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Of a Sunday

In Southern and Appalachian speech, "Of a Sunday" means "on Sunday" - a regional time expression rooted in older English dialects.

#SouthernSayings   #Appalachia   #Time   #OldTimers   #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...
'Of a Sunday' is more regional and old timers. I didn't hear it growin' up, but you can hear it a couple counties over. 

Pronunciation

[UHV a SUN-day] /ʌv ə ˈsʌndeɪ/

Meaning & Usage

- On Sunday (day of the week) (time expression)

Pearl:
When do y’all usually go visiting?
Jeb:
Mostly of a Sunday after church.
variations: On Sunday, Sundays, Of a Morning, Of a Evening, Of a Night
★ The "of a + time" construction (of a morning, of a night, of a Sunday) is a hallmark of Appalachian and Southern speech. It comes from older British dialect grammar where "of a" meant "on" or "during." ★

Origin

From Middle and Early Modern English constructions using "of a" + time to mean "during" or "on." Carried to the American South and Appalachia by Scots-Irish and other British settlers, it persisted as a regionalism long after disappearing from standard English.

Notes

Still widely heard in rural Southern/Appalachian speech, especially among older speakers. Outside the region it sounds quaint or old-fashioned but is easily understood as "on Sunday."

Say It Like a Southerner

Say it natural: "of a Sund’y" - often runs together as "of a Sund’y" or "of a Sunday" in everyday speech.

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Does "of a Sunday" literally mean "on Sunday"?
Yes - it’s a regional way to say "on Sunday."
Is it still used today?
Yes - though less common among younger speakers, it remains familiar in rural speech and storytelling.
Can it be used with other times?
Yes - "of a morning," "of a evening," "of a night," etc. are all part of the same pattern.
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