Comments on: How to Speak Texan http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/ Specialization is for Insects. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:06:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kate http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-92791 Kate Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:44:30 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-92791 As a Texan transplanted to the UK, I have enjoyed reading these. I teach applied linguistics at the University of Oxford, and I say to my students, "Of course, British English is rather impoverished: it doesn't have a second person plural ("y'all"); and it only has two terms for how close something is, unlike my dialect, which has three ("here", "there" and, farther than "there", "yonder")". It makes them think about language snobbery! (Note that I'm cheating just a bit, because there are some British dialects that have second person plurals like "youse", but those aren't usually as well developed as "y'all" - they don't have possessive forms ("y'all's car"), for example. Anyway, thanks for this blog! As a Texan transplanted to the UK, I have enjoyed reading these. I teach applied linguistics at the University of Oxford, and I say to my students, “Of course, British English is rather impoverished: it doesn’t have a second person plural (“y’all”); and it only has two terms for how close something is, unlike my dialect, which has three (“here”, “there” and, farther than “there”, “yonder”)”. It makes them think about language snobbery! (Note that I’m cheating just a bit, because there are some British dialects that have second person plurals like “youse”, but those aren’t usually as well developed as “y’all” – they don’t have possessive forms (“y’all’s car”), for example.
Anyway, thanks for this blog!

]]> By: Robin http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-91787 Robin Fri, 16 Sep 2011 05:37:44 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-91787 It is very true that North Texans talk differently than South Texans, because some of these sayings I've never heard. I'm city folk, from Arlington. No one in my area really says down yonder, that's an old person thing. I think it's funny how Northerners think Texans say ya'll every two seconds. Andy, while searching on YouTube, I find that a lot of Brits think the term "jeet" is wierd, lol. What area of Texas are/were you in? Around here we say "didga eat?" Similar, but I've never heard that. Some of these sayings seem kind of old. But then again, I live in a pretty modernized area, living near Dallas and all, haha. It also helps that I'm a 1g Texan (mom from Maryland, dad from Oklahoma) so I say a lot of non-Texan things, idk, lol It is very true that North Texans talk differently than South Texans, because some of these sayings I’ve never heard. I’m city folk, from Arlington. No one in my area really says down yonder, that’s an old person thing. I think it’s funny how Northerners think Texans say ya’ll every two seconds. Andy, while searching on YouTube, I find that a lot of Brits think the term “jeet” is wierd, lol. What area of Texas are/were you in? Around here we say “didga eat?” Similar, but I’ve never heard that. Some of these sayings seem kind of old. But then again, I live in a pretty modernized area, living near Dallas and all, haha. It also helps that I’m a 1g Texan (mom from Maryland, dad from Oklahoma) so I say a lot of non-Texan things, idk, lol

]]> By: Odis http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-1/#comment-90951 Odis Thu, 01 Sep 2011 21:35:09 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-90951 My dad and granddad (papaw, of course) both do that. We are from West Texas (Colorado City), and lots of the older men do that with words that begin with "Wh," like "hwhite" for "white," "hwen" for "when," etc My dad and granddad (papaw, of course) both do that. We are from West Texas (Colorado City), and lots of the older men do that with words that begin with “Wh,” like “hwhite” for “white,” “hwen” for “when,” etc

]]> By: bumpy http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-68668 bumpy Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:53:19 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-68668 Turning one syllable into more isn't unique to Texas. Around Illinois and Indiana they pronounce "oil" as three syllables: aw-wee-yall. Turning one syllable into more isn’t unique to Texas. Around Illinois and Indiana they pronounce “oil” as three syllables: aw-wee-yall.

]]> By: firediamond http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-64047 firediamond Sat, 04 Sep 2010 04:09:37 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-64047 Another of the sweet things my father used to do for us when we were children. You remember the child's nursery rhyme, "This little piggy went to maket." Daddy added another verse so that we could do have all 10 of our piggies. It went like this. This little piggie said, "I want some roast beef." This little piggie said, "Where ya gonna git it?" This little piggie said, "Grandpa's barn." This little piggie said, "I go tell!" This little piggie went "Wheeee, Wheee" all the way home. Another of the sweet things my father used to do for us when we were children. You remember the child’s nursery rhyme, “This little piggy went to maket.” Daddy added another verse so that we could do have all 10 of our piggies. It went like this.
This little piggie said, “I want some roast beef.”
This little piggie said, “Where ya gonna git it?”
This little piggie said, “Grandpa’s barn.”
This little piggie said, “I go tell!”
This little piggie went “Wheeee, Wheee” all the way home.

]]> By: anonoyms http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-62422 anonoyms Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:16:41 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-62422 dude we dont say "fixin' to" we say "finna" lol dude we dont say “fixin’ to” we say “finna” lol

]]> By: Firediamond http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-1/#comment-62411 Firediamond Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:22:05 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-62411 My dad, whenever he had to do something that he did not want the family to know about, like buying Christmas presents, would always say he had to go see a man about a horse. We would change it up and say he had to go see a horse about a man. My dad, whenever he had to do something that he did not want the family to know about, like buying Christmas presents, would always say he had to go see a man about a horse. We would change it up and say he had to go see a horse about a man.

]]> By: anonymous http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-61557 anonymous Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:17:46 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-61557 thats like a gangster thing thats like a gangster thing

]]> By: anonymous http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-61556 anonymous Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:09:37 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-61556 hello " the man" im from texas( dallas fort worth area) and i don't know if you know this but not all texans speak like that. i kind of hate when people think that we have a certain language cause we dont'. its just that some people talk a little bit different than other people in other areas. although i do use "fixin to" a lot. this is " DA BOSS" signing off. peace out homey.....jk hello ” the man” im from texas( dallas fort worth area) and i don’t know if you know this but not all texans speak like that. i kind of hate when people think that we have a certain language cause we dont’. its just that some people talk a little bit different than other people in other areas. although i do use “fixin to” a lot. this is ” DA BOSS” signing off. peace out homey…..jk

]]> By: Matt Dougherty http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-61521 Matt Dougherty Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:36:00 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-61521 Recently moved to Texas from Michigan. Have heard many, if not most, of these sayings before. One recently stumped me: "He lit a shuck", alternately, "He's fixin' to light a shuck." Translation: "He left", or "He's preparing to leave." Completely befuddled and unable to translate into Midwestern English, I asked my father-in-law (native of Lampassas, TX) for help. Apparently, folks would light a dried corn husk (or shuck) when traveling home from another farm at night (before the days of flashlights, I guess). Charming people, these Texans. Recently moved to Texas from Michigan. Have heard many, if not most, of these sayings before. One recently stumped me: “He lit a shuck”, alternately, “He’s fixin’ to light a shuck.” Translation: “He left”, or “He’s preparing to leave.” Completely befuddled and unable to translate into Midwestern English, I asked my father-in-law (native of Lampassas, TX) for help. Apparently, folks would light a dried corn husk (or shuck) when traveling home from another farm at night (before the days of flashlights, I guess). Charming people, these Texans.

]]> By: Amie http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-61460 Amie Fri, 04 Jun 2010 13:19:09 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-61460 Some of these crack me up because I say them all the time and never new it was a "Texas" thing. My favorite way to express being over joyed is how Larry TCG said it... "I'm happier den Rosie Odonnel and a buffet of lil Debbie oatmeal cremes!!" haha Some of these crack me up because I say them all the time and never new it was a “Texas” thing. My favorite way to express being over joyed is how Larry TCG said it…
“I’m happier den Rosie Odonnel and a buffet of lil Debbie oatmeal cremes!!” haha

]]> By: Marisa http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-61281 Marisa Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:01:19 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-61281 Many natural Texans will say "bobwyre" instead of barbed wire. Another one that is big in the Panhandle is "aiight" instead of alright. "Like wanna go eat?" "Aiight." I used to hear my grandpa say "He's only knee high to a grasshopper." too meaning a short person or child. Many natural Texans will say “bobwyre” instead of barbed wire. Another one that is big in the Panhandle is “aiight” instead of alright. “Like wanna go eat?” “Aiight.” I used to hear my grandpa say “He’s only knee high to a grasshopper.” too meaning a short person or child.

]]> By: Andy http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-60138 Andy Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:51:12 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-60138 A greeting I hear a lot in East Texas: Jeet? (Did you eat yet?) Regards, Andy the Brit. A greeting I hear a lot in East Texas:
Jeet? (Did you eat yet?)
Regards,
Andy the Brit.

]]> By: Karissa http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-59348 Karissa Tue, 20 Apr 2010 22:49:24 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-59348 Katarus - sooo true that us North Texans speak different than South Texans. My grandparents are from a town near Victoria in south TX, so some of these phrases I've heard Grampa say (usually as a joke) but I was raised in a Ft Worth suburb, so some of those are just plain silly. Fixin to, yall, ustanot, and the generalization of Coke are definitely also NTXnisms. I also have said (and gotten made fun of here in Seattle for saying) "He's got a lil hitch in his giddyup" (meaning he's walking funny) as well as caddywompus and 'ol' (instead of the two-syllabled 'oil') I've tried to explain the Texan accent to my Seattle-native husband, but he just ends up sounding like a bad Western movie. One-syllabled words are *subtle-y* made into two syllables: when. TX: 'whi-un,' And two-syllabled words are smooshed into one: Gas. TX: 'ga-us.' Loved reading about Texanisms Katarus – sooo true that us North Texans speak different than South Texans.

My grandparents are from a town near Victoria in south TX, so some of these phrases I’ve heard Grampa say (usually as a joke) but I was raised in a Ft Worth suburb, so some of those are just plain silly.

Fixin to, yall, ustanot, and the generalization of Coke are definitely also NTXnisms. I also have said (and gotten made fun of here in Seattle for saying) “He’s got a lil hitch in his giddyup” (meaning he’s walking funny) as well as caddywompus and ‘ol’ (instead of the two-syllabled ‘oil’)

I’ve tried to explain the Texan accent to my Seattle-native husband, but he just ends up sounding like a bad Western movie. One-syllabled words are *subtle-y* made into two syllables: when. TX: ‘whi-un,’ And two-syllabled words are smooshed into one: Gas. TX: ‘ga-us.’

Loved reading about Texanisms

]]> By: The Other Sarah http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-55952 The Other Sarah Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:41:01 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-55952 Pleased to meet y'all. I wanted to add a bit to the lexicon. I've always heard "hard row to hoe" in West Texas, and "commista" which I believe translates to "commenced to." Usage = She commista cryin' when she heard he'd been in a wreck, because she had a hard enough row to hoe before he got hurt and the car tore up. We had company show up unexpected, and I commista tryin' to find something to fix for supper. The alternator went out, and we commista pushin' the car towards home in the dark. "In a wreck" isn't just confined to auto / vehicle accidents. It covers getting thrown off a horse or being in a bad situation generally (also known as getting or having gotten "in a tight"). The oil business in the late 1980s in general got in a tight, and then the stock market crash of '87 put the whole outfit in a wreck. Pleased to meet y’all.
I wanted to add a bit to the lexicon.
I’ve always heard “hard row to hoe” in West Texas, and “commista” which I believe translates to “commenced to.”

Usage = She commista cryin’ when she heard he’d been in a wreck, because she had a hard enough row to hoe before he got hurt and the car tore up.

We had company show up unexpected, and I commista tryin’ to find something to fix for supper.

The alternator went out, and we commista pushin’ the car towards home in the dark.

“In a wreck” isn’t just confined to auto / vehicle accidents. It covers getting thrown off a horse or being in a bad situation generally (also known as getting or having gotten “in a tight”). The oil business in the late 1980s in general got in a tight, and then the stock market crash of ’87 put the whole outfit in a wreck.

]]> By: Slavik http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-55661 Slavik Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:05:04 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-55661 "Tough row to hoe" refers to a difficult task, as in "fixin the economy will be a tough row to hoe." The phrase refers to removing the weeds from a row of growing commercial crop (cotton in my experience) with a hoe. Obviously some rows contained more weeds or were especially long. As a city boy visiting my agrarian cousins I thought it was fun and I got a nickel a row for my efforts! Misused as "tough road to hoe" by some yankees. “Tough row to hoe” refers to a difficult task, as in “fixin the economy will be a tough row to hoe.” The phrase refers to removing the weeds from a row of growing commercial crop (cotton in my experience) with a hoe. Obviously some rows contained more weeds or were especially long. As a city boy visiting my agrarian cousins I thought it was fun and I got a nickel a row for my efforts! Misused as “tough road to hoe” by some yankees.

]]> By: Bernard http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-54865 Bernard Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:26:25 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-54865 I agree with this guy, and another example would be one of ur translations: over yonder, thats old english from england, so yeah u should look some of them up before calling them texan, Im not saying this to piss you off, but just to state a fact that would be a shame if it was over looked, good idea of making a translation though hahahaha I agree with this guy, and another example would be one of ur translations: over yonder, thats old english from england, so yeah u should look some of them up before calling them texan, Im not saying this to piss you off, but just to state a fact that would be a shame if it was over looked, good idea of making a translation though hahahaha

]]> By: Katarus http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-54099 Katarus Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:51:48 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-54099 Ok some words you did get......See in North Texas we speak a little different from south Texans. But the most common words are FIXIN TO and YALL so to those Texas out there be proud of our Texan Slaging. Ok some words you did get……See in North Texas we speak a little different from south Texans. But the most common words are FIXIN TO and YALL so to those Texas out there be proud of our Texan Slaging.

]]> By: Elle http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-2/#comment-50796 Elle Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:46:06 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-50796 I'll see you in the mornin' if the Lord is willin' and the creek don't rise (with divine blessing and if the bridge doesn't wash out). Whippin' a dead horse (pointless task) Barking up the wrong tree (hunting reference) I’ll see you in the mornin’ if the Lord is willin’ and the creek don’t rise (with divine blessing and if the bridge doesn’t wash out).
Whippin’ a dead horse (pointless task)
Barking up the wrong tree (hunting reference)

]]> By: Elle http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/comment-page-1/#comment-50795 Elle Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:39:25 +0000 http://onemansblog.com/2007/05/03/how-to-speak-texan/#comment-50795 there's a hitch in yer gt along there’s a hitch in yer gt along

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