Hill Billies

[emandvee]

Here's a teaser for you, how did the term Hill Billies come to be? I DO know the answer, but this cropped up over the turkey yesterday!

[Mortartube]

Here it is. http://www.geocities.com/celticchief/hillbilly.htm
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[Quizmonster]

It's a lovely story your link-page provides, Mortartube, but sadly it is not borne out by The Oxford English Dictionary, regarded worldwide as the 'bible' of the etymology of words in English.

Far from North American Orangemen becoming known as 'hillbillies' shortly after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 - as the site claims - there is no reference to that word anywhere prior to about 1900...over two centuries later. The first such reference makes it clear that it meant nothing more than a poor, hill-dwelling, white Alabaman!

For a much more accurate web-page, Marj, I'd recommend that you click http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-hil1.htm

[Mortartube]

Well, thanks for the pointer in the right direction Quizmonster, it just goes to show that you can't believe everything you read. Obnviously the Internet can also be a misinformation superhighway.

[Quizmonster]

I've more than once fallen into the same trap myself, Mortar. Most recently, I counted on material on the United States Department of Education's own website for information on something to do with American education. And what did I get for my pains? A rollicking from an American AnswerBanker for providing misinformation! You simply cannot be certain of the accuracy of web-information, though some sites are very reliable. The one I used above is excellent, for example. Cheers

[Janetex]

And what do you have when the whole hillbilly family gets together for Christmas? A full set of teeth.

[emandvee]

Thank you all for your remarks, I think I will just stay with the version I like the best, many thanks, Marj PS HAPPY NEW YEAR!