By Steve Roark
Volunteer Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

In past articles I have covered mountain dialect that I have heard used either past or present. I probably heard more than the average person because my parents grew up on isolated farms in east Tennessee where the old way of talking didn’t get diluted by being around a lot of other people. But perhaps you’ve heard some of these and so this time I’m covering words starting with E and F.

Easter Flower: the daffodil;
Eased: moving slowly and cautiously; He eased around the tree for a close look.’
Eat up: To be badly bitten; “He was eat up with skeeter bites.”
Eh law: a mild oath; comparable to “good Lord”. “Eh law I wish it would rain.”
Exceptin’ (for): Something that’s an exception; “A nice feller exceptin’ for his cussing.”
Fair up or fair off: improving weather; It may fair up and be pretty today.”
Fall or fell into: to get right to it; “when the food was brought, he fell right into eating. “
Far: fire; “It was chilly in the house so I started a far.”
Far piece or fur piece: a long way off; “It’s a right fur piece to town.”
Faultin’: to blame or criticize; “Granny kept faultin’ us for making so much noise.
Favor: to resemble; “She favors her mom.”
Feisty: aggressive; “That rooster is feisty”.
Feller: fellow: “He’s a handsome feller”.
Fetch: to bring; “Fetch me a cup of water”.
Show Fight: to want to fight; “He got mad and showed fight”.
Filth: weeds, unwanted vegetation. “It was hard to hoe the corn with so much filth in it.”
Fix or fixin’: get ready for: “I’m fixin’ to get mad!”
Flare: flower or flour; “Them sure are pretty flares.”
Flatlander: someone not from the mountains.
Fleshing up: to put on weight; You look so poorly you need to fleshin’ up.”
Flip or flipper: a homemade slingshot.
Flux: to have diarrhea or dysentery;