visitin’
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "visitin’" means spending time with people - either by going to see them or just sittin’ and talkin’ together. It’s more than a quick stop; it’s a social call, a spell of shared time and talk.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Most all of use use 'visitin’' - country or town folks. Pronunciation
[VIZ-it-in]
Meaning & Usage
- Going to see someone (verb)
Mae:
Where y’all headin’?
Where y’all headin’?
Earl:
Out visitin’ kin over in Tazewell.
Out visitin’ kin over in Tazewell.- Sitting and talking together (verb)
Mae:
What are y’all up to?
What are y’all up to?
Earl:
Nothin’ - just visitin’.
Nothin’ - just visitin’.- Making rounds or multiple calls (plural form)
Mae:
Where’s the pastor today?
Where’s the pastor today?
Earl:
He’s out doin’ his visitin’s.
He’s out doin’ his visitin’s.other spellings: callin’, droppin’ by, makin’ the rounds, fellowshippin’, visitin’s (plural), out doin’ visitin’s, and sittin’ and visitin’
★ "Visitin’" doesn’t have to mean a trip. It can just mean sittin’ around with kin, neighbors, or friends - talking, laughing, telling stories, passing time. ★
Origin
From "visit," but in Appalachian and Southern speech it took on a richer sense: not just dropping in, but *being with* people. The plural form "visitin’s" followed the same pattern as "sayin’s" and "goings-on."
Notes
Still widely used in Appalachian and Southern talk. Often paired with church life, family gatherings, and porch-sittin’. Outsiders may not catch that "visitin’" means both *going to see* and *just bein’ together.*
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "viz-it-in." The final "g" is dropped - always "visitin’."