Heared
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "heared" is the nonstandard past tense or past participle of "hear." It’s a hallmark of older rural speech, especially in story-telling and gossip: "I heared tell""
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Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'd say 'heared' is another one that you hear from old timers mostly. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'd say 'heared' is another one that you hear from old timers mostly. Pronunciation
[HEER-d] or [HEE-erd] (depending on the speaker)
Meaning & Usage
- Past tense/past participle of "hear" (dialect verb form)
Mae:
I heared she moved back home.
I heared she moved back home.
Earl:
Yep - I heared that too.
Yep - I heared that too.- Set phrase: "I heared tell""
Mae:
I heared tell he caught a catfish bigger’n his arm.
I heared tell he caught a catfish bigger’n his arm.variations: heard (standard form)
★ "Heared" is especially tied to older Appalachian speech patterns and oral storytelling. It signals a hand-me-down story, like "they say" or "I heard it from so-and-so," and shows up in many folk tales and WPA oral histories. ★
Origin and Etymology
"Heared" reflects an older English past tense pattern and analogical formation, reinforced by Scots-Irish dialect brought to Appalachia. It’s been recorded in Appalachian dialect studies since the 19th century.
Usage Notes
Still heard in rural and older Southern/Appalachian speech, though less common among younger speakers. Recognized as folksy or old-fashioned when used in writing.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "heared" - usually two syllables: "hee-erd."