Don’t Pay It No Mind
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "Don’t pay it no mind" means "don’t worry about it" or "ignore it." The variant "Don’t pay me no mind" means "ignore me" or "don’t mind what I said." Both use the regional double negative for emphasis.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'd say ‘don’t pay it no mind’ is one you'd hear mainly out in the country. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'd say ‘don’t pay it no mind’ is one you'd hear mainly out in the country. Pronunciation
[DONT pay it NO MIND] or [DONT pay me NO MIND]
Meaning & Usage
- Don’t worry about it / ignore it (dialect phrase)
Mae:
I forgot to bring your pie dish back.
I forgot to bring your pie dish back.
Earl:
Aw, don’t pay it no mind.
Aw, don’t pay it no mind.- Don’t mind me / ignore me (dialect phrase)
Mae:
I’m just ramblin’.
I’m just ramblin’.
Earl:
Don’t pay me no mind.
Don’t pay me no mind.variations: Don’t pay me no mind, Don’t worry about it, Ignore me
★ The double negative in "don’t pay it no mind" is a hallmark of Southern and Appalachian English, giving the phrase extra emphasis and warmth. It’s the regional cousin of "don’t worry about it." ★
Origin and Etymology
Derived from older British English constructions using "pay mind" to mean "take notice." In the American South and Appalachia it later took on a double-negative form, noted in dialect studies.
Usage Notes
Still common in the South and Appalachia among all generations. Outside the region it’s rare but often heard as a playful imitation of Southern speech.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "don’t pay it no mind" or "don’t pay me no mind." Commonly heard across the South as a warm way of telling someone to let something go.
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