Here are 10 hilarious sayings you’ll only hear in West Virginia:
- “Almost Heaven” — Used to describe West Virginia itself, straight from the famous John Denver song, it’s a state slogan and way of life.
- “Down in the holler” — Refers to living in a small, remote valley between mountains, where everyone knows your business.
- “Coal keeps the lights on” — A proud phrase about the coal industry that has powered many lives in the state.
- “I’m fixin’ to” — Means “I’m about to” do something, a classic Appalachian phrase.
- “You from around these parts?” — Polite code for “You’re clearly not a local”.
- “Be all over that like a duck on a June bug” — Means to be very enthusiastic or quick to do something.
- “Cold as a well digger’s lunchbox” — A funny way to say it’s freezing cold.
- “Red up” — Means to tidy or clean up a space, very common in mountain talk.
- “A spell” — Refers to an undetermined amount of time, often meaning “sit a while and chat”.
- “Holler” — Not to yell but a remote creek-filled valley, common in mountain geography and speech.
These sayings combine regional pride, humor, and the unique mountain culture of West Virginia, giving language as much character as the people who use it.
SOURCES
[1](https://wheninyourstate.com/west-virginia/12-phrases-only-a-true-west-virginian-says-and-understands/)
[2](https://www.reddit.com/r/WestVirginia/comments/t0lckt/wv_slang/)
[3](https://wvtourism.com/6-giveaways-youre-from-wv/)
[4](https://wvusports.com/news/2020/4/12/blog-a-simple-12-word-phrase-has-taken-on-great-meaning-to-mountaineers-everywhere.aspx)
[5](https://www.movoto.com/guide/wv/west-virginia-words/)
