A Little More of That West Texas Talk

Here are a few more West Texas sayings that didn't fit into yesterday's post:

The chances are slim to none, and slim done got up and left

Tired of listening to a line, or tired of listening to a telephone solicitor: I've got a cow; I don't need your bull

If it wud'n for the flies, she'd have no friends at all

You're looking at me like a cow at a new fence 

Smiling like a jackass eating cactus

If dumb was dirt, he'd cover about an acre

Here are some handy words and phrases:

I might could do that

I was just fixin' to do that

Y’all, and its plural, ALL y’all

A little guide to some of the words you will hear: 

All = oil

Ass = ice, or iced (Note: When your waitress asks if you want ass-tea, don't be offended)

Far = fire 

Hah, h'ar yew = Hi, how are you?

Tard = tired

Last, but not least, here's a little West Texas jibe at Yankees:

Yankees are kinda like hemorrhoids, they're not too bad when they come down and go back up, but they're a real pain in the butt when they come down and stay.

Say What?

I've moved a lot in my life, mainly within the United States, except for several years in Canada. It seems like every time I get settled in a new place I have to learn a new language. As much as we often tend to talk like TV newscasters--that "neutral" or midwestern-ish accent--there are still lots of regional variations, thank goodness. Long may they continue!

Different accents are fairly easy to get your ear tuned to, especially when you are surrounded by a particular regional one. Think of a southern drawl, or a Boston "pahk the cah" kind of accent. It may be puzzling or even a little jarring at first, but you will eventually make the adjustment. For instance, when I lived in British Columbia, I was able to work out the word "Chewsday" from its context--as in, "I'll see you next Chewsday (Tuesday)." Believe me, the British Columbians were onto me right away. I would get just a couple of words out before they would nod and say knowingly, "So, you're a Yank, eh?"

But every region still has a number of sayings or expressions that you might not hear elsewhere. West Texas (and let me tell you, the plains of eastern New Mexico are considered a part of West Texas) has plenty of exceptionally delightful ones. I've been making a little collection, which I present to you here. Definitions are at the bottom of the page. A few of them might sound familiar, especially as our former President lived in West Texas.

1. Whopper-jawed

2. Out of pocket

3. Looks like she's been rode hard and put up wet

4. Gully washer

5. Root hog, or die!

6. Djeetyet?

7. This ain't my first rodeo

8. It's so dry the trees are bribin' the dogs

9. All hat and no cattle

10. They ate supper before they said grace

11. They're splittin' the sheets

12. We've howdied but we ain't shook yet

13. You can put your boots in the oven but that don't make them biscuits

Definitions:

1. Whopper-jawed: Crooked--or cattywampus, in some sections of the country

2. Out of pocket: Absent, can't be found--Keys, for instance, can be out of pocket (not necessarily lost, just not immediately findable); although I've heard a person say they've been "out of pocket" after a short absence

3. Looks like she's been rode hard and put up wet: This might describe a haggard-looking female

4. Gully washer: Hard rain

5. Root hog, or die!: Do it yourself, no one else is gonna

6. Djeetyet?: Did you eat yet?

7. This ain't my first rodeo: I've been around a while

8. It's so dry the trees are bribin' the dogs: We could really use some rain

9. All hat and no cattle: All talk and no action

10. They ate supper before they said grace: They are living in sin

11. They're splittin' the sheets: They are getting a divorce

12. We've howdied but we ain't shook yet: We've met briefly but haven't been formally introduced

13. You can put your boots in the oven but that don't make them biscuits: You can say whatever you want about something but that doesn't change what it is

***

Sources:

flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/texan/discuss/10551/

DJ’s Texas State of Mind

Colloquialisms

I'd just as lief be riding a camel...

What a strange word--colloquialisms. Anyway, I collect them, and am fascinated with some of the wonderful ones that I hear around this area. I loved it when one of my knitting ladies mentioned that someone had "split the sheet," because it was such a wonderfully expressive phrase, and I was only slightly saddened when I learned that it meant "divorced."

I am charmed when Towanda from Kansas writes that she has been "out of pocket" lately, which I take to mean "not around much" (??), although my Texas knitting lady uses the same expression for "a little bit misplaced" as in, "my keys aren't lost, they're just out of pocket."

I need to ask for your help with the word "peer." I saw it in a comment in response to a blog post and I'm hoping the blogger is reading this. I can't find it again (hey, it's out of pocket!) to be sure, but I believe that it was used in a sentence something like this--"I'd peer be doing [something]..."--much like some people might say "I'd just as lief be doing [something, whatever], which, in turn, means "I'd rather be doing [whatever]...

Can you help me? Have you seen that blog comment somewhere? Is it on your blog? Can you define "peer" as it is used colloquially?