How To Speak Texan: Southern Idioms in Fly Boy

One of the fun things about Fly Boy, as a native Southerner, was being able to use some of the fun idioms from down home. It’s a tricky process, to give flavor, while not going over the top, bludgeoning the reader with them, and I’m so grateful for my early readers, to help me dial that in!

Just for fun, here’s a quick guide (some of these made the cut, and there are others in the story not listed here):

A Hill of Beans: A piddly amount, not enough to help the situation. “That don’t amount to a hill of beans.”

As All Get Out: a modifier, meaning “hugely,” as in “funny as all get out.”

Cattywampus: askew, off-kilter. “It done knocked my picture cattywampus.”

Burnin’ daylight: wasting time. “Let’s hit the road; we’re burnin’ daylight.”

A Possum on a Stump: a fantastic situation, because dinner is right there for the taking, instead of having to hunt it down (note: no possums or other animals are harmed in this story).

Y’all: plural for “you,” whether that’s two or a whole stadium. It’s a contraction for “you all,” so that’s why the apostrophe is placed there. “All y’all” is redundant but used for emphasis. “All y’all need to step away from the last cookie, you hear?”

Might could: either “maybe” or “sure I will,” depending on context. “I might could use another beer, come to think of it.”

Do what? means “I beg your pardon; I didn’t hear that.”

That just dills my pickle: this is a good thing. This one makes me laugh but is just too inuendo-laden …

My druthers: my wishes, my way. “If I had my druthers, we’d skedaddle before that storm blows up.”

Fixin’ to: about to. “Let her be; she’s fixin’ to pitch a fit.”

Over yonder: over there. Often accompanied by a nod, “over yonder” can be close as across the room or in another town. Can be modified with “way over yonder.”

I hope all y’all will enjoy the story!