member

member pronunciation

/MEM-ber/

Meaning

Same as remember, just said the quick way. Rural Southern and Appalachian speakers drop that weak opening syllable so "Do you remember?" comes out "You member?" You hear it when somebody's jogging a memory or handing out a reminder before you walk out the door.

How folks use it

• “You member that ice storm when the pipes near froze solid?”
• “Member to grab your boots before you head to the barn.”

Origin and etymology

Not a separate word so much as a clipped pronunciation of remember. Appalachian English often sheds unstressed opening syllables (same habit that gives you 'cause and 'round). Dialect writing and oral histories have used 'member for generations in the rural South and mountains.

Frequently asked questions