Over the summer, Dr. Shawn Holliday, associate dean of Graduate Studies and professor of English at Northwestern Oklahoma State University, had an essay published in the book, “The Power of the Word: The Sacred and the Profane.”
Holliday said his essay, “Nicknaming in Appalachia: The Shibboleth of the Mountains,” analyzes “the practice of nicknaming in Appalachia. The isolation of mountain towns and the hazardous work performed by coal miners and railroad workers lend nicknaming especial importance in the region.”
“In Appalachia, a nickname is bestowed upon an individual to include him/her into the larger community,” Holliday said. “From my research I’ve found that Appalachian nicknames most often derive from family dynamics, physical appearances, humorous occurrences, or general linguistic play. To be called by a nickname is one way that Appalachians identify themselves from outsiders.”
The book was edited by Patsy Daniels, a friend of Holliday’s from graduate school, and was published by Cambridge Scholars Press.
For his essay, Holliday presents his points by discussing the nicknaming practices of his home town, Williamson, West Virginia, and similar communities in southeastern Kentucky.
The book is now available on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, powells.com and other book outlets.
For more information on Holliday’s essay contact him at (580) 327-8589 or by email at spholliday@nwosu.edu.