Your’n

In Southern and Appalachian speech, your’n means yours - a possessive form that blends "your" and "one." It’s part of the same family as his’n and her’n, showing how older mountain English simplified and softened everyday speech.

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #BlendedWords #Southern

synonyms: yours, belonging to you

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I heard 'your’n' all the time growin' up, it was common. I'd say you still hear it out in the country, but more old timers.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I heard 'your’n' all the time growin' up, it was common. I'd say you still hear it out in the country, but more old timers.

Pronunciation

[YUR’n] or [YOOR’n]
/jɜrn/ or /jʊrn/

Meaning & Usage

- Yours / Belonging to you (pronoun)

Mae:

Is that quilt mine or your’n?

Earl:

That’s your’n, I made mine blue.

variations: yourn, your’n, your one

★ You’ll hear "your’n" when folks are sorting, sharing, or swapping things - "my’n," "your’n," "his’n," "her’n." It’s plain talk for keeping everyone’s stuff straight. ★

Origin and Etymology

The word your’n formed by blending "your" with "one," as in "that one’s yours." This -n ending traces back to older Scots-Irish and English dialects brought to the Southern mountains. Similar blends like "his’n" and "her’n" appear in 19th-century writings and remain part of Appalachian family speech today.

Usage Notes

"Your’n" is informal but deeply natural in Southern and Appalachian English. It most often appears in casual speech, storytelling, or dialect writing.

That one’s your’n. - everyday ownership.
I brought my’n, now where’s your’n? - dividing or comparing items.
He took your’n by mistake. - correcting ownership.

Writers use it to capture genuine regional tone, not exaggeration.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Is "your’n" proper English?

Not formally, but it’s an authentic Southern and Appalachian form still used naturally in conversation.

Does it mean the same as "yours"?

Yes - it’s the local version, with the same meaning and a softer sound.

Do people still say it?

Yes, especially in rural areas, older generations, and homes where family dialect stays strong.

What are its close relatives?

"His’n," "her’n," "our’n," and occasionally "my’n," all formed on the same pattern.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 7). Your’n. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/yourn
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Your’n." HillbillySlang.com, 7 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/yourn.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Your’n." HillbillySlang.com. November 7, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/yourn.

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