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Tolerable

In Appalachian and Southern speech, answering "tolerable" means you’re getting by - not great, not terrible. It’s a modest, understated way of saying you’re doing alright.

#SouthernSayings   #Appalachia   #People&Relationships   #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...
You heard the answer 'tolerable' plenty to the question of 'how you doin'?" 

Pronunciation

[TAH-lur-uh-bul]

Meaning & Usage

- Doing okay, not bad (adjective, conversational)

Mae:
How you holdin’ up?
Earl:
About tolerable, I guess.
★ When a Southerner says "tolerable," they’re being modest. It’s a way of downplaying their troubles while still admitting things aren’t perfect. ★

Origin

From the English word "tolerable," meaning "bearable" or "endurable." Southerners adopted it as a stock answer to "How are you?" where it came to mean "good enough."

Notes

Still heard in the South and Appalachia, though mostly among older generations. It gives everyday talk a plain, humble flavor that outsiders often find charming.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "tah-lur-bul." The middle syllables blur together in Southern speech.

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Does "tolerable" mean bad?
Not really - it means "alright" or "so-so," not miserable.
Do people outside the South say it this way?
Rarely. The conversational use of "tolerable" as a greeting response is strongest in Southern and Appalachian speech.
Do folks still use it today?
Yes - though less common among younger people, it remains a recognizable old-timey Southern reply.
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