sooey!

"Sooey!" is a long, drawn-out call used to summon pigs. In Appalachian and Southern farm life, it was a daily sound on hog farms and still survives as a playful holler.

#Appalachia #Animals #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I remember 'Sooey!' mainly from Johnny Cash. When our hogs get loose, I'd rather holler, 'enjoy your new home!' This one doesn't have the opportunity to be an everday one.

Pronunciation

[SOO-ee] → drawn out: "Soooo-eeee!"

Meaning & Usage

- Call to summon pigs (exclamation)

Mae:

Sooey! Time to feed!

Earl:

Here they come, gruntin’ and squealin’.

- Playful shout (secondary, modern use)

Mae:

Sooey! That was a good hit!

Earl:

Sounds like you’re callin’ the hogs.

other spellings: soo-ee, su-ee, pig call, hog call, ``hog holler``, ``sow call``, and ``come pig, pig``

★ It’s not just random - hogs respond to high-pitched sounds, and "sooey" carries across a farmyard. That’s why the call stuck for generations. ★

Origin

Likely from the word "sow" (a female pig), with the "-ee" added to make a long, carrying call. Hog farmers in the South and Appalachia used it daily to round up swine, and it spread into wider American culture as a symbol of country life.

Notes

Still recognized in Appalachian and Southern talk, though less used on real farms today. "Sooey" lives on in playful hollers, sports chants, and as a symbol of rural heritage.

Say It Like a Southerner

Stretch the first syllable, then snap the "ee": "Soooo-eeee!"

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Do pigs really come to "sooey"?

Yes - hogs learn to associate it with feeding time, and the sound carries well.

Is "sooey" unique to Appalachia?

Not only Appalachia - it’s found across the South and Midwest, but is a strong marker of farm and country talk.

Do people still use it today?

On farms less often, but it survives as a playful or nostalgic holler - and famously in chants like "Wooo Pig Sooie!" at Arkansas ball games.