Redding up is certainly popular
Seems every time I do a post on “redding up,” I get comments.
Earlier posts:
May 27: More on redding up
Dec. 23: “Red”d up in honor of Christmas
Sept. 22: Let’s redd up the blog
From reader Roy: Perhaps “redd up” may be York County talk, but the word “redd” itself is not solely from this area.
He continues: “As the Random House Dictionary of the English Language (Unabridged Edition) tells us:
‘redd, v.t. redd or redded, redding. Northern and Midland U.S. 1. to put in order; tidy: to redd a room for company. 2. to clear: to redd the way. Also, red. [special use of obs. redd to free, rescue, hreddan confused with rede, deriv. of rædan to put in order; see READY’
So York County has no special claim. Many people think the whole term ‘redd up’ is somehow of Pennsylvania Dutch origin, which it clearly is not.”
I definitely agree! Most of our Yorkisms aren’t things said only in York County, or phrases native to the area. They’re just things lots of us say, and I think it’s neat how much our sayings show our diverse heritage!
