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The language of the American south is a rich and varied thing, rooted in English but infused with bits and pieces of Native, European, and African languages. Then there's Redneck, the official language of country music. Today, I'll attempt to translate an outlaw country song for those less fluent in the language than a native southerner such as myself. The subject of today's translation will be  Copperhead Road  by the great  Steve Earle . Released in 1986, it was and remains Earle's highest-selling single. Lyrically, it tells the story of a young Appalachian man making his way in the world. The song lyrics will be italicized, the translation in plain script. Let's begin: Well my name's John Lee Pettimore Same as my daddy and his daddy before Allow me to introduce myself. I'm John Lee Pettimore III. You hardly ever saw Grandaddy down here He only come to town about twice a year My grandfather was not one for travelling, although he occasionally...

American society has always had a prudish streak, ever since the landing of a bunch of uptight religious fanatics at Plymouth Rock. Protestant work ethic in tow, the pilgrims set about building a world in which submission to authority and obedience would lead to paradise. Then came the extroverts. As wild as the west may have become with an influx of adventurous spirits from around the globe, American society still retained a great deal of restraint. Some, however, saw opportunity in exploiting the mores of the day. The outlaw was born, and many a legend arose. From the cowboy to Capone, highwaymen to Heisenberg, outlaws have always taken the road less traveled. That road has changed drastically in recent years. The moonshiner is a classic outlaw archetype in the southeastern US; images of Appalachian hillbillies and stills come to mind and many in my area remember buying 'shine from the hill country of eastern Georgia. But these days, there's a distillery in town ...