Texas Slang for ENGin buddies
ENGin is a wonderful program that connects English speakers with Ukrainians – sort of like pen-pals on Zoom. Conversation practice, cultural exchange, recipes, jokes, stories, friendships….
Very cool, innovative, and impactful non-profit started by Katerina Manoff.
Katerina has 5+ years of experience teaching English and managing online language learning programs. She has also helped launch multiple nonprofit and for-profit initiatives in the education space. She holds a Master’s in Education from Harvard University. – ENGin
ENGin has been featured on Austin’s KXAN
…. and The Washington Post
…. and many others.
ENGin – a friend of WLBOTT! We’d like to celebrate this wonderful organization by offering a Ukrainian student’s guide to Talkin’ Texan.
Getting started with “Texan”
- “Ain’t” – informal for “is not”
- “Y’all” – you (plural)
- “All y’all” – everyone!
All Hat and No Cattle
Ukrainian: Всі капелюхи і без худоби
Russian: Вся шляпа и никакого скота
Meaning: tend to talk boastfully without acting on one’s words. In other words, it is description of a person that is all talk and no substance; full of big talk but lacking action; a person who can not back up his/ her words; a fake; a pretender. – Quora
This saying even has its own Wikipedia page:
All hat and no cattle is an idiom meaning “all talk, no action”.
Wikipedia
[thanks to WOBIL-UC#4 (wife of brother-in-law of UC#4) Dianne!]
“Fixin’ to”
From The Kitchn / 10 Southern Sayings Everyone Should Embrace
Eatin’ On
We can “eat on” a large ham for several meals and days.
When you have a lot of left-overs.
Startin’ to turn
In a related saying, “startin’ to turn”means food that is beginning to spoil.
Ukrainian: Починає крутитися
Russian: Он начинает поворачиваться
“I slaughtered this horse last Tuesday. I’m afraid she’s startin’ to turn.” – O Brother Where Art Thou
Let’s do the Tulsa Turnaround:
Ugly as Homemade Sin
Also fromrom The Kitchn
Ukrainian: Гидкий, як саморобний гріх
Russian: Уродлив, как домашний грех
Let’s do the Tulsa Turnaround:
It ain’t over ’till the fat lady sings
“The opera isn’t over until the fat lady sings.”
Ukrainian: Опера не закінчиться, поки товста леді не заспіває.
Russian: Опера не закончится, пока толстая дама не споет.
Meaning (usually in sports): Don’t think about the score until the game is over.
“It ain’t over till the fat lady sings” is an informal American colloquialism that means one should not assume the outcome of an event that is still in progress. It is often used when a situation is approaching its conclusion. For example, “We’re losing, but remember: it ain’t over till the fat lady sings”.
– Google AI
This ain’t my first rodeo
“This isn’t the first time I’ve been to the rodeo.”
Ukrainian: Я не вперше був на родео.
Russian: Я не первый раз на родео.
This saying means that this person has experience in the matter. It also has to deal with a person defending their expertise. For example, two Texans are arguing at a bar about the rules of a particular game of cards. The first Texan gets angrier at the other and eventually says, “This ain’t my first rodeo!” – kansaigaidai.ac.jp
Lie down with dogs and get up with fleas
Ukrainian: З собаками лягати, а з блохами вставати
Russian: Ложись с собаками и вставай с блохами
Meaning: Actions, including unwise and impulsive ones, have consequences
Pushing Up Daises
To be dead
Ukrainian: Віджимання Daises
Russian: Поднимание помостов
Also….
Bought the Farm
Ukrainian: Купив Ферму
Russian: Купил ферму
Kicked the Bucket
Ukrainian: Вибив відро
Russian: Пнул ведро
That Dog Won’t Hunt
Ukrainian: Ця собака не буде полювати
Russian: Эта собака не будет охотиться
“That dog won’t hunt” is a dismissive phrase, used to mean that a particular idea or approach is going to fail. The expression can also mean that a certain accusation is false. – Wiktionary
Hold your horses!
Ukrainian: Не поспішайте
Russian: Придержи лошадей
Wait! Things are going too fast.
If The Creek Don’t Rise
“If the creek doesn’t rise”
Ukrainian: Якщо струмок не піднімається
Russian: Если ручей не поднимается
Translated, this means: “We’ll be there unless something out of our control stops us.” Unlike the United States Postal Service, whose motto proclaims “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night” will keep them from their routes, sometimes a Southern visit is thwarted by a rising creek or other unexpected bump in the road. – Southern Living
The barn door’s open
Ukrainian: Двері сараю відчинені
Russian: Дверь сарая открыта
Your zipper’s open, dude!
Big as Dallas
Ukrainian: Великий, як Даллас
Russian: Большой, как Даллас
Big! Obvious. “The answer was in front of me, big as Dallas.”
One taco short of a combination plate
Ukrainian: На одне тако не вистачає комбінованої тарілки
Russian: На один тако не хватает комбинированной тарелки
(This doesn’t really translate!)
Someone is confused or not making sense.
Let Me Let You Go
Ukrainian: Дозволь мені відпустити тебе
Russian: Позволь мне отпустить тебя
A polite way of ending a conversation.
Well, Butter My Backside And Call Me a Biscuit
(not used very often, but pretty funny)
Ukrainian: Ну, намаж мені зад і назви мене печивом
Russian: Ну, намажь мою задницу маслом и назови меня печеньем
It has nothing to do with buttered biscuits. It is an expression of happy surprise. – Southern Living
Note: this saying is not rude in English, this doesn’t survive Google Translate too well….
Preachin’ To The Choir
“Preaching to the choir”
Ukrainian: Проповідь хору
Russian: Проповедь в хоре
“Preaching to the choir” is an idiom that means to present an argument or opinion to an audience that already agrees with it. For example, “You don’t need to tell me this project is important; you’re preaching to the choir”. – Google AI
Some AI Image Fun?
All Hat No Cattle
Pushin’ Up Daisies
2 replies on “Talkin’ Texan”
I love idioms, even Texas ones.
Since the party was going on a bit too late one night, a friend of mine said to his wife, “Well, dear, we should get ourselves off to bed so our guests can go home.” Kind of a long version of “Let me let you go.”
And I haven’t checked this, but I am told that “The spirit is strong but the flesh is weak” translated to Russian and back to English becomes: “The vodka is good but the meat is rotten.”
These may be regional, but used in Texas:
“Well, bless your heart” – usually used by someone who disagrees with you but doesn’t want confrontation
“Highway 6 runs both ways” – a very specific Texas A&M saying since Highway 6 was the main road to College Station. It specifically means, that if you don’t like A&M or it’s traditions, you should leave.
“Dance with the one that brung ya”. – typically used in a sports context meaning if you are succeeding at the end of the season in playoffs, use the same strategy that got you there
And from Spanish, ‘mas a menos ‘- typically a response when you ask someone how they are or how things are going and things are just ok. Similar to the French response “comme ci, comme ca’. holding one’s hand horizontally in front of you and wiggling your hand at the wrist is combined with the saying.