# Texan Catchphrases?



## caters (Jan 5, 2018)

I have an idea for my next story. I was thinking of having a western  story where 1 small area becomes a whole empire. I figured that a good  protagonist for this would be a Texan who has his/her own horse and has  friends who also ride on horseback. If it comes to the worse, I would  want an army and possibly a navy but I was wondering, what catchphrases  would be good for a protagonist who is Texan?

By the way, I am not from Texas nor have I ever been to Texas so I might find Texan dialogue difficult.


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## bdcharles (Jan 5, 2018)

either click here or talk to astroannie  I do know they say _y'all_ and _fixin' to_ and stuff


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## aj47 (Jan 5, 2018)

Not exactly.  In most of the southern US it's "you" singular and "y'all" plural but in Texas, it's "y'all" singular and "all y'all" plural. I'm also non-native.  One of the things I noticed is they tend to "sir" and "ma'am" as a sign of normal respect.  I wasn't ma'amed until I moved to Texas and I moved here when i was in my 20's and I a little freaked by it at first.


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## midnightpoet (Jan 5, 2018)

As a native Texan I can give you a bunch, but just like any attempt at dialect it can sound hackneyed or trite.  Not all Texans sound alike, some have a heavy accent, some don't. If you attempt to shoehorn a "Texas type" it will sound fake, unless you're writing a humorous piece.  Actually, if I spoke to you it probably couldn't tell where I was from.

You need to do a ton of research, read westerns (what time period is this?).  Good luck, but you've got  a long row to hoe.


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## Robbie (Jan 5, 2018)

I live in West Texas on the Mexican border and New Mexican border so it doesn’t feel like I am in Texas. But I grew up in Oklahoma where many people sound more like typical Texans (if there are any) than Texans. ‘Yall’ Is common. But Texas is huge so accents and dialects vary. In El Paso, ‘sir and ma’am’ are common and it surprised me. It’s a first for me. I have to admit that I’ve never heard ‘fixin to’ but in Dallas I heard some one call a water tower a “water tire.”


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## SueC (Jan 5, 2018)

"Lower than a snakes' belly in a wagon rut," can refer to character of a person, or a bought of depression.


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