Doodle
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "doodle" most often means a baby chicken or chick. It’s also used as a playful nickname for children, and in wider English, it means a simple drawing or scribble.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Granny always used 'doodles' instead of 'chicks'. I still do it because I like it, but I haven't heard it in years. Still could be an old timers thing. Hillbilly Dude Says...
Granny always used 'doodles' instead of 'chicks'. I still do it because I like it, but I haven't heard it in years. Still could be an old timers thing. Pronunciation
[DOO-d’l]
Meaning & Usage
- Baby chicken, chick (noun)
Mae:
Best get them doodles up ‘fore sundown.
Best get them doodles up ‘fore sundown.
Earl:
They’ll roost under the porch if you don’t.
They’ll roost under the porch if you don’t.- Playful nickname (noun)
Mae:
C’mere, little doodle.
C’mere, little doodle.
Earl:
She’s into everything today.
She’s into everything today.- Simple drawing or scribble (noun/verb)
Mae:
Quit doodlin’ and finish your lessons.
Quit doodlin’ and finish your lessons.
Earl:
Can’t help it, hand just draws.
Can’t help it, hand just draws.variations: chick, baby chicken, nickname for child, sketch, scribble, doodlebug (related nickname), peep, biddy
★ "Doodle" is a flexible word. In Appalachian talk it’s mostly for chicks or children, but in wider English it’s also a casual sketch. ★
Origin and Etymology
From older English and German roots: "dodel" (simpleton) and "dudeln" (to play simple music). By the 1600s, "doodle" meant silly or simple things. Appalachia carried "doodle" into farm life for chicks, while the broader English world used it for scribbles.
Usage Notes
Still used across Appalachia and the South for chickens and nicknames. The "drawing" sense is nationwide, but shows up here too, especially in school talk.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it light: "doodle." Often said in the plural for chicks - "doodles."