Come A-Courtin’

In Southern and Appalachian speech, come a-courtin’ means to visit someone with romantic interest, usually with serious intent or hopes of marriage. It uses the old regional "a-" prefix common in traditional mountain English.

#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #PeopleandRelationships #OldTimers #Southern

synonyms: dating

Hillbilly Dude Says...

You'll still hear 'come a-courtin’' being said out in the country - but it's more old timers these days.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

You'll still hear 'come a-courtin’' being said out in the country - but it's more old timers these days.

Pronunciation

[KUM uh-KORT-in]
/ˈkʌm əˈkɔːrt.ɪn/

Meaning & Usage

- To visit with romantic or marital intentions (verb phrase)

Hazel:

Back then, a boy didn’t fool around.

Mae:

No ma’am - if he come a-courtin’, he meant business.

- To pursue someone formally, often under family supervision

Gran:

I had three fellers come a-courtin’ before I settled on your Papaw.

variations: come a’courtin’, come a-courtin’

★ The "a-" in a-courtin’ isn’t decoration - it’s an old English prefix that stuck around in the mountains. If someone "come a-courtin’," they weren’t just stopping by; they were declaring interest. ★

Origin and Etymology

"Court" as a verb for romantic pursuit is old English, but the a-prefix progressive ("a-courting," "a-coming," "a-dancing") survives most strongly in Appalachia and parts of the rural South. The form appears in traditional ballads, including the centuries-old "Froggie Went A-Courtin’," which helped preserve the phrase in oral tradition. In the Southern mountains, "come a-courtin’" described formal romantic visits with marriage as the expected outcome.

Usage Notes

Still heard among older Southerners and Appalachians, especially in nostalgic or storytelling contexts. Implies a seriousness absent from modern casual dating. Often appears in recollections of youth, family lore, and regional music.

Common in Appalachian oral history and ballad traditions.
Always implies intentional, marriage-leaning romance.
The "a-" prefix signals authentic regional grammar.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Is "come a-courtin’" just a cute way to say dating?

No - it implies a formal visit with serious intent, often supervised.

Why the "a-" at the front?

It’s an old English prefix preserved in Southern/Appalachian dialects, historically from "on."

Does it always mean marriage was expected?

Usually - the phrase carries the weight of traditional courtship norms.

Is it still used?

Mostly by older speakers or in storytelling, music, and regional writing.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, December 6). Come A-Courting. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/come-a-courting
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Come A-Courting." HillbillySlang.com, 6 Dec. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/come-a-courting.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Come A-Courting." HillbillySlang.com. December 6, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/come-a-courting.