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Talk like a Texan: "Texisms" 4

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wahnula

Technical User
Jun 26, 2005
4,158
US
Hello all,

I was raised by foreign-born immigrants from Europe (Czech & Italian) via the Northeast (NY & NJ). I grew up in Miami, FL, and my science-teacher-mom made sure I did not have any perceptible accent. She had a bit of a Northeast accent I detected when she said words like "semesteh" but for the most part was accent-free, a tribute to the mood of the immigrants of the era, to learn English properly and only use their native tongue in the household with their parents. She still speaks Slovak with her old friends.

I have lived and visited all over this grand country, and finally settled in Texas 10 years ago. I encountered an entirely new (to me) dialect. At first I chalked it up to my blue-collar co-workers, but the more time I spent I realized this was the way things are done here, even among the college-educated.

The first anomaly I noted was the use of the word "chunk" for "chuck" (to throw something away). I realized this was regional when a local news announcer said a problem at the county jail was "chunking", where inmates would throw, er, feces at the guards.

Another common Texism is "put your John Henry" (signature) as a substitute for "John Hancock". I asked a co-worker, a college graduate and retired teacher, what the common saying for "signing a document" was and he said "John Henry" followed by a moment of thought and then "No, wait, it's John Hancock"...so he did know the correct way, but chose the Texism instead.

I also noted a tendency for locals to accent the first syllable of words like "insurance" and "umbrella". Other words in this category are "reward", "fantastic" & "potential"...to name only a few. The opposite is true of pecan, which I pronounced PEE-can. I was corrected my first day of work (on Pecan Orchard Road) that "we say pih-CAHN." The Monroe exit off of I-45 is, you guessed it, MON-row.

Being so close to Mexico, one would think the default would be like Spanish, which accents the second-to-last syllable. Who knows, maybe this was chosen as a way to prove one was NOT Mexican???

Another Texism is, when the object (or last word) of a sentence is it, the word it is always stressed. For instance, the phrase"you power down the router and connect the CAT5 cable to it" becomes "you power down the router and connect the CAT5 cable to it"

These are not accent-based, like "may-zhure" for "measure" and "whale" for "well". This is a manner of spoken American English unique to this area. Anyone have any clue how these Texisms got started? How about any local "isms" you find interesting? There are so many Briticisms that we'll need a separate post for it [smile].

Tony

Users helping Users...
 
kjv1611 said:
So, what is the meat, or am I just really missing something?
The Ingredients list is at the left side of the screen. It took me a second to figure that out, too.


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flapeyre said:
This is a classic New Orleans breakfast (or, more commonly, for Sunday brunch). Yum!

My favorite New Orleans breakfast is cafe' au lait and beignets at the Cafe du Monde. I've made beignets at home before, but everyone grabs them as soon as I sprinkle the powdered suger on, and by the time I'm done, there's none left!

Susan
"When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers." - Oscar Wilde, An Ideal husband, 1893
 
SF0751 said:
My favorite New Orleans breakfast is cafe' au lait and beignets at the Cafe du Monde. I've made beignets at home before, but everyone grabs them as soon as I sprinkle the powdered suger on, and by the time I'm done, there's none left!

I love those, but it seems that everytime I have a chance to get some, I'm wearing dark clothing (and I end up looking like someone threw a sack of flour at me).

Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo.

 
kjv:
I don't care what kind: pork, beef, chicken, even turkey - though turkey would likely be my last pick of those 3...

Am I missing something because I am feeling slightly counting impaired at the moment reading that sentence. ^_^
If you guys don't like me pointing out minor quips like that, let me know and I will stop. I just find it amusing. All in good fun.

Being from "up north" I must say that I do not enjoy grits. I have tried adding butter, sugar, salt & pepper, and various combinations (save salt, pepper & sugar). I will stick to the flavored oatmeal. Maple & Brown Sugar is fine. Or perhaps Apple & Cinnamon. Peaches 'n Cream & Strawberries n' Cream are the best though. Especially mixed.

For eggs, a long while ago I lost my taste for plain eggs. Now they are more scrambled eggs with peppers, mushrooms, cheese, and occasionally some onion mixed in. I would call it an omelet but I always imagine an omelet looking nice and folded, where as this is more like scrambled eggs with everything just tossed in. Just eggs now is a combination of eggs and cheese, nothing less.

Or perhaps yesterday's breakfast, an egg and spam sandwich.
Always so delicious, but rarely had. Spam is scary.

~
Chuck Norris is the reason Waldo is hiding.
 
KenCunningham said:
I have to say I'm surprised that none of our Antipodean members have joined in with the barbeque discussion - it's a national obsession over there I understand.

Obsessed? Us? Just because we'll cook any meal on the barbie? No, that's not right.

Why, just this morning I got up at 6.00am, cooked the bacon, eggs and tomato for breakfast on the bbq. Now, if I was Obsessed with bbq'ing, I would have gotten up at 5.00am and added the mushrooms and pancakes as well!

Cheers! [upsidedown]

 
The reason, Ken, that us antipodeans, and wannabe antipodeans have not entered into the ruminations regarding barbeque, would be to recognise there is an arguement. When quite clearly there is none. Quite simply I have more BBQ's in a month that I had in a lifetime in Scotland.

And as for accents, Ken can back me up here, and dont let me "parliamo Glesca'" or all y'all 'll be fixin fur a headache.

djakenwarrimeen.

[blue] A perspective from the other side!![/blue]

Cheers
Scott
 
==>I don't care what kind: pork, beef, chicken, even turkey - though turkey would likely be my last pick of those 3...

Oops. Maybe I should have just said, "..turkey would likely be my last pick."

[ROFL]

Opieo,

If you get the chance, and care to, try the grits while leaving out the sugar. Sugar can make quite a difference in taste in anything. Some things are best without sugar. I can't say I've tried grits with sugar, though I do occasionally toss in a little jelly.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me
 
The best BBQ on the face of this or any other planet is found at The Salt Lick, in Driftwood, Texas. Anybody who thinks differently just hasn't eaten there yet.





I used to rock and roll every night and party every day. Then it was every other day. Now I'm lucky if I can find 30 minutes a week in which to get funky. - Homer Simpson

Arrrr, mateys! Ye needs ta be preparin' yerselves fer Talk Like a Pirate Day!
 
I think northerners must be mistaking grits for cream of wheat. Sugar and milk goes with cream of wheat but I like my grits with over easy eggs, salt and pepper, sausage, red-eye gravy and a splash of tobasco sauce.
 
kskid said:
I think northerners must be mistaking grits for cream of wheat.

No Sir...I know the difference between grits, cream of wheat, and the rest of the hot cereals. I put sugar on ALL of them. [dazed]
 
rjoubert said:
I put sugar on ALL of them.

Hear hear!!! And BROWN sugar on oatmeal!!!

Tony

Users helping Users...
 
I've even used powdered creamer (for coffee) on my hot cereals.
 
For those not familiar, grits are basically the same thing as polenta, but prepared differently. (So says Alton Brown, so let it be written)

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Around here the G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Raised In The South) put maple syrup on their grits. Personally, I can't stand grits, hominy, oatmeal, cream of wheat, or any hot cereal (ugh).



James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229!
 
On the subject of BBQ, The Food Network is showing their top 35 grilling shows this week. It's great. Learn a lot except for a few that have a "family secret ingredient" listed in the recipe. I do a little BBQ-ing on the side myself with beef brisket and pulled pork for family and friends. Will have to try ribs and chicken next to add to the menu.

-lw
 




"Personally, I can't stand grits, hominy, oatmeal, cream of wheat, or any hot cereal (ugh)."

Reminds me of the 60's & 70's, when Casius Clay became Muhammed Ali and Lou Alcindor became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Did you hear what happened to the guy who played Buckwheat on Our Gang?

He became.....

Kareem-of-Wheat!!!


Skip,

[glasses]Just traded in my old subtlety...
for a brand NUANCE![tongue]
 
This thread is making me hungry - I think that fajitas will be on the menu tonight....

Susan
"When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers." - Oscar Wilde, An Ideal husband, 1893
 
Sounds good.

What time should we come over??

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I can't believe that somebody used the term, "hominy" in civilized company. I mean that is one dirty word. [wink]

Hominy is just corn undressed. Whoever wanted to eat naked corn anyway? I'd rather it be fully dressed!

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me
 
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