. Interviewer: um and say someone wanted to get some work done. You'd say well, he doesn't want just you or just me for this job, he wants... 579: Some help. Interviewer: mm-kay Would you say all two of us or? Both of us or? 579: Say what? Interviewer: Would you say he wants all two of us or? Both of us or? 579: Both. Interviewer: mm-kay And talking about how tall you are you'd say he's not as tall? 579: As I. Interviewer: Or I'm not as tall? 579: As he. Interviewer: And he can do that better? 579: Than I. Interviewer: And if, um, if you knocked at the door and, um, and they called out and, um, said, 'who was there?' and you know that they- they recognize your voice you might, instead of calling out your name, you'd just say, 'it's'? 579: John. Mary, what have you. Interviewer: Or they'd say, 'is that you John?' and you'd say? 579: Oh, yes, yes, yes. Interviewer: 'Yes, it's' what? 579: Is that you John? Is that you Helen? Interviewer: And you'd say 'yes, it's'? 579: You would answer- the person would answer 'yes.' Interviewer: 'It's'? 579: Just 'yes'. Interviewer: 'It's me' or? 579: No, just yes. Interviewer: Well, which sounds better: 'it's me' or 'it's I'? 579: Oh, 'it's I'. Interviewer: mm-kay 579: Yes. Interviewer: You don't ever say 'it's me'? 579: Oh, some careless people do. But, people who are the least bit particular about their speech wouldn't say that. Interviewer: mm-hmm What if, um, say I asked you, 'was that Jim at the door?' you'd say, 'yes, that was'? 579: 'It was.' We'd just say 'it was.' Interviewer: Well, using he or him. How would you say that? 'It was'? 579: He. Interviewer: And if it was a woman, you'd say, 'it was?' 579: What? Interviewer: If it was a woman, you'd say? 579: 'It was she.' Interviewer: And if it was two people? 579: We'd say it was Jim and Bob or Jim and Bill, what have you. Interviewer: Or them or they? Which would you say? 579: We'd say they. Interviewer: mm-kay 579: 'It was they.' Interviewer: Say if, um, if a man who'd been running two miles and didn't- had to quit- wasn't able to go any- any further than that you'd say 'two miles is the'? What? He could go? 579: His limit or as far as he could go- run. Interviewer: uh-huh Would you say the fartherest or the furthest or? 579: S- say what? Interviewer: How would you say it using the word far? You'd say, 'two miles is the'? Would you say the-? 579: As far as he can run. Interviewer: Uh-huh. Well, would you say the farthest or the fartherest or? Furthest? 579: Farthest. Interviewer: What's that? 579: Farthest. Interviewer: mm-kay And if something belongs to me, than you'd say it's? 579: Uh, Bel- It belongs to- to you. Interviewer: uh-huh 579: Is this yours? Interviewer: mm-kay And if it belongs to both of us, then it's? 579: This is ours or is this ours. Interviewer: And if it belongs to two people it's? 579: Theirs. Interviewer: And to him it's? 579: His. Interviewer: And to her? 579: Hers. Interviewer: And you'd say, 'if no one else will look out for them' you say 'they've got to look out for'? 579: Themselves. Or himself or herself. Interviewer: mm-kay And what's made out of flour and baked in a loaf. 579: Wh- what's made? Interviewer: Made out of flour and baked in a loaf. 579: What's made out of it? Interviewer: Out of flour. It's baked in a loaf. You call that? 579: You mean before it's cooked? Interviewer: Well, when- after it's cooked it's called. 579: Well, it might be biscuits. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Or it might be, uh, cake or waffles. Interviewer: mm-hmm. 579: Whatever the finished form would be is- is what we would mention. Interviewer: mm-hmm If it comes in a loaf it's? 579: Loaf, of course, that'll be used Interviewer: uh-huh um What can you put in bread to make it rise? 579: Yeast. Interviewer: mm-hmm What do you call bread that has yeast in it? 579: Light bread. Interviewer: mm-kay and You say, there's two kinds of bread, there's homemade bread and then there's'? 579: Bakery bread. Interviewer: mm-kay What sort of, um, and this is something that is fried in deep fat and it has a hole in the middle? 579: Donut. Interviewer: mm-kay Are there different names for different kinds of donuts? 579: Yes, some of them have one flavor and some of them have another and some are covered with a chocolate coating. Interviewer: mm-hmm Are they all called donuts though? 579: They're still donuts. Interviewer: What about something you'd- you make up a batter and fry these for breakfast? 579: That would most likely be. well, we would always call them batter cakes but the real name is pancakes Interviewer: mm-hmm any other old fashioned name for that? 579: Oh, we boys called 'em patty cakes. {NW} um, Interviewer: Did you ever hear flitters or fritters? 579: Fritters can be made with a with cooked corn in them uh, uh corn that cut off the ear and cooked they're good too if they're properly made corn fritters Interviewer: how, how do you make them? 579: #1 {NW} # Interviewer: #2 Are they like a # a batter cake? in? 579: You you make up your batter and mix that in their somehow. I don't know a thing about that. Interviewer: But it- it looks the same as- as the pancake or batter #1 cake? # 579: #2 Yes, also # Sometimes they put cooked Irish potatoes in them. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: I ate a couple of them the other d- other day. Interviewer: huh-huh um and talking about how much flour might be in a sac you might say you had twenty-five what of flour? 579: Cups. Interviewer: Or in a sac? would contain twenty-five 579: Oh, you mean a sac that's been almost used up? Interviewer: Or the- the- the weight of it? 579: Oh, weight, pounds. Interviewer: mm-kay and What sort of things do you make out of cornmeal? 579: Ah, you can make cornbread and, if it's properly made, it's good too, as you know. Also, corn cakes. And, uh, corn fritters. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Well, of course, uh, {NW} The national or, rather, Southern, traditional breakfast dish is grits. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: The cornmeal, which is ground much finer, is used in making mush. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: No more attractive than it sounds. Um, that's about it I guess. Interviewer: What about something made out of cornmeal that you can fry and eat with fish. 579: Eat with what? Interviewer: Fish. 579: That would be corn cakes. Interviewer: mm-hmm #1 How would- # 579: #2 You say with meal? # Interviewer: Well, it's made out of cornmeal. 579: {NW} Interviewer: And you fry it in deep fat 579: Mm, I don't know. Interviewer: And, well, did you ever hear of hush puppies or? 579: Oh, yes, yes That's a comparatively new term with me. Interviewer: What's that? 579: We didn't have hush puppies. We didn't have them when I was a boy. Interviewer: You didn't have anything like that? 579: Hush puppies? No. Interviewer: Did you ever hear of corn dodger? 579: No. Interviewer: mm-kay And the inside part of the egg is called the? 579: Yolk. Interviewer: What color is that? 579: Also called the yellow. Interviewer: Mm-kay And if you cook them in hot water you call them? 579: You could have either soft boiled eggs or hard boiled eggs. Interviewer: mm-hmm What if you cracked them and let them drop out the shells into hot water? 579: Poached. Interviewer: mm-kay. And did you ever see a hog butchered? 579: {NW} No, I saw a young cow butchered once and I don't want to ever see anything like that again. No, I've never seen that. Interviewer: Well, do you know- when they cut the- the side of the hog do you know how they refer to that section of meat? 579: Assume they is called spare ribs. Interviewer: Mm-hmm 579: Good too if there's not too much fat on them. And, uh, well, a a fresh ham as we call them- that is, hasn't been seasoned and salted and all that Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: is the hind leg. It's just, uh, roasted and eaten as pork. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: and they call it a fresh ham. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Used to, anyway. Interviewer: What other parts of meat are there from the hog? 579: Well, they pickle the feet. {NW} I don't- I don't think I ever ate any. Pigs' feet. Um, oh, I don't know. That's outside the realm of a bank. I don't know anything about that. Interviewer: You mentioned- earlier, you mentioned bacon. 579: Oh, the bacon! I about to forget that. What about it? Interviewer: Well, um, do you refer to when you think of bacon do you mean the the whole section that the cut of meat 579: I don't know where it comes from. Probably from the hog's side. Interviewer: mm-hmm Would you call it a- did you ever hear the expression middling? 579: What? Interviewer: Middling. 579: No, I've heard of chitlins. {NW} The real name is chitterlings but the niggers call them chitlins. Interviewer: uh-huh 579: I don't know exactly what they are. I imagine it's, uh, very much the least desirable portion of the hog. Interviewer: White people don't eat them? 579: What? Interviewer: White people don't eat them? 579: If they do I never heard of it. Interviewer: mm-hmm Um, would you what about the kind of meat that you buy sliced? To fry with eggs? 579: Buy what? Interviewer: Buy already sliced. To fry with eggs. 579: Sliced bacon. Interviewer: mm-kay And What about the kind of meat that it's salt pork I guess um it's sort of fat and you can cook it with greens for seasoning food. 579: It's called salt meat or side meat. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Mostly salt meat. Interviewer: Did you ever hear of fat back or sow belly or? 579: Yes, I don't know what it is though. UH, uh, sow- is that s-o-u-r or s-o-w? Interviewer: I think s-o-w. 579: Or whatever it is, is an inferior meat. Interviewer: uh-huh You never #1 had experience with- # 579: #2 I don't think I ever ate any. # Interviewer: mm-hmm. What different, um, and say you might take the trimmings and slice them up and grind them and make? 579: I don't know. Interviewer: Well, something you'd st- well, it's real common. You'd stuff it in- have it in little lengths or have it in patties? 579: Oh, I don't know what that it. Interviewer: Well, what else can you have besides bacon or ham? For breakfast in the morning? 579: Sausage. Interviewer: mm-kay 579: Oh, I for- bout to forget the sausage. Yes. Uh, patties. Interviewer: uh-huh Um, and what would you call a person that kills and sells meat? 579: Butcher. Interviewer: And if meat's been kept too long, you say that the meat has? 579: Spoiled. Interviewer: And do you know what inside parts of the hog you eat? 579: What what? Interviewer: What inside parts of the hog are eaten? Or would you have a general name just for the inside parts that you eat? 579: I think that's where the chitlins come in. I'm not sure. No, I don't know much about that. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Anything about it. Interviewer: What can you make from the uh with the meat from the hog's head? 579: Brains. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: And, uh, properly cooked and fresh pretty good too. Cook them usually with eggs. Interviewer: mm-hmm Did you ever hear of, um, Hog head cheese or souse or? 579: Yes. Yes. Uh, that is, uh, probably brains under a different name and probably cooked a little differently. Interviewer: mm-hmm Well, that's that called around here? 579: Those same things. Interviewer: What? 579: Hog's head cheese or souse. Interviewer: mm-hmm Did you ever hear of, um, pannhaas or scrapple? 579: A what? Interviewer: Pannhaas or scrapple? 579: Yes, I don't know what it is though. Interviewer: You just heard about it while you were traveling around or? Did they have it around here? 579: Oh, I've just heard country people talk about it. Interviewer: Well, what do they call it? 579: What you mentioned. You don't often hear the word scrapple around here. Interviewer: mm-hmm What what do you hear? 579: What's the other one you mentioned? Interviewer: Pannhaas. d- did that sound #1 familiar? # 579: #2 p- p- # Interviewer: Pannhaas. I think it's a German- 579: Don't know that one. Interviewer: mm-hmm Did you ever hear of anything made out of the liver by cooking and grinding up the liver? 579: No. I think the liver is cut into chunks and the colored folks buy it. But white folks want calf's liver. Interviewer: mm-hmm What's the difference between calf's and hog's liver? 579: My guess is that the calf's liver is better flavored. Interviewer: mm-hmm Did you ever hear of making anything out of the blood? 579: Making what? Interviewer: Anything out of the blood? 579: No. Interviewer: And Say if you had some butter that was kept too long and it didn't taste right. 579: Rancid. Interviewer: mm-kay and thick sour milk? 579: What what milk? Interviewer: Thick sour milk. 579: Clabber. Interviewer: What do you make from that? 579: People eat clabber sprinkle sugar over it and avoid the whey and eat the, uh, quite congealed part Interviewer: mm-hmm Did you ever hear of making a kind of cheese from it? 579: Cottage cheese. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Yes, I've seen it made. The milk is poured into a cloth sack fairly loosely woven the whey just filters through and falls into a bowl and what you have left is cottage cheese. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Nobody bothers to make it except out in the country. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Because you can buy it in neat little cartons in almost any store. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: that sells food. Interviewer: What's done with the whey? Anything? 579: What? Interviewer: Is anything done with the whey? Do they just- 579: I never heard of anything being done with it. Interviewer: um and the first thing you do after milking to get the impurities out you have to 579: Strain it. Interviewer: mm-kay Did y'all have a cow? 579: Yes, we had one oh, about, um, seventy-three years ago or something like that. Interviewer: {NW} 579: We kept it in the backyard. Well, I believe we did have a house that protected it from the cold weather. A shed. people had them Oh, There were many people who had a backyards large enough to- to handle a cow Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Had them. But as efficient dairy service developed that sort of thing disappeared. Interviewer: mm-hmm Did y'all have chickens too or? 579: Yes Chickens and turkeys and guineas. Interviewer: mm-mm What were the guineas for? 579: people ate them and ate the eggs. Small brown speckled Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: And the guineas had a most discordant cry. The roosters were the most objectionable ones because they would harrow the coming of day entirely too early. Interviewer: {NW} You must have had a pretty good sized yard then 579: Yes 300 feet deep. fr- from the South straight back and 150 feet wide. Interviewer: mm-hmm Did most people uh, when you were, uh, young did most people have most of the families have cows and chickens until they got good dairy services? 579: I'd say no. Less than half. Interviewer: Just people who had a big enough yard. then? 579: And didn't mind {D: bathing} with animals and fowls. Interviewer: um This is something that's kind of like a fruit pie. only it's got several layers of fruit and dough in it? 579: Oh, I don't know a thing about cooking. Interviewer: Well, you know you could have a maybe made out of apples. Have, um layer of dough and then a layer of apples 579: Oh, I see what you mean Oh, that is called a covered pie. Interviewer: mm-kay 579: And Those without covers or with just little laces of dough across are called, uh, open faced pies or were in my day. Interviewer: mm-hmm What about cobbler? 579: About what? Interviewer: Cobbler. Did you ever hear of apple cobbler? 579: mm-hmm Yes yes, we had that when we were boys. Interviewer: What what did that look like? 579: I don't remember Seems to me it was, uh, Oh, what do they call this Every since that dreadful thing happened to me n- names escape me. Some soft gooey batter and the fruit what do they call it? Cobbl- uh, no. I can't think of the name of it. But we had it. Interviewer: mm-hmm um say if What would you call, um, milk or cream that's mixed with sugar and nutmeg that you could pour over pie? 579: Made with cream or sugar and milk and what? Interviewer: Um, well just a sweet liquid you know maybe cream and sugar something that you could pour over pie. 579: It's part of the pie? Interviewer: No, just- just something you could mix up to pour over 579: Pour over it. Oh. Don't know about that, I never heard of it. Interviewer: mm-hmm Well, would you call it a- a dressing or a dip or a sauce? 579: For- for a pie? Interviewer: UH-huh, or- or pudding, just- just a sweet liquid mixture. you could make to pour over. 579: I never knew of anything to be poured over a pie. Interviewer: mm-hmm and food taken between regular meals you'd call that a? 579: Now, we'd say a snack. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: I don't know what they called it in the old days. I don't remember. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Anytime is unwise to do it. Interviewer: {NW} Um, if someone had a good appetite, you'd say "he sure likes to put away his"? 579: Food. Interviewer: Did you ever hear the word vittles used? 579: Only among the colored and the illiterate. Interviewer: How would they use that? 579: Same way, vittles. Not victuals but vittles. Interviewer: uh-huh and if dinner was on the table and the family was standing around the table you'd tell them to go ahead and 579: Well, at our house we'd say, "wait a minute and let's say grace." Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: And, uh, then after that "Be seated." Interviewer: mm-kay and if someone walked into the dinning room you'd say "won't you"? what "down"? "Won't you?" 579: Join us or have dinner with us or have supper with us or whatever it is. Interviewer: Or, he's standing up. You'd say "won't you?" what "down"? 579: We'd just say won't you have some dinner with us, supper with us what not then we'd proceed to find a seat for the man Interviewer: uh-huh 579: plate and eating implements for the person. Interviewer: Would you say won't you sit down or set down or? What- how would you say that? 579: Oh, won't you sit down Interviewer: uh-huh So you'd say "so then he went ahead and" what "down"? 579: Uh, the- the person who was invited? Interviewer: uh-huh 579: Well, he would just sit down and proceed to eat as the food was brought to him. Interviewer: But using using the preterite of that word you'd say, "so then he"? 579: Ate. Interviewer: Or or y- you ask him to sit down and you'd say "so then he" 579: Then he sat down, yes. Interviewer: okay 579: mm-hmm Interviewer: Then you'd say "nobody else was standing because they had all" 579: No- nobody else is staying what? Interviewer: Was standing up because everybody had what down? 579: Had sat down mm-kay Interviewer: And if you want somebody not to wait until the potatoes, say, are passed over to them you tell them, now just go ahead and 579: uh- uh- yo- about a person waiting for what? Interviewer: Well say, say if you have food on the table Um, I might tell you now Um don't wait until everything's passed over to you- you just go ahead and 579: Well, unless things were passed to him he wouldn't have anything to eat Interviewer: well, if they're- if they're sitting right in front of you I tell 579: Oh, help yourself. Interviewer: mm-kay and so you'd say, "so then he went ahead and" what "himself"? 579: Helped himself. Interviewer: mm-kay and you'd say then I asked him to pass them over to me because he had already? 579: Asked him to pass it over to what? Interviewer: I asked him to pass the bowl over to me since he had already? 579: Helped himself. Interviewer: mm-kay And if someone offers you some food that you don't want you'd say no thank you I don't 579: Well, you just it'd be more careful to say "no, thank you" without stating your dislike Interviewer: uh-huh Or Would you say I don't choose any or I don't care for any 579: Well, you might say "I don't eat, uh" asparagus" we'll say mm-hmm Or "asparagus doesn't agree with me." That would be more tactful to say Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Or, "I can't eat asparagus" Interviewer: uh-huh and, if food's been cooked and served a second time you'd say that it's been? 579: that food would be called left overs oh, you mean it's the same meal? Interviewer: No, If you have for um that night what you had at noon, you'd say the food had been? What? 579: We'd say it this is a leftover from dinner Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Or, lunch Interviewer: and You say you put foot in your mouth and then you begin to 579: Chew it. Interviewer: And you'd say well, he couldn't eat that piece of meat because it got stuck in his throat and he couldn't 579: Chew it up. Interviewer: Or, he could chew it but he couldn't? 579: Swallow it. Interviewer: and Would you have a um special name for vegetables that you grow yourself? for your own use? 579: Home grown Interviewer: mm-kay and what different names are there for um, whiskey that is made illegally? 579: Uh, moonshine. Interviewer: uh-huh 579: That's all I've ever heard. Now, let's see rotgut. Interviewer: What does rotgut mean? 579: Such a miserable whiskey that it rots your guts. {NW} Interviewer: Um What about beer that you make at home? 579: Home brew. Interviewer: mm-kay and Say if something was cooking and made a good impression on your nostrils you might tell someone just 579: my that smells good! Interviewer: Well, you'd tell him Would you just that? 579: Might- might tell him what? Interviewer: You might tell him "would you just" "that food?" 579: Smell it. Interviewer: mm-kay and 579: or sniff it usually smell it. Interviewer: uh-huh You would never say smell of it, would you? 579: No. We wouldn't use- use the word of in there. Interviewer: uh-huh and you might say, "well, this isn't imitation maple syrup, this is"? 579: The real maple syrup. Interviewer: Or "this is gen-"? 579: Is what? Interviewer: "This is gen-"? "Genui-" 579: Genuine. No, we'd say real. Interviewer: mm-hmm 579: Most likely. Might say genuine. Interviewer: mm-hmm And sugar was sold weighed out of the barrel, when you'd- when you'd buy it in big quantities you'd say you were buying it in? 579: Large quantities. Interviewer: mm-hmm Did you ever hear the expression in bulk or in bulk? 579: In in business circles where a person is a wholesaler or a large dealer it's referred to that way. In bulk. mm-hmm mostly wholesalers. Interviewer: mm-hmm Did you ever hear the expression, sugar was sold loose? 579: Sugar what? Interviewer: Loose. 579: Yes. That would be where the grocer would measure out say a pound or two pounds into paper bag and tie it up. Interviewer: mm-hmm and you'd say you were buying it 579: Retail. Interviewer: Or the other word, buying it? Loose 579: Well, yes. You would say that. Mm-hmm Ho- how would you say that? That way. Interviewer: well Brute could you say it? 579: What Interviewer: Woul- would you say it? 579: Well If you were buying it from a large container Interviewer: Uh-huh. 579: And it's poured into a sack or can or jar or what have you. That would be loose. Interviewer: Uh-huh. 579: As compared with. The sugar put up as we have it now, in strong bags marked one pound, three pounds or what have you. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. I see. And A sweet spread that you could put on toast in the morning. 579: A sweet what? Interviewer: Spread. 579: Spread? Molasses, syrup jelly preserves Interviewer: Mm-kay And what do you have on the table to season food with? 579: To do what? Interviewer: To season your food with. You have 579: Salt, pepper, vinegar. Interviewer: Mm-kay. And if it was a bowl of apples, and a child wanted one, he'd say 579: A bowl of apples what? Interviewer: There was a bowl of apples, and a child wanted one, he would say give 579: Give me an apple or I want this one. Interviewer: Mm-kay. And You'd say it wasn't these boys that did that, it must have been one of 579: The boys next door. Or one of my friends. Interviewer: Mm-kay. And you say, he doesn't live here, he lives 579: Down the street. Or around the corner. Interviewer: Do you ever hear over yonder? 579: Over yonder? Interviewer: Uh-huh. 579: Oh yes. My boys used to use that expression frequently. Interviewer: Is it mean farther away than just- 579: Farther away. Interviewer: Mm-kay. And you might tell someone, Don't do it this way, don't do it that way, do it 579: This way. Interviewer: Okay. And if you don't have any money at all, you say you're not rich, you're 579: If you was picking yourself you say I'm broke. Interviewer: Or if you Um just never had any money you'd say you were born a rich person, you were 579: We would most likely say I'm not a rich person rather than say I am a poor person. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Because nobody likes to say that. Interviewer: {NW} And If you had a lot of peach trees, you'd say you had a peach... 579: Orchid. Interviewer: And you might ask somebody if that's his orchid, and he'd tell you no and he'd point to somebody else, and he'd say he's the man 579: I don't, I don't quite understand that question. Interviewer: Say I asked I see a man and I ask him if that's his orchid. If that's his peach orchid, and he'd say. No I'm just a neighbor, and he'd point to another man and say. 579: He owns it. Interviewer: He's the man... 579: Oh yeah it's his orchid. Interviewer: Or he's the man... 579: Who owns it. Interviewer: Mm-kay. And You say when I was a child, my father was poor, but next door was a child 579: When I was a child, my father was poor what? Interviewer: Next door was a child 579: Whose father was rich. We seldom said wealthy. Interviewer: And 579: Have I got to go through all the rest of that? Mm-mm. {NS} That's gonna take too long. {NS} Interviewer: This is an index back here. 579: Oh. Interviewer: It's not, not as long as that. The inside part of a cherry. 579: Inside part? Interviewer: Uh-huh. 579: Well the bottom part is a seat. Oh the stuffing. Or what. Upholstery. Interviewer: Uh-huh and a cherry though a cherry that you eat. 579: Just cherries. Interviewer: Uh-huh. In the peach, the inside is the... 579: We may call it the meat. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. Or the, the part that you don't eat is the... 579: The skin. Interviewer: Or the... 579: Or the peelings. Interviewer: Or the inside part. 579: Or the, the seed. Interviewer: Uh-huh. 579: Sometimes called the stone, usually the seed. Interviewer: Uh-huh, what about in a cherry? Would you call it the seed? 579: Pit. Seed or pit, either one. Interviewer: And the kind of peach that you have to cut the seed out of. 579: A cling stone peach. Interviewer: Mm-kay. What about the other kind? 579: Freestone. Interviewer: And The part of the apple that you don't eat. 579: The core. Interviewer: And When you cut up apples and you dry them, you say you're making 579: Don't know about that. Interviewer: Mm-kay. What kinds of nuts did people have around here? 579: Pecans, delicious. You have, probably have some better ones in Georgia than we have, but ours are uh mighty fine. Also. Hickory nuts, which are too hard and don't have much meat in them and they're not worth the trouble of cracking. Also. Black walnuts. Delicious flavor. But even harder to crack, my goodness they have the thickest hulls on them. Interviewer: The hull is, is the A walnut has two coverings on it you know. 579: Yes. Interviewer: There's one that you can take off real easy it's soft. 579: Oh yes, that's when it's in its green, more or less green state, or it dries up. Interviewer: What, what do you call that? 579: The hull. Interviewer: Uh-huh, what about the harder thing that you have to crack? Is that the hull too? 579: I suppose it is, but it's just the What do we call that uh? Shell. Shell. Interviewer: What about the kind of nut that's shaped like your eye? 579: Kind of what? Interviewer: Nut that's shaped like your eye? It doesn't grow around here, but you can buy it. 579: And that is shaped as what? Interviewer: It's a nut, it's shaped like your eye. 579: Your eye? Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Well very few chestnuts. And Let's see. Interviewer: What about almonds? 579: I don't know what that can be. Interviewer: Almond or almond? 579: Oh yeah they don't grow around here, they grow in California and Florida. Interviewer: And what do you call those? 579: We call them almonds but some people call them almonds. Interviewer: Uh-huh. What about a kind of nut that grows under the ground? 579: Peanuts. Interviewer: Any other names for those? 579: Goobers. Interviewer: Mm-kay, and kind of fruit about the size of an apple grows in Florida. 579: Grows in Florida? Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: About the size of an apple. Some of our peaches are about as large as apples. There is also one that I haven't tasted in decades, persimmon. If you Really want to enjoy a persimmon, you have to wait until it's been exposed to a frost or two. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: And if you don't, the 'un-matured persimmon is very astringent, your mouth just draws up into a knot. I haven't seen one of those in goodness knows how long. Delicious too, big seeds inside I believe the Japanese still grow them. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: They pretty well disappeared around here. Interviewer: What about a citrus fruit? It's pretty common in well, in Florida. 579: Orange, apple grapefruit. Interviewer: Talking about the 579: A lime. Lemon. Interviewer: Talking about the oranges, say if you had a bowl of oranges and one day you went in to get one and there weren't any left you'd say the oranges are 579: You mean if you had a bad one left? Interviewer: No there weren't any left, you'd say the oranges... 579: are all gone. Interviewer: And what sort of things did you raise in a garden? 579: Any number snap beans or string beans okra sweet potatoes possibly because of It's a little trouble to raise them. Interviewer: Are there different names for sweet potatoes? 579: Can't think of any. Interviewer: What about yams? 579: Now what? Interviewer: Yams? 579: Oh yes yes. They are usually lighter in color. And not as sweet as a sweet potato. Yellow yams, they're usually called. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Yes they're grown and uh Oh let's see, I don't know much about that when I had a garden. Um. Interviewer: What about a little red thing. 579: Butter beans. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Hot peppers. I mean they are hot too. Oh That's about all I can think of course, we never had a garden. Interviewer: What about a little red thing that grows of root vegetables? Grows down in the ground It's about this big or so. It's red. 579: Can't think of what that is, we had onions too of course. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. Did you have reddish or radish? 579: Oh yes, I'm forgetting two or three things. Mustard greens, collards, butter beans. That's about it I guess. Interviewer: What about radish or reddish? 579: I don't know of anybody that ever grew a- they're not very popular. Interviewer: What did they call it around here? 579: They call it radishes {C: pronunciation} but I think the real name is radish. Interviewer: Uh-huh, what about something that um is red, it grows up on a bush that you have to stake up? 579: Oh eggplants. Interviewer: Or it's red. You'd have it in a salad. 579: Oh it's red. Don't know. Eggplants are black and shiny. Interviewer: Well this is something you'd, grows on a bush and you'd stake a 579: Oh tomatoes of course, of course, of course, yes, many of those were grown. Interviewer: What do you call those tomatoes that don't get bigger than this? 579: I don't know. They grow them in England and they are delicious. That is they're much smaller than our tomatoes. But better flavored. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. What about the kinds of onions that you pull up and eat before they get real big? 579: They call them spring onions. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. And Say if you wanna get the beans out of the pods by hand 579: Shell 'em Interviewer: Mm-kay. 579: Oh also corn is grown in gardens. Interviewer: Uh-huh What do you call the kind of corn that's tender enough to eat off the cob? 579: The colored folks call them {X} {X} Interviewer: Uh-huh. 579: We called them just corn on the cob. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. What about that um the outside part of the corn? 579: The the uh husk. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: And of course the silk is in there too. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. What about the little thing that grows up in the top of the corn stalk? 579: The tassel. Interviewer: Mm-kay. And talking about lettuce, if you wanted to buy some lettuce, you'd ask for two or three... 579: Heads. Interviewer: Would you use that word heads talking about children? Say if you had five children? 579: Only illiterate and negro. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: We have heads of cabbage too. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. Say if someone had fourteen children, you'd say he really had a... 579: Big family. Interviewer: Did you ever say a passel? 579: Colored folks would. Interviewer: Uh-huh. How, how would they say that? 579: They would use that very term, passel. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: And I might add, fourteen head. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. And little crooked necked vegetables, yellow crooked 579: Squa- Squash. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Well that's another- two varieties of squash. One is a well maybe uh five inches across and shallow, not deep from top to bottom. Both of them are good if properly cooked. Interviewer: Are they both just called squash? 579: Say what? Interviewer: Do they have special names? Or are the both called squash? 579: They refer to the yellow squash as such. They don't mention the other by any name except squash. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. What about uh something you can make pie out of at thanksgiving? {NS} 579: Pumpkins. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Well I see a great {X} many other nights the stores around thanksgiving time But I don't believe they grow in this climate. I think they were brought in from somewhere else. Interviewer: What kinds of melons are grown around here? 579: Uh Watermelons And cantaloupes Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: I believe the correct pronunciation of that is cantaloupe. But I always called them cantaloupes. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: And uh illiterate {X} people like colored people call 'em the cantaloupes or cantaloupes mushmelons. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. Um what about little umbrella shaped thing that springs up in the woods or fields after it rains? 579: Toadstools or the real thing is a mushroom. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. And something that people smoked, made out of tobacco. 579: Oh cigars, cigarettes. Interviewer: Mm-kay. And if someone offered to do you a favor, but you didn't want to accept it because you didn't want to feel like you owe that person something then you'd say, well thank you but I don't wanna feel... 579: You would say no thanks and then maybe you would explain why you didn't want the person to do it and. You might say that if the person's offering you something I have that. Or I can't eat that. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: But we would not be too viable about not accepting, it'll just Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Usually if you had a legitimate reason for not accepting accepting, even though it wouldn't embarrass you, state it. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. And say if you might tell someone, well I'd like to help you but I just 579: If somebody asked you to just for help? Interviewer: Uh-huh, you'd say I like to but I just 579: Haven't the time. Or I've got a sore arm or sore leg or what have ya. Interviewer: But if you're not able to you'd say They'd ask you, can you do that? And you'd say no I... 579: That's too heavy for me. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Would say. Interviewer: And 579: If that was the case. Interviewer: If someone was um There's something that you really didn't want to do You'd say uh no matter how many times you ask me to do that, I just what, do it? 579: Well you wouldn't go too far into that. You would just say sorry I can't do that for you. Interviewer: What, they say will you do that and you say no I 579: Usually you say sorry I can't do that for you. Interviewer: And Say if a boy got a whipping, you'd say I bet he did something he 579: Shouldn't have done. Interviewer: Or using the word ought. You'd say bet 579: Ought not to have done, either one. Interviewer: Mm-kay. Um And Say if I asked you if you'll be able to do something for me next week you say Well I'm not sure but I might... 579: That'd be a good way to express it. Interviewer: Would you ever say might could? 579: Like? Interviewer: Might could? 579: No. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: That's redundancy more or less. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. And talking about kinds of animals. The kind of bird that can see in the dark. 579: Uh animals what? Interviewer: The kind of bird that can see in the dark. 579: The kind of bird? Interviewer: Uh-huh. 579: Don't know of any. Interviewer: Well it has uh big eyes 579: Oh owls. Interviewer: Uh-huh. What do you call the little owl? 579: The real name is owlet I believe. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: I'm not sure. I've never heard anybody speak of 'em. Interviewer: Well I mean the, the smaller um species of owl that has 579: Oh yes um I don't know about that owl, barn owl. I don't know a thing about owls. Interviewer: Would you ever hear squinch owl or 579: Oh yes. I have heard of squinch owls. Interviewer: A screech owl or 579: Uh Both. {D: Scrinch and sq-} Squinch and screech. One of them is wrong, I don't know which one. Interviewer: Uh-huh. What about the big kind? That has a deep voice? 579: Just an owl. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. And Kind of black and white animal that has a real strong smell. 579: Oh. Skunks. Pole cats. Mm-hmm. And Interviewer: A kind of bushy tailed animal that gets up in the trees. 579: Uh We call them possums, but their real name is opossum. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. What about something that even you see in the city? 579: Even what? Interviewer: You can even see in the city. A Maybe a grayish sort of animal. 579: It may be an opossum. Interviewer: I'm thinking of squirrels. 579: Oh! Course of course of course. In the trees yes, squirrels. Interviewer: What different kinds are there? 579: The only kind I ever heard mentioned was well two kinds the gray squirrel and the flying squirrel. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Incidentally, in this part of the country we do not pronounce that name properly. We call 'em squirrels. You can't spell it. {NS} Squirrels is proper. Two R's in it but we just call 'em squirrels. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. What about the little kind that stays on the ground? 579: Chipmunks. And uh ground squirrels. We don't see, well Well I don't know {X} I don't know whether there are any around here or not, I think I have seen them. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. And say some animals have been coming and getting your hens. You didn't know exactly what kind they were, you might say I'm gonna get me a gun kill those... 579: Owls. Just owls. Interviewer: Would you ever use the word varmint? 579: Not much in this part of the country. Mostly in uh the East I say, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, up that way. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Or it might be more wester Interviewer: What do they say up there? 579: A few persons might use that word, varmints or pests or nuisances, Interviewer: Mm-hmm. And A bird, the kind of bird that drills holes in trees. 579: A bird that, oh oh a woodpecker. Interviewer: Mm-kay. Any other name for that? 579: Peckerwood. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. Which did you use to call it when you were little? 579: A person who cares about his speech would say woodpecker. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. Have you ever seen those big woodpeckers? 579: No. I've never seen any very large ones. Interviewer: You ever heard the word peckerwood used about people? 579: Only in books. Not around here. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. And what different kinds of fish did they get around here? 579: White perch. Bass. A species of trout. Uh let's see now, I haven't been fishing in more that seventy years uh. Bass, trout Catfish of course, uh Interviewer: What about from the gulf? 579: There's another little fish I can't think of the name of it. What about what? Interviewer: What about from the saltwater, down at the gulf? 579: Saltwater fish? Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: Oh heavens I never fished in saltwater. The list is very long. You'd have to ask somebody down at the gulf coast about that. Interviewer: {NW} Well what um what did they get from the gulf that isn't a kind of fish exactly but 579: A shrimp Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: {X} Everybody likes 'em. Interviewer: If you 579: Oysters Interviewer: If you were gonna buy the shrimp, you'd ask for two or three pounds of 579: Pounds, most likely they'd be frozen in a package with the weight marked on the package. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. You'd, maybe it'd be five pounds of what? 579: That'd be a mess of shrimp. Now they would generally be about One to two or maybe three pounds. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. What might you here uh making a noise around a pond at night? 579: Around a pond? Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: A frog croaking. Interviewer: What about, what do you call a big kind of frog? 579: Bullfrog. Interviewer: And the little kind that stays on land? 579: If they're making a sound I never heard it. But they're tree frogs. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: That actually live in trees. And they make a a strange long drawn out cry about sunset. Interviewer: Mm-hmm. What um what do you call the the ones that come out after it rains? 579: If they ever had a name I never heard it. Interviewer: Mm-hmm and the kind that pops around in the garden? 579: Toad frogs Interviewer: Mm-kay. And if you were to go fishing, what might you dig up to go fishing with? 579: That's changed since I went. You had a long can for just pieces of bamboo Interviewer: Mm-hmm. 579: And a {X} float {D: set} for water.