spoilt
In Appalachian speech, "spoilt" means spoiled, whether it’s food gone bad or someone overindulged to the point of bad manners.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Another one of those everday terms, you can hear 'spoilt' everwhere. Pronunciation
[SPULT]
Meaning & Usage
- Overindulged (adjective)
Elmer:
That young’un won’t lift a finger to help.
That young’un won’t lift a finger to help.
Estel:
Well, y’all done spoilt him.
Well, y’all done spoilt him.- Gone bad (adjective)
Elmer:
Don’t eat that ham - it’s spoilt.
Don’t eat that ham - it’s spoilt.
Estel:
Smells like it, too.
Smells like it, too.other spellings: spoiled, spoilt, and spolt
★ If your granny says something’s "spoilt," you can bet she means it’s no good - whether she’s talkin’ about a pie or a person. ★
Origin
From the standard English "spoil," with the past participle form "spoilt" preserved in British English and older American dialects. Appalachian speech kept this older form even as most of the U.S. shifted to "spoiled."
Notes
"Spoilt" is still used in much of the South and Appalachia in both senses. The pronunciation can drop the "oi" sound in fast speech, producing "spolt."
Say It Like a Southerner
It almost rhymes with 'cult'. Just back off the 'l' a little.