You may have heard of ESL, (English As A Second Language), this a guide to TSL ... Texan As A Second Language.

In radio jargon, TSL stands for Time Spent Listening. Meaning, how long the average listener, well, listens.

When it comes to texting shortcuts, it has several meanings like "type something long",  "the silver lining" and more.

For this article, it means "Texan As A Second Language".

Fort Bliss Security
Getty Images
loading...

People are flocking to Texas these days. Thanks to Fort Bliss, El Paso has been welcoming newcomers to Texas "pretty regular" for decades.

Now with civilian folks arriving in droves too, I "figured" I'd help 'em transition with this handy guide to speaking "Texan".

"Figured " and "'em" are already two very Texas - esque words.

Merriam-Webster
Getty Images
loading...

Here are a few words newbies should know:

  • Pardner - A friend or buddy. Texans, especially west Texans, also like to use amigo and compadre in this regard.
  • Fixin'; - While this one can refer to repair ... I'm fixin' this broken part ... it usually foreshadows something. I'm fixin' to go to the store, get a beer, eat supper, etc
  • Fixin's - When pluralized, it means ingredients. As in, I got all the fixins' to make chili tonight. (Chili in Texas, by the way, refers to a delicious combination of beef, spices and chile ... with an "E" ... that can be atomically hot.)
  • Dad-gum-it - An expletive for nice people who won't drop f-bombs. Also works for DJ's who can't use certain words on air. Whether they're nice or not.
  • Bless His Heart - Don't be fooled. This is rarely meant to invoke the kindness of God. It can mean "poor guy" but, typically, it means "he's a dumbass".
  • Ya'll - One of the two most versatile words in Texas. This one can mean "you guys", "attention please" or "ladies and gentlemen" depending on the situation.
  • Howdy - The other of Texas' 2 most common words. This one can mean "hello" or, upon being introduced to someone, "nice to meet you".
  • 'Ya hear - "Do you understand"? This can be phrased as a question ... you look after your sister, 'ya hear?  Or a statement ... you be in bed by 10, 'ya hear!?
  • Pretty Regular - Generally consistent. Example: He goes bowling pretty regular.

We'll go over some more another day, 'parder.  Ya'll come back now ... 'ya hear?

How These Texas Cities Got Their Names

Texas City Name Origins

 

More From 93.1 KISS FM