Their’n
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "their’n" means theirs - a rare but authentic dialect possessive built the same way as "his’n," "her’n," "your’n," and "our’n."
#SouthernWords #Appalachia #PeopleandRelationships #BlendedWords #Southern
synonyms: theirs, belonging to them, their possession
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I’m sure I’ve heard Dad say 'their’n' growin' up. It's not super common - it'd be occurin' out in the country and mainly from old timers. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I’m sure I’ve heard Dad say 'their’n' growin' up. It's not super common - it'd be occurin' out in the country and mainly from old timers. Pronunciation
[THURN]
/θɜrn/ or /θʌrn/
/θɜrn/ or /θʌrn/
Meaning & Usage
- Theirs; belonging to them (dialect pronoun)
Earl:
Whose hounds are barkin’ up yonder ridge?
Whose hounds are barkin’ up yonder ridge?
Mae:
Pretty sure they’re their’n - the Harris boys.
Pretty sure they’re their’n - the Harris boys.
Ruby:
That pile’s ours, that one’s yours, and that stack over yonder is their’n.
That pile’s ours, that one’s yours, and that stack over yonder is their’n.variations: their’n, thern, their one
★ You won’t hear their’n near as often as the others, but when it shows up, it fits the same old mountain pattern - quick, clipped, and meant for everyday talk. ★
Origin and Etymology
"Their’n" formed from "their" plus "one," mirroring the pattern found in "his’n," "her’n," "your’n," and "our’n." Appalachian and Upland Southern dialects historically added an -n ending to create possessive pronouns, a feature rooted in Scots-Irish and older British speech carried into the mountains during the 1700s and 1800s. While "their’n" is the rarest of the set, it is attested in traditional mountain speech and dialect literature.
Usage Notes
"Their’n" is seldom heard in modern conversation but appears in older Appalachian families, oral tradition, and dialect-rich writing. It functions exactly like "theirs," though most speakers today default to the standard form. The pronunciation often collapses to a single compact syllable - "thurn."
- Rare but authentic Appalachian/Southern form
- Functions like "theirs"
- Often heard in older rural speech
- Part of a full possessive set: his’n, her’n, your’n, our’n, their’n
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 15). Their’n. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/theirn
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Their’n." HillbillySlang.com, 15 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/theirn.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Their’n." HillbillySlang.com. November 15, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/theirn.
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Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...