Wanna know all the slang that is popular or has its roots in West Virginia? Not to be confused with Virginia, perhaps you know some of them but the truth is that if you’re planning to spend vacation time in the state of West Virginia, then learning about these expression could enhance your experience. Without further delay, let’s take a look at the coolest West Virginia slangs you need to know.
Kirk
To kirk in West Virginia means to freak out, or overreact or go crazy when troubled, annoyed, or simply overly happy. Basically it refers to when someone makes a big deal out of something.
Hokies
Are you familiar with Virginia Tech? It’s a football team of the Virginia Tech university and its fans are called in a slang term as Hokies. If you’ve been to Virginia Tech you’ve probably heard this word before, and is only used for loyal fans of the football team.
Smooch
This one you’re most likely familiar with but never knew it originated from West Virginia. But just in case you don’t, it’s another word to say kiss. While in West Virginia, there wont be any kissing, just smooching. It’s a bit more playful and funny in meaning, so don’t say smooch while in a romantic situation because you might ruin it!
Poke
Poke in West virginia is another word for bag, a place to store things while outside. The roots of this slang are unclear but it’s commonly used in the state.
Bamma
Bamma is a nice way of saying someone has no style in West Virginia. In other words it means calling someone country-ish or homely. This does not have a negative connotation unless you consider yourself a very stylish person.
Yankee
Yankee is another term to refer to an outsider, someone who is not local or comes from another city or state. Basically anyone that was not born or raised in Virginia is a yankee to West Virginians. If you’re not a southerner then you’re a yankee.
Crick
Crick is not exactly a slang but more of a differentiation in accent, making a word sound different in a way unique to the state of West Virginia. As you may have guessed it stands for creek, and the root of this slang belongs in the mountain talk of locals.