   What Ails You?"What ails you?" is an old question meaning "What’s wrong with you?" In Southern and Appalachian speech, it’s still common, often paired with the phrase "cures what ails ya" for home remedies or whiskey. #SouthernSayings #Appalachia #DialectandGrammar #OldTimers #Southern #BodyandHealth synonyms: what’s wrong, what’s the matter, what troubles you Hillbilly Dude Says...  I've heard 'cures what ails you' all my life - but I'd still say it's a more of an old timers phrase. Hillbilly Dude Says... I've heard 'cures what ails you' all my life - but I'd still say it's a more of an old timers phrase. Pronunciation[AYLZ] /weɪlz/ (as in "what ails ya") Meaning & Usage- To ask what is wrong (saying)
Clara:
Why are you poutin’ over there in the corner?
Elmer:
Don’t rightly know what ails me, but I sure don’t feel right.Origin and EtymologyFrom the old English verb ail, meaning "to trouble" or "to cause pain." The phrase "What ails you?" dates back to at least the 1500s in English but became especially rooted in American rural and Southern speech, where it remained long after fading elsewhere. Usage Notes
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