foller

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "foller" is the common pronunciation of "follow." It reflects the vowel shift where the "ow" sound flattens to "er."

#Appalachia #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

'Foller' is still alive and well out in the country, I hear it all the time around here.

Pronunciation

[FAW-ler] or [FOL-ler]

Meaning & Usage

- To go behind or accompany (verb)

Mae:

Y’all foller me and mind your step.

- To obey or heed (verb)

Earl:

He never did foller the doctor’s orders.

other spellings: follow, go with, come after, trail, shadow, tag along, and stick with

★ Reckon a feller'd foller a man down the holler to get some minners for supper? ★

Origin

From Old English *fōlgan* (to accompany). Over time it became "follow" in standard English. The Appalachian/Southern "foller" form reflects regional vowel changes, much like *holler* (hollow) and *yeller* (yellow).

Notes

Very common in Appalachia and across the South. Rare outside these regions, where people stick to "follow."

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "faw-ler" or "fol-ler." The "ow" in "follow" gets softened or dropped.

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Is "foller" a separate word?

No - it’s just the regional pronunciation of "follow."

Do people still say it today?

Yes - it’s still common in rural Appalachian and Southern speech.

Is it ever written this way?

Yes, in dialect writing, folk songs, or stories to capture the local sound.