   We’sIn Appalachian and Southern speech, "we’s" is a nonstandard contraction meaning "we was," not "we is." It shows up in casual talk and older dialect, reflecting traditional rural grammar patterns. #SouthernSayings #Appalachia #People&Relationships #ConnectedSpeech #Southern Hillbilly Dude Says...  If you grew up here, you often use 'we’s' instead of 'we were'. Sometimes unhillbillies think it means 'we is,' but really it's just 'we was' even more countrified. Pronunciation[WEEZ] Meaning & Usage- Contraction of "we was" (past tense) (pronoun + verb)
Mae:
Where y’all at yesterday?
Earl:
We’s down at the swimming hole.- Misheard as "we is" by outsiders (note)
Mae:
They think we said ‘we is,’ but we’s just means ‘we was.’other spellings: we was ★ This is a great example of how Southern/Appalachian speech bends English grammar in ways that outsiders misread. It’s not "wrong" - it’s a living dialect. ★ OriginDeveloped naturally in rural English influenced by Scots-Irish grammar. "We was" became "we’s" in quick speech, especially in storytelling and family talk. Documented in Southern/Appalachian oral histories for over a century. NotesStill heard among older speakers or in playful country talk. Less common among younger Southerners but instantly recognizable as regional dialect. Say It Like a SouthernerSaid plain: "weez." Functions like "we was," especially in past-tense storytelling. | About We are a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia, but wide as the world. Read more... |
Slang and folklore change from place to place - this is how I know it. Read the full disclaimer and terms of use →
© Hillbilly Slang | Original audio and content may not be reused without permission. Keeping the Mountains Talking 'Til The Cows Come Home