Free Republic

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the lexicon, as evidenced by the extensive list of local sayings and idioms used throughout the Lone Star State. These turns of phrase make it easy to spot a Texan from a mile away (though the ten-gallon hats and spurred cowboy boots certainly help as well). There are classic expressions, such as “howdy” and “y’all,” as well as some phrases you may not be familiar with unless you’re from Texas. Let’s look at some of the distinctive phrases that are particularly common among Texans. Fixin’ To “Fixin’ to” is the unofficial state verb of Texas....

One of Peter De Vries's comic novels has a character who accumulates Briticisms. As I recall, he orders shrimp cocktail as a "starter," refers to a friend "called" James (instead of "named" -- that's a subtle one), and fills his car with "petrol" for the ride home. Eventually, he winds up in hospital. De Vries's conceit, delicious as it was, was an exaggeration. Generally a Yank can get away with at most one such locution in his or her active vocabulary, for example the person I know who likes to refer to his time "at university," the university in question...