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THE HILLBILLY DICTIONARY
The Hillbilly Backwoods Lingo Straight from the Holler, by Grandpa Ripley
Ever felt like the English language done lost its backbone somewhere 'twixt the skyscrapers and the suburbs? Well, pull up a stump and listen up, 'cause Grandpa Ripley— that weather-beaten sage with a chew of Red Man and a lifetime of ridge-runnin' under his galluses— is fixin' to set it right with The Hillbilly Dictionary.
This here's a straight-shootin' guide to the raw, rambunctious tongue of the Appalachians, penned by a feller who knows the value of a well-timed spit and the peril of a loose lip. No high-falutin' footnotes or city-slicker edits; just pure, unadulterated mountain mouth music that captures the spirit of folks who wrangle with the land and laugh in the face of fancy.
It's the perfect companion for outlanders aimin' to blend in at the barn dance, kinfolk dustin' off their drawl, or any soul hankerin' for words that bite back. As Grandpa mutters over his black "Words ain't for showin' off—they're for survivin' the storm."
Snag this sassy little volume and start slingin' slang like a pro. In a world gone soft, it's a reminder that the best talk comes from the gut, the grit, and the good Lord above. Hot diggity!
Ever felt like the English language done lost its backbone somewhere 'twixt the skyscrapers and the suburbs? Well, pull up a stump and listen up, 'cause Grandpa Ripley— that weather-beaten sage with a chew of Red Man and a lifetime of ridge-runnin' under his galluses— is fixin' to set it right with The Hillbilly Dictionary.
This here's a straight-shootin' guide to the raw, rambunctious tongue of the Appalachians, penned by a feller who knows the value of a well-timed spit and the peril of a loose lip. No high-falutin' footnotes or city-slicker edits; just pure, unadulterated mountain mouth music that captures the spirit of folks who wrangle with the land and laugh in the face of fancy.
It's the perfect companion for outlanders aimin' to blend in at the barn dance, kinfolk dustin' off their drawl, or any soul hankerin' for words that bite back. As Grandpa mutters over his black "Words ain't for showin' off—they're for survivin' the storm."
Snag this sassy little volume and start slingin' slang like a pro. In a world gone soft, it's a reminder that the best talk comes from the gut, the grit, and the good Lord above. Hot diggity!
87 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2025
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8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 15, 2025
A Book With Some Truth & A Few Giggles
***May have some terms that may offend the sensitive***
The Hillbilly Dictionary is a collection of words and sayings that are meant to come from the hillbilly/redneck culture although provided in an almost dictionary format.
Unlike a real dictionary, though, this book has no actual distinguishable delineation of letters thus the entries bleed into one another. Meanwhile the book also lacks the pronunciation that you would find in the previously mentioned dictionary although most of the words are quite simple to say.
Otherwise each entry is composed of three parts: the word, the definition and an example on how to use it. And it is the example, which has led to my middlin' star rating. Why? It just felt like the author was attempting to use everything he knew instead of making it sweet and easy on the tongue, which in turn just left a clunky example.
All in all it will make for an interesting read and one that will allow you to see how much hillybilly you may have picked up in your own lifetime.
***May have some terms that may offend the sensitive***
The Hillbilly Dictionary is a collection of words and sayings that are meant to come from the hillbilly/redneck culture although provided in an almost dictionary format.
Unlike a real dictionary, though, this book has no actual distinguishable delineation of letters thus the entries bleed into one another. Meanwhile the book also lacks the pronunciation that you would find in the previously mentioned dictionary although most of the words are quite simple to say.
Otherwise each entry is composed of three parts: the word, the definition and an example on how to use it. And it is the example, which has led to my middlin' star rating. Why? It just felt like the author was attempting to use everything he knew instead of making it sweet and easy on the tongue, which in turn just left a clunky example.
All in all it will make for an interesting read and one that will allow you to see how much hillybilly you may have picked up in your own lifetime.
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January 4, 2026Laugh out Loud Funny! (In a very good way)
I grew up in Appalachia in the '50s so I heard all of these expressions and a few others I'm sure my grandparents, aunts, uncles and about a hundred cousins made up. Thanks for the memories of summer evenings sitting on the front or back porch, catching lightening bugs, drinking grandma's sweet tea, listening to the grown folks use all of these expressions in a way only they could convey. As my grandfather used to say City Slickers just don't understand! Enjoyable for the memories alone.
I grew up in Appalachia in the '50s so I heard all of these expressions and a few others I'm sure my grandparents, aunts, uncles and about a hundred cousins made up. Thanks for the memories of summer evenings sitting on the front or back porch, catching lightening bugs, drinking grandma's sweet tea, listening to the grown folks use all of these expressions in a way only they could convey. As my grandfather used to say City Slickers just don't understand! Enjoyable for the memories alone.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews