JellyPages.com

Friday, January 6, 2017

Do You Speak Texan?


Writers are taught not to overuse dialect in a story, which can be rather hard when you're writin' about a place where the language has a life of its own, like in Texas. Since I live so close to Texas, I'm fluent in Lone Star lingo. But how about you?


Here are a few simple lessons in talking Texan:

1. Never say "you guys" or "you people" etc. It's "y'all" or "all y'all." When talking to just one person, use "you." Two people earn a hearty "y'all." If you're addressing more than two, it's "all y'all." ie, Are all y'all gonna be at the town meetin' tonight?

2. Leave off the "g" when adding "ing" to a verb. ie. We're fixin' ta go to the store. You wanna ride along? I ain't goin' 'cause it's rainin'.

3. "Ain't is allowed--even preferred. ie, Ain't cha goin' to church with us? 

4. "Fixin'" has nothing to do with repairing things. And most of the time, it is followed by the word "to"--or rather "ta." ie, I'm fixin' ta go do my growshree (grocery) shoppin'. 

5. Why be a Plain Jane when you can use metaphors to describe things?

    He's as welcome as a skunk at a lawn party.
    He is unwelcome.

    You can put boots in the oven, but it don’t make em biscuits.
    Say what you will, but it won’t change the truth.


    She’s got enough tongue for 10 rows of teeth.
    She sure can talk a lot.


Doesn't that just scare you outta of wantin' to go to Texas? You should go anyway. It's well worth the time and effort. Oh, before you go, make sure you study up on what a Coke is. It's not exactly what you're thinkin'.


Surprise give away! Tell me what these words in Texan speak mean & I'll put you in a drawing for my ebook: The Bull Rider's Bride--set in Texas. No fair looking them up online or copying someone else's answer. I tell you tomorrow's comments who won The Bull Rider's Bride, so be sure to check them.

1. Ahohno
2. Spoze
3. Yawna

All y'all be sure to come back next week to chat with Erica Vetsch. If you haven't read any of her books, you're really missin' out. Just look how excited she is to be here. 


Be sure to follow us to keep up with our book news!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

20 comments:

  1. Born and raised in the south, that is just normal talk to me. I love it! I have no clue what those three words mean that you shared. It's okay though, because I already own the book you mentioned!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Take a guess, Joy. So far no one has commented and been entered in the drawing.

      Delete
  2. I am not quite sure what #1 is .
    #2 I think is 'suppose'. Do you spoze she was lying?
    #3 you want to... do yawna go to the store with me?

    I could be way off, I live in the South but wasn't born and raised here!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is hilarious!!!

    1. I don't know (that's my guess, not a statement lol)
    2. Suppose, as in "Spoze it's gonna snow today?"
    3. You wanna/You want to, as in "Yawna eat?"

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't know?
    Suppose
    Do you want to

    ReplyDelete
  5. 1. Ahohno = "I dunno"?
    2. Spoze = "suppose"?
    3. Yawna = "You want to"?

    -Heather

    ReplyDelete
  6. I speak this second language well. "Dinnt need no book lernen neether"

    1. I don't know.
    2. Suppose
    3. Do you want to?
    Yawna git growsrees? It's spozed ta snow. "Ahoho"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looks like this ain't yer first Texas speak rodeo.

      Delete
  7. I'm a native TXn and I've never used all y'all. That's just not proper grammar. As for your three words, #2 is Suppose, I 'spose, but I don't think I've ever used the other two. If the guesses before me are correct, then my versions would be:
    #1 I don't know, I would use "I dunno".

    #3 Do you want to, I would say "Do ya wanna?".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting. I imagine how thick an accent is depends on where you live in the state, your heritage, and even education. I grew up in OK, and we speak a whole lot like Texans. I've said "y'all" most of my life. I said something to one of my kids one day and used the word "dudn't" then I stopped and wondered where that came from. :)

      Delete
  8. When we moved to Texas the first two words I earned were fixin and keep. I was asked if the little boy in my grocery cart was mine or do I keep him. I learned keep means babysit or watch. This NY girl obtained some new vocabulary words!
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
    Merry

    ReplyDelete
  9. LOL Vickie, you sure had me chucklin'. I remember student teaching in Texas, and my supervising teacher said I didn't use correct grammar because I said "you guys" instead of "y'all."

    ReplyDelete
  10. ANNOUNCEMENT! WINNERS!

    Congrats to y'all who got the right answers to my Texas speak quiz. Here they are:

    1. Ahohno – I don’t know
    2. Spoze - suppose
    3. Yawna – you wanna

    And the winner of The Bull Rider's Bride is Carrie!

    We had a number of people that worked the word search puzzle. And the winner of the three books in my Texas Boardinghouse Brides series is Crystal Caudill.

    Congratulations, ladies!

    ReplyDelete