any count

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "any count" means worth anything, of value, or decent quality. Most often heard in the negative form - "ain’t any count" - to mean worthless.

#Appalachia #Measurements #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

Asking if somethin' or somebody is any count is still widespread in rural areas.

Pronunciation

[EN-ee count]

Meaning & Usage

- Of value, decent (positive use) (adjective phrase)

Mae:

That new hammer any count?

Earl:

Yeah, it’ll do the job right.

- Worthless, useless (negative use) (adjective phrase)

Mae:

This hay any count?

Earl:

Ain’t no count, mold’s all through it

other spellings: ain’t any count, of value, and worth a lick

★ "You’ll mostly hear ‘ain’t any count’ as a way of saying worthless. But the positive form - ‘Is it any count?’ - is also common when asking if something’s decent. ★

Origin

The phrase comes from older English uses of "count" meaning value or worth. In Appalachia and the South, it stuck as a plain way to judge usefulness or quality.

Notes

Very common in Appalachian and Southern speech, both in positive and negative forms. Outside these regions, people rarely use "any count" this way.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "en-ee count." The stress usually falls on "any."

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Common Questions

Does "any count" mean the same as "good"?

Close - "any count" means decent or worthwhile, while "ain’t any count" means worthless.

Is it unique to Appalachia?

Not unique, but strongest in Appalachian and Southern regions. Rare elsewhere in the U.S.

Do people still say it today?

Yes - especially older generations, but it’s still heard widely across the South.