Branch
In Appalachian and Southern talk, a "branch" is a small stream or creek, often feeding into a larger body of water. It’s a common place-name element across the mountains.
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Papaw and Granny had a 'branch' on the part of the property on the other side of the road. So I've heard this one, too. Papaw and Granny had a 'branch' on the part of the property on the other side of the road. So I've heard this one, too. Pronunciation
Meaning & Usage
- Small stream (noun)
Where’s the old mill?Follow the branch till it bends - you’ll see it.- Place-name element (noun)
She was raised on Big Laurel Branch.Everybody up that way lives off some branch.Origin and Etymology
The use of "branch" for a stream comes from Old English "bryce," meaning break or division. In America, especially Appalachia and the South, it came to mean a small watercourse branching off a larger creek or river.
Usage Notes
"Branch" is still widely used in Appalachian English and often appears on maps, road signs, and family histories. Outsiders may mistake it for "limb," but locals know it’s about water. Plurals like "the branches" can refer to a tangle of small creeks in the hills.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it flat and plain: "branch." In some hollers you’ll hear it stretched softer - closer to "brahnch" or even "brench."