Mountain talk from Manly Wade Wellman

[Douglas G. Wilson]

I read a few Wellman books, set in Appalachia, probably around Asheville
NC, time 1946-1984. Some odd words are used, supposedly regular
Appalachianisms. Some are well-known, others new to me, some seem obsolete,
some I can't find in my dictionaries.

"allow" = "assert"/"state" (not "concede" or so)
"a gone gump" = "a complete fool"
"hamper" [n.] = "impediment"
"blockade [whiskey]" = "moonshine"
"bee gum" = "beehive"
"croker sack" = "burlap bag"
"a sight" = "a multitude"/"a large quantity"
"jimswinger" = "long-tailed [coat]"
"whet" [n.] = "aperitif"
"I swanny" [exclamation] = "I swear"
"wag" = "carry"
"brag" [n.] = "truculent talk"
"master", "champion" [adverb, adjective (including predicate)] = "outstanding"
"the pure quill" = "the real McCoy"
"shammock" = "roam"(?)

Generally long obsolete in standard English:

"swarve" = "climb"
"[not a] hooter" = "[not a] bit"

Not in my books:

"gop" = "gape" [same as "garp" etc. in DARE?]
"use" [v.i.] = "walk"/"go"(?)
"hobby" [n.] = "bunch"

Anybody recognize any of the last group? Anybody want an example of any term?

-- Doug Wilson