How to Speak with a Texan Accent (essay)

The following is a how-to essay that I thought you might find useful now that you are living in the great state of Texas! Note that while there is a nice introduction and good body paragraphs, there is no conclusion. Can any of you try to write the conclusion for this essay?


"How to Speak With a Texan Accent"
By eHow Culture & Society Editor


Texans are known for their big personalities and down-home, southern charm. It's no wonder you want to talk like one. But speaking with a Texan accent is much more than throwing in a few, "Ya'lls" here and there. Learn to talk like a true Southern Texas Belle by perfecting your Texan accent.

Step 1. Add syllables to words. Texans with a heavy accent don't use one-syllable words. To talk like a Texan, practice elongating all one-syllable words into two syllables. The word "big" is pronounced, "bee-yug." The word "pen" is said, "pee-yun." The word "cat" is said "ka-yut."

Step 2. Drop the "g" from "ing" when it is found at the end of words. Texans don't go "walking." They go "walkin." They don't do the "cooking." They do the "cookin." Their phone isn't "ringing." It's "ringin."

Step 3. Change the "ing" to an "ang" when it is found within a word. Texans with a heavy accent don't "sing." They "sang." They don't have "things." They have "thangs." They don't eat "wings." They eat "wangs."

Step 4. Make your long "i" sounds into lazy sounds. To talk with a Texan accent, your long "i" sounds need to sound closer to a short "a" sound. Texans don't get in "fights." They get in "fahts." They don't "buy" something at the store. They "bah" it. They don't do something "nine times." They do it "nahn tahms."

Step 5. Learn Texas slang. To talk like a true Texan, you have to use a few common slang phrases. Say "fixin to" instead of "about to." Say "right quick," instead of "quickly." Say "ya'll" instead of "you guys" or "you all." Say "down yonder" instead of "over there." Say "tuckered out" instead of exhausted. Say "boy howdy," when you are impressed by something.

Step 6. Talk like the locals. Say the names of Texas cities the way Texans do. Houston is called, "U-ston." San Antonio is shortened into "San Antone." Corpus Christi is called "Corpus."