In Appalachian and Southern speech, "her’n" means "hers" - a possessive form that comes from blending "her one." It’s part of the same family as "his’n" and "your’n."
This one is the same as 'his'n' - I still hear it some, but more so growing up.
Pronunciation
[HUR-uhn]
Meaning & Usage
- Hers / Belonging to Her (pronoun)
Identifying ownership
Earl:
That garden spot over there - is it yours?
Ruby:
Nope, that’s her’n.
Comparing possessions
Mae:
My patch is small, but her’n stretches clear to the creek.
variations: her’n, hern, her one
★ "Her’n" usually shows up in casual country speech, alongside "his’n" and "your’n." It makes speech sound extra folksy and down-home. ★
Origin
Built from "her" plus "one" - as in "that one is hers." Appalachian and Southern speech often adds -n endings like this, giving us "his’n," "her’n," "your’n," and even "our’n." The pattern dates back to Scots-Irish influence in American English.
Notes
"Her’n" is mostly spoken and rarely written outside of dialect writing. You’ll often hear it in family talk, oral storytelling, or when people want to sound especially homespun.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say "her" as usual, then add a quick "’n" like in "one." It comes out as "hur’n," almost one syllable. The tone is often matter-of-fact when pointing out who something belongs to.
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This one is the same as 'his'n' - I still hear it some, but more so growing up.