The Texas Slang Quiz

The word "hush", which had its first recorded instance in the mid-16th century, can be used in multiple ways. Sometimes it's in jest if someone says something funny or scandalous ("Oh, hush!"). And other times, hush is meant to be a stern warning, especially to children.

The word yonder is not a word that Texans created. It's a much older word from the 14th century. But for anyone outside of Texas, or the South for that matter, this word is deemed to be archaic.

Usually, you will see "tuckered out" vs. "tuckered" just by itself. You will also see tuckered out with other adjectives like plain or plumb, which increases the intensity of exhaustion (e.g., completely tired). The first recorded mention was in the 1830s.

The word "kin" goes back many centuries and is connected to many different cultures and languages, including German, Greek, English and Sanskrit. Kin means relative related by blood.

Wangs is another word that Texans use that is a part of their own unique Southern drawl or twang. You can imagine someone saying this rather slowly.

"Git" is another way of saying get. So git here is a short way of saying "get out". But there's a big difference in meaning between git out and "all git-out".

"All git-out" is the Texan accent of all get-out, which is a superlative, the highest degree. "All get-out" was first documented in the late 1840s.

"Git 'er done" is Texan for "get her done", and it's a rallying cry to seize the day (or the task). Texans can also use this saying as praise or celebration for accomplishing something (e.g., good job!).

This question was a little leading, because "what in the world" is similar to tarnation--it's usually an exclamation or interjection of wonder and awe. So a typical phrase would be "What in tarnation..." The first time this word was documented in 1790.

"Right quick" is typically used if you need someone to help you or if you need to do something quickly and someone is waiting on you. "Hey, I need to jump on the phone right quick. Won't take long."

If there's ever a word to identify someone from Texas or the South, it's y'all. Y'all means the plural you (second person plural), all of you, you guys. And please note: ya'll is not the correct spelling--it's only y'all since it is a contraction of "you all".

"Fixin'" usually is with the word "to" (e.g., "I'm fixin' to go to work."). Note that this is different of fixin' as a noun, specifically with food, e.g, "We have pot roast with all the fixin's"--so side dishes or trimmings.

Hoo boy, pitchin' a hissy fit is usually something that children will do. Hissy may be a shortened version of the word "hysterical". The first time this phrase was recorded was in the early 1930s.

We all have our PG-rated curse words, and one Texan way to curse is to say dad gum it. It seems to have come around the time when similar phrases like "doggone it", "goldurn" and "cotton-pickin'" came about.

A conniption is similar to a hissy fit, but a conniption is usually attributed more to adults than to children. But a conniption is a fit (of anger, rage, upset), and sometimes it's called a conniption fit. According to Merriam-Webster, the etymology is unknown, but the first known use is from the 1830s.

From a cattle ranching culture, "all hat, no cattle" is the Texan version of "all bark, no bite". Another version of this saying is "big hat, no cattle". There are a couple of ways of taking this insult--the person is not all that smart or the person is full of bluster and hot air.

Putting on airs, being arrogant, thinking you're better than everyone else--uppity is something you do not want to be. And although Texas is very metropolitan with cities like Dallas, Austin and Houston, there's still a big country culture that focuses on Southern hospitality and politeness. Uppity was first recorded in the late 1880s.

Besides the word y'all, ain't is an oft-used word in Texas. It's a catch-all verb/contraction: am not, are not, is not, have not, has not. The first known use of this word was in the mid-1700s, and this word is also used in Britain.

Cattywampus seems to be a variation of the word "catawampus", which is like a bogeyman but in animal form. Both words are probably variants of catercorner (i.e., across the way or diagonal) and catamount (i.e., a medium-sized to large cat, such as a cougar). All the same, this word means something is off or not quite right.

Whomperjawed and its variations--whopperjawed, lopperjawed and wapperjawed--have been in existence since at least the 19th century. Whomperjawed used to mean a jaw with an underbite. If applied to a person, whomperjawed means weird or bizarre.

Hoot is an interesting word because it can mean that someone or something is funny. But it can also mean a cry of disdain or derision. Hoot in a humorous sense is probably connected to the possibly Scottish but definitely Appalachian word "hootenanny," which is a fun, festive occasion (usually with folk musicians and singers).

When a Blue Norther (or Texas Norther) comes through, there are darker skies, lots of precipitation and a larger temperature drop. The sudden cold front typically comes from the Midwest region. Usually, a Blue Norther will occur during November through March.

So howdy is most likely short for "how d'ye", which was short for "how d'ye do", which was another way of saying "how do you do?". Other variations of how do you do include "howdie doodie" (just like the puppet Howdy Doody) and "howdy pardner." Howdy is also the official greeting at Texas A&M University.

The first recorded instance of whup was in the mid-1800s. It's a variation of the word whip, and usually it's used as a way to talk about getting into fisticuffs, sporting events or games (e.g., one team beating another team), or with corporal punishment.

"Ruckus" is the Texan way to say disturbance. This word seems to be a combination of the word ruction and rumpus--and both words mean the same thing as ruckus. This word was first recorded in the late 1800s.

The word clodhopper was first recorded in the early 18th century. Clodhopper can also mean that someone is a dolt--someone who is not that very smart or a fool.

Typically, if you have a hankering in Texas, you have a desire for some Texan food, like Tex-Mex fare or some Texan barbecue. But you can have a hankering for anything, anyone, any place, or any action--it's just a yearning.

Vittles definitely as an old-timey feel to it. That's because it's based on an older word, victuals, which means food that humans can eat. Vittles also seems a little older because dictionaries consider it to be archaic.

The word holler isn't just associated with yelling or making a loud cry. If someone tells you that they'll give you a holler, it means they will give you a call or reach out.

Usually, if tump is used, it's in an accidental manner (e.g., a flower pot is tumped over). According to Merriam-Webster, it may be related to the British word "tumpoke," which means to fall head over heels. But the use of the word was first recorded in the late 1960s.

"Sho' nuff" is a phrase that you can also say in agreement to a statement. This phrase most likely has its origins in African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

Shindig can actually have two meanings. The first is the more well-known one--a party, and usually it a fancy affair (and this is the Texan meaning, too--party). But shindig could also be a shindy--an uproar.

The Texan way to explain that something is a waste or ineffective use of time is "piddle." Piddle doesn't have a known origin, but it was first recorded used in the early 16th century.

If you're not from Texas or the South, "bless your heart" can be a very confusing phrase. It's a Swiss Army knife of a saying and can mean so many different things. But this phrase's main goal is to smooth things over and keep things light--whether it's a tense moment with an enemy or you're hearing about your friend's stressful situation and want to offer your sincere support.

The word reckon is an old one, with its first appearance in the 13th century. But reckon in the Texan sense, this word may be more familiar with those who watch Westerns. It's not really used much in other parts of America.