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October 8, 2006

“I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could!”

"I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could!" is a popular bumper sticker that dates from at least 1994. T-Shirts N TexasI Wasn't Born in TexasAll Texans accept…

June 3, 2024
Work/Businesses

“I wish I’d paid better attention during my first rodeo”

“This ain’t my first rodeo” (or "This is not my first rodeo") is a popular saying. It is an expression that means “I wasn’t born yesterday” (I’m not naive in these matters),…

June 3, 2024
Work/Businesses

“I wish I’d paid more attention during my first rodeo”

“This ain’t my first rodeo” (or "This is not my first rodeo") is a popular saying. It is an expression that means “I wasn’t born yesterday” (I’m not naive in these matters),…

November 27, 2006

“I wish it would rain—not for me cuz I’ve seen it, but for my 7-year-old”

Texas has many heat jokes. "I wish it would rain -- not so much for me, because I've seen it, but for my seven-year-old" is an old joke that dates from at least the 1940s. Google…

October 25, 2007

“I’ll sign anything except bad legislation” (Kinky Friedman)

When author/musician Kinky Friedman ran for governor of Texas in 2005-2006, many people asked for his autograph. "I'll sign anything except bad legislation" was an often-used…

August 2, 2007

“I’m from Texas. What country are you from?”

"I'm from Texas. What country are you from?" has appeared on bumper stickers since the 1990s. Texas used to be a country; some people believe it still is. StickerZombie.comI'M…

January 3, 2007
Pets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

“I’m like horse manure in a rodeo (i.e., everywhere)” (Liz Smith)

Liz Smith (1923-2017) a nationally syndicated gossip columnist. She's based in New York City, but she was born in Fort Worth, Texas and educated at the University of Texas (Austin). Every once…

January 11, 2012

“I’ll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one”

“I’ll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one” has been cited in print since at least September 2011 and was popularly used on signs in the Occupy Wall Street movement during…

March 16, 2011

“If a barbecue place has a drive-through, it probably isn’t good”

"If a barbecue place has a drive-through, it probably isn't good/authentic" is a barbecue saying that probably can't be dated. Barbecue celebrates "low and slow"…

July 20, 2019

“If a cowboy dies and comes back to life, is it called reintarnation?”

"Reintarnation" is a portmanteau word from "reincarnation" and "tarnation." There are several cowboy jokes that use the term. "When a cowboy dies and is…

November 4, 2006

“If a man can’t curse his friends, whom can he curse?” (Sam Houston)

"If a man can't curse his freinds, whom can he curse?" is allegedly a typical Texan sentiment from Sam Houston. August 1869, Overland Monthly and Out West Magazine, South-Western…

June 28, 2008

“If all the Texas steers were one steer, he would have his front feet in the Gulf of Mexico…”

Texas author Boyce House (1896-1961) is best known for his short, best-selling Texas humor books published during World War II, providing a chuckle to Texans and non-Texans everywhere. House also…

May 21, 2012

“If all you ever do is all you’ve ever done, then all you’ll get is all you ever got”

"If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got" has been cited in print since at least 1984. The saying was used in weight control and wellness,…

January 5, 2011

“If dumb were dirt, you would be about an acre”

"If dumb were dirt, you would be about an acre" is said be some to be a Texas expression; Texas certainly has lots of dirt. Variants of the saying include "you would cover about an…

August 10, 2006

“If English was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for Texas”

"If English was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for Texas schoolchildren" is allegedly the quotation of "Ma" ( or "Pa") Ferguson, at a time when Spanish…

November 27, 2006

“If God didn’t want us to eat meat, he wouldn’t have invented steak sauce”

Texans love barbecue. "If God didn't want us to eat meat, he wouldn't have invented steak sauce" is Texan talk from at least the 1990s. Retrograde.com Posted: 10/16/06 06:58AM…

October 14, 2006

“If God had wanted Texans to ski, He would have given them mountains”

"If God had wanted Texans to ski, He would have given them mountains" is an anti-Texas bumper sticker that appeared in New Mexico and in Colorado in the 1970s. Actually, it was Texas…

October 1, 2007

“If God isn’t a Longhorn, why is the sunset burnt orange?”

"If God isn't a Longhorn, why is the sunset burnt orange?" is a saying used by some fans of the University of Texas Longhorns. The official team color is burnt orange. Similar…

November 17, 2006

“If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent Texas and live in Hell” (Philip Sheridan)

"If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent Texas and live in Hell" is a famous statement of U.S. General Philip Henry Sheridan in 1866. A later account (1883, below) tries to temper the…

January 31, 2009

“If I tell you a hen dips snuff, you can look under its wing”

"If I tell you a hen dips snuff, you can look under its wing (and you'll find a whole can)" is an expression that means the speaker is telling the truth, and it can be checked out.…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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