Listen At
In Southern and Appalachian speech, listen at is a dialect phrase meaning "listen to" or "pay attention to what I’m about to say." It works as an attention-getter before sharing news, a story, or a surprising detail.
synonyms: listen to this, listen up
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I've heard 'listen at this' all my life, and still do - especially out in the country. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I've heard 'listen at this' all my life, and still do - especially out in the country. Pronunciation
[LISS-en at]
/ˈlɪsən æt/
/ˈlɪsən æt/
Meaning & Usage
- To direct attention to what someone is about to say (verb phrase)
Clyde:
You heard about that raccoon in the sweet corn?
You heard about that raccoon in the sweet corn?
Ruby:
No"?
No"?
Clyde:
Listen at this - he opened the freezer!
Listen at this - he opened the freezer!variations: listen at this, listen at it, listening at it
★ Folks use listen at to kick off a story - the more dramatic the tale, the more drawn-out the "listen." ★
Origin and Etymology
This phrasing likely developed from a regional tendency to shift or simplify prepositions in casual speech. In Southern and Appalachian English, listen at emerged as a natural substitute for "listen to" in spoken language. While uncommon in standard English, the structure fits longstanding speech patterns in the region.
Usage Notes
Common in informal speech across parts of the South and Appalachia, especially when leading into gossip, funny stories, or surprising news. Variants frequently heard include:
- Listen at this - attention-getter before speaking
- Listen at it - calling attention to a sound or behavior
- Listening at it - progressive form ("I’m over here listening at it")