The Mange
In Appalachian speech, "the mange" is a skin disease that causes hair loss and sores in animals - and sometimes a joking way to describe something ragged or worn out.
Pronunciation
[thuh MAINJ]
Meaning & Usage
- Animal skin disease (noun)
Elmer:
That poor hound’s got the mange.
That poor hound’s got the mange.
Estel:
Best get him some treatment ‘fore it spreads.
Best get him some treatment ‘fore it spreads.- Ragged or patchy condition (figurative use)
Elmer:
That coat looks like it’s got the mange.
That coat looks like it’s got the mange.
Estel:
Been wearin’ it twenty winters.
Been wearin’ it twenty winters.variations: mange, the-mange,
★ If someone says your jacket’s "got the mange," they’re probably teasing - but they’re also saying it’s in rough shape. ★
Origin
From Middle English "manche" and Old French "mange," meaning "itch" or "to eat," referring to mites burrowing into the skin. The definite article "the" is common in Appalachian usage for diseases ("the measles," "the sugar").
Notes
In rural communities, mange was a familiar issue for working dogs and livestock. The figurative sense plays on the visible signs of the disease - patchy, worn spots - and is often used humorously.