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The drawn-out drawl of a Texan accent is one of the best known accents in America, through its unique sound and popularization through western TV and movies. The varieties of Texas accents are similar to other country mid-west accents, and also shares similarities with a Southern accent. Of course, there is no single “Texas accent.” Texas is a large state, and each region has a distinctive manner of speech. If you want to imitate some of the most well known features of Texan accents, you’ll need to understand the sound and vowel distinctions of Texan speech, and learn some common Texas vocabulary.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Altering Vowel Sounds to Sound Texan

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  1. Like most vowels in a Texan accent, move the pronunciation of “i” to the back of your mouth, where it will lose the “ee” sound of a non-Texan “i” pronunciation, and take the aspirated “hhh” of Southern and Texan speech. In general, Texan vowels are homogenized and made to sound like one another.[1]
    • For example: “I’m taykin’ a look” becomes “Ah’m taykin’ a look.” To get to “ah’m” sound, just draw out the letter “i” and shape the vowel in the back of your mouth. It also helps to aspirate (breathe out when pronouncing) the “h” sound in “ah’m.”
    • Use “ah” instead of the long “i” when pronouncing the first-person pronoun.
  2. You can’t just drop a “g” sound when it’s part of a multisyllabic word, so to sound Texan, change the “ee” sound to an “aahh” sound. When the “-ing” is found within a word, say ‘-ang’.
    • For example, “singing” would be pronounced: “sang-in’.”
    • Do not drop “middle” g’s, again: “swinging” is “swayng-in’.”
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  3. This is a classic hallmark of a Texan accent—and of Southern accents in general.[2] In a Texan accent, the open vowel sound of “i” (pronounced in the front of the mouth with the front of the tongue), and the “eee” sound (made by pushing your tongue up and forward) both move to the back of the mouth and tongue.
    • To this effect, the words “pen” and “pin” should sound identical. Both are pronounced like “pin.”
  4. In what is often the most over-exaggerated aspect of the Texan accent, the “a” vowel (and others, when pronounced similarly) is drawn out into a soft “y” sound in the famous Texas drawl.
    • If you want to practice the feeling of the pronunciation, pick a word with a long “a” sound, like “brain.” As you pronounce the “a,” lift your tongue back and up in your mouth, so the word sounds more like “brayyn.”
    • Even in multisyllabic words like “toothpaste,” linger on the “ay” sound in the middle of the word: “tooth-paayste.”
    • When imitating a Texas accent, avoid focusing solely on the drawl. This effect is often stereotyped, and sometimes used for negative comedy or to make the Texas accent sound unintelligent or uneducated.
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Part 2
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Adjusting Your Pronunciation

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  1. This is the most effective means to alter the shape of your mouth and the placement of your tongue, in order to achieve the almost-nasal quality of a Texas accent.[3]
    • This jaw and tongue placement will also make your vowel pronunciation sound more Texan, as it will flatten the vowel sounds (make them all sound more alike).
  2. People with a heavy Texan accent almost always drop the g’s in their speech.[4] Part of the reason for this is due to the drawn-out vowels of Texan speech; it’s hard to pronounce a strong “g” at the end of a word with a long vowel.
    • For example: “I’m taking a book” becomes “I’m taykin’ a book.”
  3. Due to Texas’s function as a linguistic “melting pot” and strong regional differences in accent and pronunciation, the same words will be pronounced differently across the state. The Spanish language influences both vocabulary and pronunciation in the southwest part of Texas; Spanish terms like “Gracias” and “amigo” are liberally used in Texan English.[5]
    • Texas speakers add and drop sounds from words, for example: “bowie” is pronounced like “boo-wie.” [6] The best way to learn which pronunciations to change is to listen to Texans speak and imitate their inflections.
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Part 3
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Learning Texan Slang

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  1. An important part of a Texan dialect and accent is the slang that Texan speakers use—more specifically, the means by which Texan speakers create their dialect and slang.[7] To some, Texas slang may sound mashed together or slurred.
    • For example, in what is perhaps the most well-known Texan/Southern slang term, say “y’all” instead of “you all.”
    • The polite replies “yes, sir” and “no, sir” are shortened in to “yessir” and “nosir.”
  2. Texan speech, even aside from its pronunciation and vowel inflections, is rich and imaginative. Speakers often replace literal statements with country-tinged metaphors, which results in humorous and expressive phrases.[8] You can say things like:
    • “I wouldn’t trust [person] any farther than I could throw him!” This simply means that you don’t trust the individual.
    • “I’m madder than a wet hen!” This means you’re furious.
    • “More [object] than you can shake a stick at.” This means that you have large quantities of the stated object.
  3. “Fixin’” is used in two senses: the common use of “to repair” (“This weekend I’m fixin’ my car.”) and the Texas-specific meaning of “intending to do something.”[9] If someone has a plan to complete a future activity, they’ll use “fixin’” to indicate their intent: “I’m fixin’ to visit the lake this weekend.”
    • “Fixin’” is also commonly used to refer to food, specifically dressings and sauces. If you order your hamburger with “all the fixin’s,” you’ll receive onions, relish, cheese, tomato, ketchup, and mustard, among other options.
  4. Especially among younger and well-educated Texans, the majority of technical, academic, and business terms are learned in school, so the pronunciation will match up with standard American pronunciation.
    • “Home spun” wordings from childhood are more likely to fall into the categories of colloquialism or jargon. Vegetables are commonly referred to as “produce,” but pronounced “perduce.”
  5. Since Texas is a large and well-populated state, influenced on its east side by the dialects of the South, on its inland areas by the Midwest accent, and on its south and west by Mexican Spanish, it’s no surprise that there are major accent dialect and accent differences within the state.[10]
    • Dallas, as one of the largest Texan cities, also has a unique accent.
    • Since all major Texan cities have seen large amounts of international (and inter-state) immigration in recent decades, many traditional accent and speech patterns are no longer frequently found among people under 40.[11]
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    How do I pronounce "girl"?
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    I'm a Texan and I pronounce it "grr-earl." Just make a short "grr" sound, followed by "earl."
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    Is Texan a language?
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    No, Texan is not a language.
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    Texans drive cars. Some Texans can ride horses, but that's by no means the majority means of transportation.
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Tips

  • “s” and the “x” are pronounced clearly and sharply. Think of pronouncing these as you would pronounce “ss” and “xs.”
  • Learn basic Spanish- words like “mi familia” “sí” “gracias” and a very useful phrase, “cállete”, it will help you understand Texans better, especially San Antonio and El Paso.
  • The “r” is always heavy and strong like “ahr,” or “awr.”

Tips from our Readers

  • Actual Texan here. If you want a few basic rules to speak like a Texan and you don't want to make things complicated, just stretch your words and say "y'all" a lot.
  • Never assume a Texas accent is related to a lack of formal education. It's an offensive stereotype. A lot of Texans are highly educated.
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Warnings

  • Make sure to be personally and culturally sensitive when practicing a Texan accent. If you over-pronounce the accent or do it around strangers, it could sound like you’re mocking the accent.
  • Not all Texans have an accent. The educated, urban young people usually don’t have as much of an accent as do older, more rural generations.
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About This Article

Patrick Muñoz
Co-authored by:
Voice & Speech Coach
This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz. Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. This article has been viewed 334,809 times.
18 votes - 83%
Co-authors: 32
Updated: November 26, 2024
Views: 334,809
Categories: Imitating Accents
Article SummaryX

If you want to imitate a Texan accent, you’ll need to change how you say your vowels. Instead of saying “I,” lengthen it so it becomes “aahh.” When you have a long “A” sound in a word, like “brain,” draw out the vowel and add a subtle “Y” to create the Texas drawl, making the word sound something like “brayyn.” Whenever you say a word ending in “G,” drop the “G” sound. You should also introduce common slang terms into your speech. Say “Y’all” instead of “You all,” or “Yessir” instead of “Yes sir.” Another important word to use is “Fixin’,” which can mean planning to do something as well as repairing something. For example, you could say “I’m fixin’ to go to the lake this weekend,” or “I’m fixin’ my car.” For tips on how to pick up on regional variations in pronunciation, read on!

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