Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Who are Texans?
Texan First
'Don't mess with Texas' was the bumper-sticker slogan of a famous anti-litter campaign,
but the sentiment speaks volumes about the fiercely independent spirit of Texas. After all,
this is the only state in the union that was once its own republic - and locals from
Longview to Laredo won't let you forget it. Texans, in general, are mighty patriotic and
proud to be Americans, but they are Texans first.
Why, you say? Maybe it's left over cowboy cockiness. Or maybe it's because Texas is as
big as a country. As a sovereign nation, the state's economy would be the 14th largest in the
world, and one of the few that kept on growing during the global recession. Fifty-two of the
top Fortune 500 companies call Texas home; Houston is the nation's second busiest port;
the state has one of the top-10 lowest costs of living... If all this sounds like bravado, it is.
And as they say here, 'it ain't braggin' if it's true.' Newcomers may find the home-state
pride equal parts obnoxious and endearing. Locals (and quite a few recent transplants, too)
wouldn't have it any other way.
Talkin' Texan
Howdy, y'all... Say that to a single person and they'll know you ain't from around here, are
ya. 'Y'all' is a conjunction of 'you' and 'all', making it plural. Everybody knows that.
The way Texans talk is mighty particular, and it ain't to be mistaken with any old Geor-
gia boy's drawl. Them smart folks who study this say the accent's influences draw from the
Lower South (Louisiana, Alabama) and South Midland (Tennessee, Kentucky) dialects
mixed in with Mexican Spanish and Central European influences.
What's all that mumbo jumbo mean? It's a Southern accent, sure 'nough, but it's not
quite as lilting (some might say as mushy) as those in the Deep South (though you hear that
a bit in East Texas). The main sound characteristic is the flattened vowels, which is what
makes 'right' sound 'raht', as in 'I'll be
raht 'chere
when you get back.' There's also a
tendency to elongate words. We know some who can stretch an affirmative
yea-a-as
into
mighty near three syllables. And that's another thing, here two-word adjectives and verbs
are used to add emphasis:
fixin' to
(about to),
might oughtta
(maybe should),
cotton to
(take
a liking to).
