that'un
That one; the one over there.
Also called that'n, that one.
Updated September 24, 2026
that'un pronunciation
/THAT-un/
Meaning
That'un is "that one" smashed into one breath, the way Southern and Appalachian talk shortens everyday words. You point at a wrench, a puppy, a slice of cake, and say that'un. It pairs with this'un for the near one and which'un when you are asking. No fancy grammar talk needed; it is how the sentence comes out on the porch.
How folks use it
- “You want this'un or that'un?”
- “Hand me that'un by the fence post.”
Origin and etymology
A spoken contraction of that one. The 'un ending is the same piece you hear in young'un and this'un, tied to older one reduced in fast talk. Smoky Mountain English notes list that'un among regular demonstrative forms. It shows up in dialect writing from the 1800s on.
Frequently asked questions
Is that'un lazy speech?
It is dialect speech, not a mistake. Mountain English has used forms like that for a long time.