a-backwards and forwards
Back and forth, with an Appalachian a- up front.
Also called backwards and forwards.
Updated September 21, 2026
a-backwards and forwards pronunciation
/uh-BACK-wurdz un FOR-wurdz/
Meaning
Means back and forth, same as plain "backwards and forwards." Think of someone pacing the porch, or boys shuttling between two camps. The a- is the same prefix you hear in a-goin' or a-runnin'. It does not change the sense. It just sounds like mountain talk.
How folks use it
- “Those boys were running a-backwards and forwards between the two camps.”
- “She paced a-backwards and forwards across the porch till the phone rang.”
Origin and etymology
The a- is an older English leftover. A preposition like "on" or "an" fused onto verbs and some direction words. In Smoky Mountain speech it also shows up on adverbs of direction. A 1939 recording from the Smokies has a speaker saying folks "went to running a-backwards and forwards." Documented in Southern Appalachian English work by Michael Montgomery and Joseph Hall.
Frequently asked questions
Does the a- change what it means?
No. It means the same as "backwards and forwards." The a- is just how the phrase often sounds in traditional Appalachian talk.