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So, I have been married 20 years to a fine woman from the Ozarks of Missouri. Her family regularly used the term they to make an expression.

It might be used like this:

The neighbors nearly burned their house down trying to defrost their turkey.

They!

Or even:

Storms are coming we make have to take shelter.

they!

I don’t know what to make of it, but I was watching a show about old times tonight and they used it.

Can anyone give me so etymology of this usage?

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    Not familiar at all. (Are you sure it's not a pronunciation of "Hey!"?)
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Jan 2, 2019 at 2:56
  • All I can think of is a 1954 science fiction movie called Them! about giant ants . . .
    – Jason Bassford
    Commented Jan 2, 2019 at 3:29
  • 1
    Can you tell us more about the show where you saw it? That might help give someone a lead.
    – 1006a
    Commented Jan 2, 2019 at 5:46

1 Answer 1

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I grew up in western NC, and I vividly remember getting a test paper back in about 3rd grade which had a perfect score on it, and I exclaimed to myself, "They!" and some of my peers looked at me funny. So even in regions where the word is used like this, the usage is fading (that memory is from 35 years ago). We had three generations living in close proximity so we learned a lot of "old timey" words. "They" was used very often like this. Unfortunately, I can't speak to the etymology. My people are Scotch-Irish rooted in Appalachia, if that helps. I'll ask my dad, since he is quite a word nut!

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