[Ads-l] hillbilly and goat

Stephen Goranson 00001dd3d6fc15d3-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Wed Mar 25 13:50:54 UTC 2026


Last week I commented at Oxford Etymologist blog.oup.com after a mention of
hillbilly
"Because references to a hillbilly often refer to a male and are
depreciative, that name may have been influenced by the hill-climbing
billy-goat."

I ask whether that is true and whether such connection with the
earlier-recorded billy-goat has been mentioned before. (I haven't yet found
an earlier mention.)

sg

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