trade

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "trade" often means to do business with someone - shopping, buying, or dealing. It can also mean barter, simple exchange, or even a line of work.

#Appalachia #People&Relationships #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

You'll hear 'I stopped tradin' with so-in-so' in the rural areas around here.

Pronunciation

[TRAYD]

Meaning & Usage

- To do business with (Appalachian use) (verb)

Mae:

You still trade at Johnson’s Market?

Earl:

Nope, not since they stopped stockin’ cornmeal.

- To exchange or barter (verb)

Earl:

I’ll trade you my hammer for that saw.

- A line of work or profession (noun)

Mae:

Plumbin’s his trade, always has been.

other spellings: do business with, buy from, shop at, deal with, barter, profession, occupation, and line of work

★ In Appalachian speech, saying "I don’t trade with them" can carry strong social weight - a way of showing disapproval or distrust. ★

Origin

From Old English "trād" meaning a path or course. Over time it came to mean exchange of goods, then broadened to "business" and "profession." The Appalachian use of "trade" as regular shopping or dealings is a survival of older English speech.

Notes

Still widely heard in Appalachia and the South, especially among older speakers. Outside these regions, "trade" mostly means barter or profession, not day-to-day business dealings.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "trayd." Quick and clipped, often in "tradin’" form.

Kin Topics

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Common Questions

Does "trade" mean just bartering?

No - in hillbilly/Appalachian speech, it usually means doing business with someone.

Do people outside the South use "trade" this way?

Rarely. In most of the U.S., "trade" means exchange or profession.

Is "tradin’ with someone" still common?

Yes - especially in rural areas, often with loyalty to certain stores or family-run businesses.