yeller

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "yeller" is the dialect form of "yellow." The ending shifts from "-ow" to "-er," a common mountain pronunciation pattern.

#Appalachia #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

This is another common one with old timers around here. If I say 'yeller', I'm being silly. But I do say it sometimes.

Pronunciation

[YEL-er]

Meaning & Usage

- The color yellow (adjective)

Mae:

Them daisies are bright yeller this year.

Earl:

Prettiest patch we’ve had.

- Yellow-colored animal (esp. dog) (adjective)

Mae:

Whose yeller hound is that?

Earl:

Reckon it’s the Johnsons’ dog.

other spellings: yellow, yaller, yaller-hided (variant phrase), ``gold-colored``, ``blond``, and ``fair-haired``

★ "Yeller dog" is one of the most famous uses - so much so it shows up in stories and ballads. It’s one of the most recognizable Appalachian pronunciations. ★

Origin

From English "yellow." In Appalachian and Southern speech, the "-ow" ending shifted to "-er," producing forms like "yeller" or "yaller." The change reflects broader sound patterns in mountain dialect.

Notes

Still common in Appalachia and the South, especially with animals, flowers, or hair color. "Yeller" and "yaller" both appear in mountain talk, often used interchangeably.

Say It Like a Southerner

Say it quick: "yeller." Drop the "-ow" and finish with "-er."

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Is "yeller" a different word from "yellow"?

No - it’s the same word, just a dialect form.

Do people still use it today?

Yes, especially in rural or traditional speech.

What about "Old Yeller"?

The famous novel and movie used the dialect spelling for a yellow dog, showing how natural it was in Southern/Appalachian speech.