When You Waller With Pigs, Expect to Get Dirty
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "When you waller with pigs, expect to get dirty" is a folksy proverb meaning "if you associate with troublemakers or get into messy fights, you’ll come out dirty yourself." It’s a colorful warning rooted in farm life.
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You can hear versions of ‘when you waller with pigs, expect to get dirty' out in the country. You can hear versions of ‘when you waller with pigs, expect to get dirty' out in the country. Pronunciation
Meaning & Usage
- If you mix with trouble or bad company, you’ll share the consequences (proverb / figurative)
Should I argue with him online?Honey, when you waller with pigs, expect to get dirty.Origin and Etymology
Derived from older English "wallow" (to roll about), pronounced "waller" in Southern/Appalachian dialect. Farmers and preachers alike used this imagery to warn about bad company or needless fights.
Usage Notes
Still widely recognized in rural Southern/Appalachian communities. Outside the region you’ll hear "wallow" in formal writing but rarely "waller" in speech. Both versions carry the same meaning.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "when you WALL-er with pigs, expect to get dirty." "Waller" is the local pronunciation of "wallow."