I will miss: Texas colloquialisms

Very shortly after I moved here, I did a quick favor or something-or-other for Mrs. Nina Pruitt, our wonderful administrative assistant in the TTU DOH. In reply she said, "Well thank you, I sure do appreciate you." At first I thought she misspoke because I had never heard that phrasing, "I appreciate you." I guess I had only heard I appreciate it or that, but never you. As we got to know each other better, I heard her say it again and to other people in the same way and I just assumed it one of Nina's many pleasantries. But then I started hearing other people say it in the grocery store and pharmacy and all over Lubbock! And I love it! It feels so much more personal and sincere. I sure do appreciate Nina for introducing me to that expression.


In fact, I love so many Texas colloquialisms! First and foremost is "y'all." I embrace y'all! I have been searching for a gender-neutral pronoun for years and I always felt weird saying y'all. But now I've got country cred and I can say y'all whenever I want (even though I still say it like a Yankee)! If anyone questions it, "Screw y'all! I lived in Texas!" Y'all is now part of my vocabulary.

One Texism that I have never used is "bless his/her/their/your heart," but it is super funny. Many comedians have noted that using the phrase "bless her heart" often has a hidden meaning. Essentially, you can say whatever you want, as long as you follow it with "bless his heart." For example, "She just cannot make a decent cup of coffee....bless her heart." "Those kids will not eat anything but chicken nuggets and cereal....bless their heart." "He looks like he got hit in face with a shovel....bless his heart." So "bless their heart" will veil any insult. Sometimes it is used in a genuine way, as part of a kind word or thank you, but not always.

There are a few more Texisms that crack me up. I think the best one is "fixin' to." Basically fixin to means you are going to, planning to, or thinking about doing something or going somewhere. The best usage of it, for me, was by one of my students in her exam essay. This was of my best students and she was writing an essay about the reestablishment of defacto slavery after the Civil War. She told me that, "African Americans were fixing to change their place in society...." Her idea was good overall, but her phrasing was so adorably Texas.

 Another awesome expression is "reckon."  I don't hear reckon as often, but it is still very common. "I reckon" means I think so or that seems likely. It can be used as a full sentence or in connection with other ideas/words. Next, if someone invites you out or asks you to do something and you're not sure if you can go, you say "I might could." As far as I can tell, might could means maybe. "Wanna help me move?" "I might could." It may or may not be correct English.  Lastly, once my friend Bridget told me something was all "cattywompus" and I just about did a spit take. Basically that means it's all messed up or helter skelter or criss crossed. Bridget has a lot of great Texisms like "dumber than dirt" and "all hat and no cattle" or something like that. I don't have a clue what most of them mean, but I like to hear new ones!

Obviously there are all sorts of regional expressions, as clearly demonstrated by the awesome regional dialect quiz that was the most popular story in the New York Times last year. I have trying to think of other sayings that I know from living in the Northeast and Midwest. I liked saying "pop" in the Midwest, although I never said "coke" in Texas. I have said "wicked" a few times in my life and I am looking forward to learning many more Massachusetts/New Englandisms at my new position.

But I will definitely miss all the charming Texas colloquialisms.