BY KYLE LOVERN

Growing up in this region, I’m sure many of you have heard certain sayings or Appalachian slang handed down by your parents and grandparents throughout the years.

My dad had a lot of these and I can recall many he used all the time.

One of my favorites was, “He is more crooked than a barrel full of fish hooks.” That was usually his way of referring to a politician.

There are many others that have been used in our region.

“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” is another old saying. It means it’s better to have the sure thing of what you do have than the possibility of what you might have.

“He ain’t got a pot to pee in,” is one you may have heard. This is a phrase used when you’re describing how poor someone is. “They’re so poor they ain’t got a pot to pee in.”

One I heard a lot growing up from old-timers was: “He is fit to be tied.” This means you are angry and just can’t take anymore. For example, “She got so mad at her feller over what he said, she was fit to be tied.”

Or how about “He is gittin’ too big for his britches”? This means that you’re starting to get a bit egotistical or think too highly of yourself.