Can You Speak Ozarks? The ABCs of the Ozarks Dialect

Brandon Broughton
Apr 30
6 min read

Updated: May 11

One of the most basic aspects of regional identity is language. The words that we speak are the foundation of our systems of knowledge, our understanding of the world, and of our sense of belonging.

Not long ago, the backwoods of this region resounded with speech that was unmistakably Ozarkian, characterized by a particular combination of archaisms and innovations. This dialect has mostly passed out of use as advances in mass media and transportation have flattened regional differences into a national monoculture.

When a language variety disappears, so too does a way of thinking, of remembering, and of knowing. Fortunately, folklorists Vance Randolph and George P. Wilson worked to preserve the language of the Ozarks in their 1953 book, Down in the Holler: A Galley of Ozark Folk Speech.

All but one of the following words and phrases come from Randolph and Wilson's "Ozark Word List." Many of these items are not unique to the region, but taken together, they illuminate the culture, concerns, and wit of the people of the Ozarks.

Start with the quiz below to test your knowledge, or scroll farther down to study up on your backwoods vocabulary!

The ABCs of the Ozarks

A black and white photograph of the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and St. Louis Street in Downtown Springfield during snowy weather. A woman crosses the street in the foreground; traffic passes by in the background. — There was *airish* weather in Downtown Springfield on this winter day in 1956. Photograph by *Leader & Press* staff. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

A

is for

airish

Adjective

Cool or cold—particularly in reference to the weather.

B

is for

baby-trough

Noun

A cradle or play-pen.

A black and white photograph of an infant laying in a cradle crowded with blankets and clothing. A woman pulls a blanket out from beneath the infant. — What is a crib if not an oversized *baby-trough*? Photograph by Betty Love. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

A black and white photograph of a York Elementary students acting in a Hansel and Gretel operetta. The Witch and the Sandman loom over the recumbent Hansel and Gretel. — The Sandman (Gary Loveland) and the Witch place a *conjure* on Gretel (Jenette Buchanan) and Hansel (unidentified) in a 1952 performance of a Hansel and Gretel operetta by students at York Elementary School. Photograph by *Leader & Press* staff. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

C

is for

conjure

Noun

A supernatural spell.

Verb

To deal in magic or supernatural spells.

Verb

To perform some ordinary task with unusual skill or rapidity.

D

is for

drip-rock

Noun

Limestone, especially cave formations such as stalactites and stalagmites.

A black and white photograph of a limestone curtain formation hanging from the ceiling of a cave. — A striking *drip-rock* curtain formation in Diamond Cave, near Jasper Arkansas. Photograph by Betty Love. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

A black and white photograph of Elaine Cearlock, a young woman, using a blowtorch and a pick to shape pieces of metal jewelry. — Elaine Cearlock, co-owner of Contemporary Jewelry Designers, Inc., *edzacts* pieces of jewelry using a blowtorch. Photograph by John Montre. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

E

is for

edzact

Verb

To adjust precisely.

Verb

To understand fully.

F

is for

fritter-minded

Adjective

Frivolous or erratic.

A photograph of Marionville High School cheerleaders Michelle Harris and Mitzi Nelson play-fighting one another. Mitzi is spraying shaving cream at Michelle. — Marionville High School cheerleaders Michelle Harris (left) and Mitzi Nelson engage in some *fritter-minded* hijinks after a practice. Photograph by Hyler Cooper. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

A black and white antique photograph of a young barefoot girl posing with a dressed-up dog in front of a porch. — Despite taking pains to dress up her dog, young Geraldine Turner wears her *government socks* in this photograph. From the Turner Family Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

G

is for

government socks

Noun

No socks; bare feet.

H

is for

holler

Noun

A hollow—bigger than a gully; smaller than a valley.

A photograph of a stream in a valley in the Ozarks. Mid-winter. — This peaceful *holler* is located in Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area. Photograph by Brandon Broughton, 2024.

A black and white photograph of two cats resting on a porch. — Cats are *idlesome* creatures—and always have been. From the Turner Family Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

I

is for

idlesome

Adjective

Lazy; slothful.

J

is for

jolt from Solomon's cradle

Phrase

Wisdom or intelligence, generally used in the negative to imply that someone lacks sense or forethought.

A cartoon illustration of a man walking through the rain, holding an empty hand in front of his chest as if he were holding an umbrella. Two men walking under an umbrella pass in the other direction. Caption reads: "---Yeah, - and he won't realise that he has forgotten it till the rain stops and he raises his hand to close it." — The gentleman on the left in this 1940s cartoon by Art Omans, Jr. appears to have never received a *jolt from Solomon's cradle*. From the Art Omans Jr. Cartoon Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

Black and white photograph of an election judge showing a woman how to fill out a ballot inside of a voting booth. — Election judge Juanita Blevins shows Sue Henderson how to fill out a ballot inside of a Nixa voting booth. If someone peeked at your ballot, you could shout: "*Kill your own snakes*!" Photograph by John Montre. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

K

is for

kill your own snakes

Phrase

To mind one's own business.

L

is for

Laplander

Noun

Someone who lives on the Missouri-Arkansas border, especially the Missouri Bootheel, where Missouri "laps over" into Arkansas.

A map of the Missouri Bootheel and its surroundings. — Historically, the Missouri Bootheel was sometimes referred to as "Lapland," because it's where Missouri "laps over" into Arkansas. The inhabitants of this region were consequently called Laplanders. Map from *Hammond's Superior Atlas and Gazetteer of the World* by C. S. Hammond & Co., Inc. Image altered by Local History & Genealogy staff.

The constellation Orion in a dusky sky. — Part of the *milking stars*, better known as Orion, set over Springfield, Missouri. Photograph by Brandon Broughton, 2026. Image altered by Local History & Genealogy staff.

M

is for

milking stars

Noun

The constellation Orion, which is said to be especially prominent at milking time (early morning, pre-dawn).

N

is for

noodle

Verb

To catch fish with the hands.

A word to the wise: In addition to being illegal in Missouri and elsewhere, noodling is considerably more dangerous than other forms of fishing. Stick to the rod and reel!

A sepia-tone photograph of a man standing outdoors, holding a large bass by a string. — We can presume that the angler pictured here, Roy Burns, did not *noodle* for this massive bass. From the Postcards and Photographs Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

A cartoon illustration of recently mustered soldiers leaving an army office with cash in hand. An older, heavyset man labelled "Business Wolf" stands ready to meet them, offering them a package labelled "Fake." — A recently mustered soldier is about to get *ozarked* in this 1945 cartoon by Betty Love. From the Betty Love Cartoon Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

O

is for

ozark

Verb

To cheat, defraud, or swindle.

P

is for

poot the rug

Phrase

To die.

A cartoon illustration of a dog attacking a headless chicken. The chicken's body is flying away, lifting the dog off of the ground, while its lifeless head sits nearby. — Despite it all, the chicken in this Charles Frederick cartoon has yet to *poot the rug*. From the Charles Frederick Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

A black and white photograph of a man riding a horse amid bare trees at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. — An equestrian *quill-wheels* through Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in this 1978 photograph. Photograph by Tim Mullikin. From the Tim Mullikin Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

Q

is for

quill-wheel

Verb

To move about or patrol a large area.

R

is for

rabbit-twister

Noun

A rustic person; someone who lives in the backwoods.

A photograph of an elderly woman, Birdle Mannon, closing the gate in front of her rustic Ozarks cabin. — As change came to the rural Ozarks, Birdle Mannon kept to the old ways, living alone in her small Taney County cabin—a proud and contented *rabbit-twister*. Photograph by Bob Linder. From the Bob Linder Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

A black and white photograph of M. B. Carpenter crouching to inspect a feed line in a chicken coop. Many chickens stand apart from him and look on. — *Scadoodles* of chickens look on as Barry County Agent M. B. Carpenter inspects a feed line at the Raymon Norman farm. Photograph by Betty Love. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

S

is for

scadoodles

Noun

A very large number or a very large amount.

T

is for

tree-top

Verb

To land a fish with unnecessary force, throwing it into the tree-tops.

Verb

To perform a task with more vigor than is needed.

A black and white photograph of a diaper-clad infant sitting in a highchair, wearing sunglasses, and holding a fishing pole. — This young Springfieldian angler, the daughter of Diane Spade Campbell, looks ready to do some *tree-topping*. Photograph by Diane Spade Campbell. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

A sepia tone photograph of Nell C. Milligan sitting outside on a staircase flanked by shrubs. — Springfieldian Nell C. Milligan was an *up-and-gone* woman, travelling across Europe, Africa, Asia, and New Zealand following the death of her husband in 1919. From the Nell Crane Milligan Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

U

is for

up-and-gone

Phrase

Restless, prone to wander about.

V

is for

vigrous

Adjective

Vicious; dangerous.

A black and white photograph of a cheetah cub peering through greenery. — Don't be fooled; this cheetah cub at the Dickerson Park Zoo assuredly grew up to become a *vigrous* critter. Photograph by Springfield News-Leader staff. From the Springfield News-Leader Collection, Springfield Greene-County Library.

A photograph of a Frisco steam derrick in a railyard. — Sure, you could call this machine a steam derrick—but wouldn't you rather say *willipus-wallipus*? Photograph by Mike Condren. From the Mike Condren Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

W

is for

willipus-wallipus

Noun

A vague legendary monster.

Noun

A large piece of machinery.

X

is for

Xyleborus sporodochifer

Noun

A species of lichen-producing fungus native to the Missouri Ozarks.

If it wasn't obvious, this word does not come from Randolph and Wilson's book. Too bad the pioneers didn't play the xylophone.

A closeup photograph of the fruiting bodies, or sporodochia, of Xyleborus sporodochifer. — These small, white fruiting bodies, or sporodochia, are characteristic of the elegantly-named *Xyleborus sporodochifer*. Photograph by Richard Clinton Harris. Image courtesy of Ozarklichens. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.

Photograph of a white-breasted nuthatch holding a piece of food in its beak. — Ozarkians once referred to the white-breasted nuthatch as the *yank*, possibly due to the resemblance of its blue plumage to the uniforms worn by soldiers of the Union Army during the Civil War. Photograph by Miles Barnhart. Image courtesy of iNaturalist. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Y

is for

yank

Noun

The white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis).

Z

is for

zephyr

Noun

A woman's wrap or scarf; usually knitted or crocheted and worn over the head and shoulders.

Black and white group portrait of members of the Turner family and associates. A woman sitting in the front is wearing what might be described as a white zephyr on her head and shoulders. — The woman in white sitting in the first row of this group portrait is wearing what could be described as a *zephyr*. From the Turner Family Collection, Springfield-Greene County Library.

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Acknowledgements

A special thanks to Ben Divin, Brian Grubbs, and Bob Linder for their help sourcing images for this article.

References

Randolph, Vance and George P. Wilson. Down in the Holler: A Gallery of Ozark Folk Speech. University of Oklahoma Press, 1953.