Everything Texas and Texan Tawk
So, I did not know that the Texas styles were so popular. No matter where I go in Japan I see interesting things that have their roots in Texas. The other day I went to a shop in Kanayama (name of a section of Nagoya), and by little shop I really mean mall. So, here my friend and I are a this mall place walking around looking at the different stores and lo and behold, I spot 2 statues of Native Americans. Before you jump to conclusions and say, "Native Americans arn't just from Texas (obviously I know this)," when I went of to the store it had a sign hanging up that said "Cowgirls Only." It wasn't just full of girls stuff (although most of it was). It was a store of leather goods in the Texas fashion. I even saw a quick draw gun belt hanging from one of the racks. I thought about buying it for a second until I saw the giant Texas belt buckle (with the Lone Star proudly displayed on it) that was priced at around 200 US dollars. I would betthat gun belt was more. I'll just have to pretend that I am walking around with it on. Also, I found another Village Vanguard store in Nagoya-which means more cool stuff and Dr. Pepper. Also, at this Village Vanguard was something I've never seen in Texas. It was a type of beer called Texas Select. It tastes awful. I think the title means that Texas selected to send it other places in the world because no one in Texas would drink such a thing. Enough of that for now, this article is about talkin Texan. So I was on the internet the other day looking a words that Texans use that are not native to other parts of the USA. I am familar with alot of them, but some of the words that I use all the time I did not know were Texan. (Now, alot of Texan talk is popular in other places but here is a list of some of the words and the explanation that the internet gave me.):-I know it's long, but these are interestin I thnk (I didn't mispell those)
aggravated- used to describe everything from mild annoyance to dangerous, murderous rage. Usually pronounced "agger-vated."
all swole up- an alternative to aggravated, but sometimes carries connotations of being obstinate, proud and self-abosorbed, in addition to being aggravated.
all choked up- upset, overcome with emotions (other than aggravation). A person is usually "all choked up" when they are deeply moved by sadness or by the thoughtfulness of others.
all worked up- in a state of aggravation, arousal of some type, in a state of deeply offended pride, offended sensibilities, in a state of anxiety, etc. Agitated.
Arbuckle- a synonym for coffee, when the Arbuckle brand was virtually the only one available.
ball-usually means football.
blinky- adjective used to describe milk that has begun to sour.
blue norther- storm that comes up as a giant, blue-black cloud of cold air comes over the warm gulf air and "just about freezes us to death!" Rain and wind may accompany the black cloud. (I thought it was a type of toilet paper)
catty whompus- used to describe something that doesn't fit properly or is out of line.
clabber milk- butter milk
come hell or high water- shows determination to proceed, regardless of the problems, obstacles, etc. (I like this one
conniptions is to get upset and raise a ruckus. (I never would have guessed this was Texan)
crusty- tough and/or bad tempered man, woman or horse.
dad blame it, dad gum it, dag nab it- euphamisms coined to allow expressive speech without swearing. (Sounds like Yosemite Sam to me)
dinner- depending on the Dillo, this can be the noontime meal or the evening meal.
eat up- eaten up, destroyed, oxidized.
fess up- admit to it. (Another one of those things I didn't know was Texan)
fit to be tied- really upset. (never herd it before)
fixins- food; the rest of the meal, excluding the main dish.
fixin' ta- getting ready to do something. (this is a word I use atleast 3 times a day)
frog-strangler- an extraordinary amount of rain. (are you serious, I never use this-but I am going to start right now. "Durin the rainy season her in Nagoya, everyday is a frog strangler.")
galoot-an old cowboy term meaning "old rascal." It's generally meant affably.
go ahead on-"You go ahead, I'll catch up later."
go to the house- go in for dinner/supper, depending on the Dillo.
gully-washer-> an extraordinary amount of rain.
hissy fit- This term was never actually defined, but I get the impression it's a state of extreme agitation and not a pretty thing to see. (I also didn't know this was Texan, but if I think about it I should have)
howdy- How do you do? (obviously)
i'll swan- used instead of "I swear."
larrupin'- a few fingers tastier than finger-lickin' good. (hahaha, are they serious)
lit out- took off, started out, or absconded across some terrain. (Oh yes, this one I use a lot)
looker- a pretty girl.
maverick- a loner, an independent cuss, wild. First used to describe cattle owned by Sam Maverick of Galveston Island. His cattle were "wild-like" and he'd swim them across West Bay and join up with the herd going north. When cattle broke the herd, the wranglers said, "That's one of Maverick's."
norther- a storm; not as bad as a blue norther.
nu-uh-> no.
ole cuss- an old rascal (or galoot) who is tough and/or bad-tempered.
over yonder- a directional phrase meaning "over there." (ofcourse Texas use this, I thought everyone did)
over in through there, also: you go up in through there.- Directional phrase; one I'm told foreigners (read: anybody except a Texan) have trouble understanding. (I think that the meaning of this is obvious, I find it hard to believe that other Americans would not understand this)
place- an individual's farm or ranch.
plug- common mutt horse.
plug-ugly-> see above. This is definitely not a compliment, and should not be treated as such.
pole-axed-> knocked down, smashed flat, with dramatic force.
post oak- wood that is hard and resistant to rot and can be used for fenceposts.
ridin' high- doin' aw'right; probably a reference to the quality of horse you are riding. If you're poor, you ride a burro (short) or a plug. If you're wealthy, you might ride a thoroughbred or Tennessee Walker; therefore, you're ridin' high.
shoot- an expletive (should be used with an exclamation point).
slaunchways- a piece of wood that is cut on an angle is cut slaunchways.
sorry-a particularly important Texas adjective meaning worthless, no-count, useless, bad. Enhanced inflection makes it more emphatic.
squaddies (or is that quaddies?) -cowboys. This was a very common term in the 19th century.
supper- Once again, depending on the Dillo, this can be either the noon or the evening meal.
sweet milk- milk that tastes good.
t*rd-floater-> a very heavy downpour.
taken to- began, adapted, started liking. Use #l: He's taken to drinking." Use #2: She's taken to that new job of hers right off." (Alright, this I am sure is not just Texas, I memorized "The Shaw Shank Redemption," and there is a part in there where Red uses this phrase to describe how Tommy took to his studying.)
tank- pond (I'm sure this is right, when I went to Cali. they had no idea what I was talking about when I said this)
the friendly creature- 19th century term for whiskey.
truck- food (WHAT???)
tump- to spill or dump (are you kidding? That's not a REAL word??? I thought it was)
walkin' in tall cotton- doin' aw'right (see ridin' high)
waller- as far as I can tell, this is an extremely useful, if somewhat vague verb of many uses. It's usually used as a past participle. "The wheel was wallered out." or "The Dillo List wallered down an gave that little nawthun lady a bunch of Texas Tawk."
whole nuther thing- soemthing else entirely (even if they don't use this in many places out side of Texas, when I say it to my foreign friends, they understand - I think. I use it ALL the time)
whomperjawed- when something is not fitting properly, e.g., "You'll never get that wine open, the corscrew is all whomperjawed!"
wore out- fatigued, exhausted; also sometimes used for "worn out" machinery, etc. (I think the meaning is obvious)
yankee/damnyankee- type of human who is at the bottom of many Texas methaphysical, moral and cultural paradigms. Damnyankee is thought to be objectively descriptive rather than profane, and it is comfortably accomodated in some social environments where "bad language" is otherwise controlled by inherent coercive prohibitions. (Note: Although it is often said that damnyankees do a pretty good job of compiling Texasisms.)
"Out of the Mouths of Texans."A group of descriptive phrases, many of them similes. I've grouped them according to . . . well, you'll see.
You don't want to hear a Texan say you're:
ugly as a mud fence
ugly as homemade sin
ugly as homemade soap
plug-ugly
all hat and no cattle
dumber than dirt
older than two trees
tighter than bark on a tree
like ugly on an ape
dumb as a box of rocks
crooked as a dog's hind leg
crooked as a barrel of snakes
dumb as a box of hammers
as handy as hip pockets on a hog (If a Texan says this, it's a compliment (honest!)
You're cute as a possum.
You're happy as a gopher in soft dirt.
You're tough as a boot.
You're quick as a hiccup.
You're wolverine mean.
You'll do to run the river with. (This means you're reliable.)
You're big enough to hunt bear (bar) with a switch. (You're very big.)
You just don't know what he might do. (This, I'm told is the safest reputation to have around potentially violent fellow Texans.)
Emotional states in the state of Texas:
Happy as a gopher in soft dirt.
Like a one-legged man at a butt-kicking contest. (I assume this would mean you're extremely frustrated, or perhaps out of place, or dumb as box of hammers.)
Like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. (Nervous. Very, very nervous.)
Like a gnat in a hail storm. (Evokes quite a picture, doesn't it?)
Having a fit (or a hissy fit) and stepping in it. (Sounds like a tantrum of major proportions.)
Somebody who looks like he/she has been rode hard and put up wet. (A tired individual who looks somewhat the worse for wear.)
Other Lonestar similes:
He beat him like a rented mule. (Ouch!)
Hidden in the basement like a crazy aunt.
Blacker than midnight under a skillet.
Fine as frog's hair.
Like the dogs was after him. (In a big hurry.)
Cold as a well digger's lunch pail. (This one is subject to some dispute, some Dillos claiming the cold object in question is actually part of the well digger's personal anatomy.)
Look at somebody/something like a calf looks at a new gate. (With either confusion or dismay, maybe?)
Texas SayingsWhat's a Texas Saying? Why, it's something they say in Texas, a course! Some of these "sayings" might be considered adages, and some are just ... well, sayings, I guess. Judge for yourself:
"Never ask a man if he's from Texas. If he is, he'll tell you on his own. If he ain't, no need to embarrass him."
"The Lord never closes one door without opening another one."
"Evil thoughts are like chickens--they come home to roost."
"You can always tell a Texan, but you can't tell him much."
"I want you to jump when I say frog."
"Tend to your own knittin'/rat killin'." (Mind your own business!)
"_________________ (fill in the blank) is good enough to make a rabbit spit in a bulldog's face." (This better be something awfully durned good!)
"If you've done it, it ain't braggin'."
"That's tellin' him how the cow ate the cabbage."
"You done stopped preachin' and gone to meddlin'." (You're sticking your nose into my business, here, pal.)
This is only the beginning of Texas Tawk. It goes a lot further.
Anyways, things are going pretty good. There is a basketball tournament soon and I am going to play I think. I'm busy, but since the summer Japanese classes have started I have new class mates (and none of them actlike the Cambodians and Indonesian guy (I ment to say, act like children)) and now class is enjoyable. Most of the students are Korean girls, but there are some guys from other parts of Asia. Did you know that in Singapore they speak American English? Also, I learned that Saipan is part of America -It's just not a state (I did not know that). So I have some picture I will post seperately from this article (even though they are intended for this article, but it will have to wait for a few days. I want to go back to Kanayama and take pictures of that one place before I post them). Well, I'm having as much fun as I can while I am this busy. Very soon their is a lab trip that I am going to go on (to some place in Northern Japan next to the sea). It should be nice I think. Be sure to check the pictures that I will put up in 4-5 days or so. Now I have leave you with the quote of the day.
It is old Texas Wisdom that has already appeard above:
"Never ask a man if he is from Texas. If he is he will tell you on his own. If he ain't, there's no need to embarrass him."
also, a Rickdom (which is also Texas wisdom I think)
"You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friends nose."
Next quotes will be physics quotes. But until then, see you around.
Later
-Ben
(so if your not keeping track, that makes Seven Eleven, Hamburgers, Cowboy fashion-boots-belts-leather goods-and more, beer, Dr. Pepper, etc... that are here in Nagoya from Texas. Yes, hamburgers come from Texas) I'll be down arond Christmas for a week or so I think.
aggravated- used to describe everything from mild annoyance to dangerous, murderous rage. Usually pronounced "agger-vated."
all swole up- an alternative to aggravated, but sometimes carries connotations of being obstinate, proud and self-abosorbed, in addition to being aggravated.
all choked up- upset, overcome with emotions (other than aggravation). A person is usually "all choked up" when they are deeply moved by sadness or by the thoughtfulness of others.
all worked up- in a state of aggravation, arousal of some type, in a state of deeply offended pride, offended sensibilities, in a state of anxiety, etc. Agitated.
Arbuckle- a synonym for coffee, when the Arbuckle brand was virtually the only one available.
ball-usually means football.
blinky- adjective used to describe milk that has begun to sour.
blue norther- storm that comes up as a giant, blue-black cloud of cold air comes over the warm gulf air and "just about freezes us to death!" Rain and wind may accompany the black cloud. (I thought it was a type of toilet paper)
catty whompus- used to describe something that doesn't fit properly or is out of line.
clabber milk- butter milk
come hell or high water- shows determination to proceed, regardless of the problems, obstacles, etc. (I like this one
conniptions is to get upset and raise a ruckus. (I never would have guessed this was Texan)
crusty- tough and/or bad tempered man, woman or horse.
dad blame it, dad gum it, dag nab it- euphamisms coined to allow expressive speech without swearing. (Sounds like Yosemite Sam to me)
dinner- depending on the Dillo, this can be the noontime meal or the evening meal.
eat up- eaten up, destroyed, oxidized.
fess up- admit to it. (Another one of those things I didn't know was Texan)
fit to be tied- really upset. (never herd it before)
fixins- food; the rest of the meal, excluding the main dish.
fixin' ta- getting ready to do something. (this is a word I use atleast 3 times a day)
frog-strangler- an extraordinary amount of rain. (are you serious, I never use this-but I am going to start right now. "Durin the rainy season her in Nagoya, everyday is a frog strangler.")
galoot-an old cowboy term meaning "old rascal." It's generally meant affably.
go ahead on-"You go ahead, I'll catch up later."
go to the house- go in for dinner/supper, depending on the Dillo.
gully-washer-> an extraordinary amount of rain.
hissy fit- This term was never actually defined, but I get the impression it's a state of extreme agitation and not a pretty thing to see. (I also didn't know this was Texan, but if I think about it I should have)
howdy- How do you do? (obviously)
i'll swan- used instead of "I swear."
larrupin'- a few fingers tastier than finger-lickin' good. (hahaha, are they serious)
lit out- took off, started out, or absconded across some terrain. (Oh yes, this one I use a lot)
looker- a pretty girl.
maverick- a loner, an independent cuss, wild. First used to describe cattle owned by Sam Maverick of Galveston Island. His cattle were "wild-like" and he'd swim them across West Bay and join up with the herd going north. When cattle broke the herd, the wranglers said, "That's one of Maverick's."
norther- a storm; not as bad as a blue norther.
nu-uh-> no.
ole cuss- an old rascal (or galoot) who is tough and/or bad-tempered.
over yonder- a directional phrase meaning "over there." (ofcourse Texas use this, I thought everyone did)
over in through there, also: you go up in through there.- Directional phrase; one I'm told foreigners (read: anybody except a Texan) have trouble understanding. (I think that the meaning of this is obvious, I find it hard to believe that other Americans would not understand this)
place- an individual's farm or ranch.
plug- common mutt horse.
plug-ugly-> see above. This is definitely not a compliment, and should not be treated as such.
pole-axed-> knocked down, smashed flat, with dramatic force.
post oak- wood that is hard and resistant to rot and can be used for fenceposts.
ridin' high- doin' aw'right; probably a reference to the quality of horse you are riding. If you're poor, you ride a burro (short) or a plug. If you're wealthy, you might ride a thoroughbred or Tennessee Walker; therefore, you're ridin' high.
shoot- an expletive (should be used with an exclamation point).
slaunchways- a piece of wood that is cut on an angle is cut slaunchways.
sorry-a particularly important Texas adjective meaning worthless, no-count, useless, bad. Enhanced inflection makes it more emphatic.
squaddies (or is that quaddies?) -cowboys. This was a very common term in the 19th century.
supper- Once again, depending on the Dillo, this can be either the noon or the evening meal.
sweet milk- milk that tastes good.
t*rd-floater-> a very heavy downpour.
taken to- began, adapted, started liking. Use #l: He's taken to drinking." Use #2: She's taken to that new job of hers right off." (Alright, this I am sure is not just Texas, I memorized "The Shaw Shank Redemption," and there is a part in there where Red uses this phrase to describe how Tommy took to his studying.)
tank- pond (I'm sure this is right, when I went to Cali. they had no idea what I was talking about when I said this)
the friendly creature- 19th century term for whiskey.
truck- food (WHAT???)
tump- to spill or dump (are you kidding? That's not a REAL word??? I thought it was)
walkin' in tall cotton- doin' aw'right (see ridin' high)
waller- as far as I can tell, this is an extremely useful, if somewhat vague verb of many uses. It's usually used as a past participle. "The wheel was wallered out." or "The Dillo List wallered down an gave that little nawthun lady a bunch of Texas Tawk."
whole nuther thing- soemthing else entirely (even if they don't use this in many places out side of Texas, when I say it to my foreign friends, they understand - I think. I use it ALL the time)
whomperjawed- when something is not fitting properly, e.g., "You'll never get that wine open, the corscrew is all whomperjawed!"
wore out- fatigued, exhausted; also sometimes used for "worn out" machinery, etc. (I think the meaning is obvious)
yankee/damnyankee- type of human who is at the bottom of many Texas methaphysical, moral and cultural paradigms. Damnyankee is thought to be objectively descriptive rather than profane, and it is comfortably accomodated in some social environments where "bad language" is otherwise controlled by inherent coercive prohibitions. (Note: Although it is often said that damnyankees do a pretty good job of compiling Texasisms.)
"Out of the Mouths of Texans."A group of descriptive phrases, many of them similes. I've grouped them according to . . . well, you'll see.
You don't want to hear a Texan say you're:
ugly as a mud fence
ugly as homemade sin
ugly as homemade soap
plug-ugly
all hat and no cattle
dumber than dirt
older than two trees
tighter than bark on a tree
like ugly on an ape
dumb as a box of rocks
crooked as a dog's hind leg
crooked as a barrel of snakes
dumb as a box of hammers
as handy as hip pockets on a hog (If a Texan says this, it's a compliment (honest!)
You're cute as a possum.
You're happy as a gopher in soft dirt.
You're tough as a boot.
You're quick as a hiccup.
You're wolverine mean.
You'll do to run the river with. (This means you're reliable.)
You're big enough to hunt bear (bar) with a switch. (You're very big.)
You just don't know what he might do. (This, I'm told is the safest reputation to have around potentially violent fellow Texans.)
Emotional states in the state of Texas:
Happy as a gopher in soft dirt.
Like a one-legged man at a butt-kicking contest. (I assume this would mean you're extremely frustrated, or perhaps out of place, or dumb as box of hammers.)
Like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. (Nervous. Very, very nervous.)
Like a gnat in a hail storm. (Evokes quite a picture, doesn't it?)
Having a fit (or a hissy fit) and stepping in it. (Sounds like a tantrum of major proportions.)
Somebody who looks like he/she has been rode hard and put up wet. (A tired individual who looks somewhat the worse for wear.)
Other Lonestar similes:
He beat him like a rented mule. (Ouch!)
Hidden in the basement like a crazy aunt.
Blacker than midnight under a skillet.
Fine as frog's hair.
Like the dogs was after him. (In a big hurry.)
Cold as a well digger's lunch pail. (This one is subject to some dispute, some Dillos claiming the cold object in question is actually part of the well digger's personal anatomy.)
Look at somebody/something like a calf looks at a new gate. (With either confusion or dismay, maybe?)
Texas SayingsWhat's a Texas Saying? Why, it's something they say in Texas, a course! Some of these "sayings" might be considered adages, and some are just ... well, sayings, I guess. Judge for yourself:
"Never ask a man if he's from Texas. If he is, he'll tell you on his own. If he ain't, no need to embarrass him."
"The Lord never closes one door without opening another one."
"Evil thoughts are like chickens--they come home to roost."
"You can always tell a Texan, but you can't tell him much."
"I want you to jump when I say frog."
"Tend to your own knittin'/rat killin'." (Mind your own business!)
"_________________ (fill in the blank) is good enough to make a rabbit spit in a bulldog's face." (This better be something awfully durned good!)
"If you've done it, it ain't braggin'."
"That's tellin' him how the cow ate the cabbage."
"You done stopped preachin' and gone to meddlin'." (You're sticking your nose into my business, here, pal.)
This is only the beginning of Texas Tawk. It goes a lot further.
Anyways, things are going pretty good. There is a basketball tournament soon and I am going to play I think. I'm busy, but since the summer Japanese classes have started I have new class mates (and none of them actlike the Cambodians and Indonesian guy (I ment to say, act like children)) and now class is enjoyable. Most of the students are Korean girls, but there are some guys from other parts of Asia. Did you know that in Singapore they speak American English? Also, I learned that Saipan is part of America -It's just not a state (I did not know that). So I have some picture I will post seperately from this article (even though they are intended for this article, but it will have to wait for a few days. I want to go back to Kanayama and take pictures of that one place before I post them). Well, I'm having as much fun as I can while I am this busy. Very soon their is a lab trip that I am going to go on (to some place in Northern Japan next to the sea). It should be nice I think. Be sure to check the pictures that I will put up in 4-5 days or so. Now I have leave you with the quote of the day.
It is old Texas Wisdom that has already appeard above:
"Never ask a man if he is from Texas. If he is he will tell you on his own. If he ain't, there's no need to embarrass him."
also, a Rickdom (which is also Texas wisdom I think)
"You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friends nose."
Next quotes will be physics quotes. But until then, see you around.
Later
-Ben
(so if your not keeping track, that makes Seven Eleven, Hamburgers, Cowboy fashion-boots-belts-leather goods-and more, beer, Dr. Pepper, etc... that are here in Nagoya from Texas. Yes, hamburgers come from Texas) I'll be down arond Christmas for a week or so I think.
posted by Ben at 1:47 AM
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