Anywheres
"Anywheres" is a nonstandard dialect form of "anywhere," meaning in any place. It survives strongly in Southern and Appalachian speech, though it was once more widespread across rural American English.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
You'll hear 'anywheres' used out in the country commonly. Pronunciation
[EN-ee-wairz] /ˈɛniˌwɛrz/
Meaning & Usage
- In any place (dialect adverb)
Clara:
You seen the dog?
You seen the dog?
Elmer:
Nope, can’t find him anywheres.
Nope, can’t find him anywheres.Origin
From older English dialects of the British Isles (18th century), carried to America by settlers. Attested across rural American speech in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Still occasionally found in New England and the Midwest, but much more strongly preserved in Southern and Appalachian dialect.
Notes
- Nonstandard form; avoided in formal writing but natural in speech.
- Common alongside related forms like somewheres and nowheres.
- Still widely heard in Southern/Appalachian English; less common in New England or Midwest today, where it survives mainly in older generations.