I told my cousin that everytime i didn't know the answer I just guessed Goliad.........because it seemed that Goliad was a choice in so many answers (LOL).............let's put it this way.........i wouldn't have passed the course...................but it was fun..............
What IS Texas Pride?
Well I would say I didn't do all that bad on the test ....not the greatest but hey I am new to Texas so it was pretty much guessing LOL
your score is 33%!
A score that shows you were awake for portions of your Texas history lessons during high school, but for the majority of the time was daydreaming of being somewhere else.
Betty, thanks for the link about the Oak society. We have 2 oaks that I think might qualify. That's a really neat idea.:)
Well, accordin' to that first test, I am 85% Dixie, but as far as I know I don't have any Confederate ancestors from Texas. My Dad's family came from Mississippi after the civil war. Come to think of it, I'm not really sure when my Mom's family came from the Carolinas. I guess I should find that out. I thought that question about the feeder roads was the most interesting. Dad always called them feeder roads and I never heard the term frontage road til I met DH in college. Still trying to figure out why it's a common term in Houston and the Great Lakes. I am curious where the other terms are used.
Well I'm no expert but I have always known them as frontage roads but use other terms too as in the test.
they care called frontage the way I understand it is because they are per say "in front" of the businesses that are there before you get to the highway.
but then feeder roads is a correct term as they are roads that feed into the highways or off the highway into a town.
to me an access road or service road is one that gets you to the back of a business that is on the highway..such as in Illinois we have "overpasses/oasis" that have restaurants, gas stations, bathrooms and to get to them without going on the interstates you use the service road or access road to get to them those roads are used by the employees that work there or by the cops/fire dept. to get in if they are called.
HEB has a true monopoly in the San Antonio area. Before the other major grocery chains left, the customer service and variety of items was better at HEB than it is now. Then since they have had no competition to speak of (mostly a few supertargets, superwalmarts, Sun Harvest Farms and scattered very small local stores), customer service often sucks and the little comment cards rarely get a response...I suspect they don't even read most of them. They even started charging more if you wanted meat cut up by the butcher. I love Sun Harvest Farms, but can't get to one real often so sometimes I buy a half dozen boxes of my favorite cereal when I go by there.
I wadn't slamming HEB ~ just picking... 8 )) I liked ours (35 miles away) too till they closed their doors. Our little chain grocery has the crappiest produce. Bear in mind I like to purchase that which I can't grow. I have been told the "good stuff" is sent to where the money is. How economically depressing is that!
Re: unfriendly attitudes. We have carried Texas friends with us to Mn and they frequently were amazed at how rude the northerners were. I suspect those folks are abrupt because of the climate they endure for 2/3rds of the year. It makes them surly, short tempered and rude. That is said by one that LOVES the long hot days of Texas summers!
Here we have HEB, a super Walmart and a crappy Super-S. The Super-S smells sour all over the store. I went there once probably 15 years ago. No reason to go back and don't know why anybody does. The super Walmart just opened about a year ago. I don't buy many groceries there because they don't have organic produce and not much else that I buy. The HEB reliably has organic produce and a very good selection of other things that normally I would only find at a health food store, but the prices are high. Albertsons was trying to build a store here about 5 years ago and we heard that HEB muscled them out. Supposedly Albertson's was told by HEB that they would not be able to hire anybody to work in their store. That is totally believable because I know the competition for labor in this town in fierce.
Podster, do the northerners seem offended by the friendliness of Texans? I think you're right about the weather affecting their behavior. But I've met so many northerners on DG that don't seem rude at all. So maybe everybody is "that way" except gardeners?:)
LOL ~ I don't rightly think they are offended by "our " friendly demeanor, rather taken back by it. Odd because I also notice a difference in the posts of folks from the north and from the west coast. If is not a rudeness but an abruptness. Could be taken as unfriendly but not really meant that way...
Yes I noticed Texas does seem to be limited in the grocery market. To bad. Where I grew up we had about 5 chains in the town, none mom and pop small places---unless you want a specialty fruit/meat market then we had those to.
But it just encourages me to grow as much produce as I can for myself and we hope to get a new veg garden in next year!
Hey Pod in reply to why northerners are not as "friendly" ....I know for me I always tried to smile and nod if nothing else to people I pass on the street but they are in such a hurry to get where they are going for whatever they have to do they don't pay attention.
they are so absorbed in their own little world they don't' pay attention...to worried about who might be trying to pick pocket them or something. Bigger towns/cities have so many people it is hard to get to know people.
It may not be that they aren't friendly they are just over cautious.
You go tot the store on a mission to get groceries or something you want to get in and out away from the crowd.
I personally like it better when you go to a store and they greet you and help you. I like the fact the bank I go to here says hi how ya doin' tells em their name (drive up) and says they will have it right out for me and then say have a good weekend or whatever and I reply the same and they say why thank you.
You don't feel afraid to ask questions cause you know they will be happy to help ya out.
Makes me wonder why I waited so long to move here.
Northern big city folks don't even want to look you in the eye. I don't have lots of experience in southern big cities except for the Houston medical center. There, folks were wonderful. Smiling, talking to you, willing to give directions, courteous in traffic. Think it was because we were all in the same boat ~ lol.
OTOH, small towns can't be beat. DH was slow to get released from a Houston hospital on a weekend. The discharge nurse kept stressing the need to get his meds filled. She knew our small pharmacy closed on Saturday afternoon. I told her when we got home (around 6pm) I was going to call our pharmicist and he would meet me at the drugstore to fill them. She could not believe they would do that. And they did and they would any time day or night. Love small town atmospheres as well at TEXAS! 8 ))))
Well I certainly don't want to bash or hurt feelings of people outside of Texas. I think Texas has a lot to offer, a huge range, when it comes to landscape, home prices, ethnicities, etc. But I didn't grow up in Texas. I came here for the warm weather and that's the reason I stay. But I still love other places to. I've been fortunate to find friendly folk and stick-to-themselves folk every where I've been.
I think that friendliness has a lot to do with the size of the town. We need to be carefull not to smear everyone from other states with the same dirty paint brush. I have met some very rude Houstonians and Austinites as well as some very friendly ones, but nothing much beats the small town friendliness of small town Texas. This isn't to say that it doesn't exist elsewhere. My DH and I lived outside New Richmond, Ohio for 4 years and you'd be pressed to find a nicer and friendlier village and area anywhere. Among the many friendly overtures, the owners of the small drug store special ordered and stocked the baby formula we needed for our son. It could only be ordered from California. Neighbors always looked after each other, dropping by to make sure everything was OK if we hadn't been seen in church or in town for a while. I was floored the first time it happened. A neighbor wanted to to know if my DH was alright since the grass was getting a little tall and she knew that it was always trimmed. I explained that my DH was out of town, that the lawn tractor had broken and we were waiting for a part. Within the hour, her husband was mowing our lawn so that my DH could take his time in fixing the mower when he returned from his trip.
betty, that is so sweet! what good neighbors you have! thank-you for reminding us not to "smear" outsiders, if we are friendly we want to uphold that image for sure! small towns...sigh....oh how I wish to live in one...someday....well near one at least...I want to own a real piece of Texas and not a "lot".
There's good and there's bad in any small town. I've lived in a few small Texas towns and I always knew that, even as a child. No town is perfect. At this stage in my life I seem to like the rural countryside best to live in and a city or large town to visit or shop in. But I want to stay in Texas where it doesn't get too cold and most people don't think I talk "funny".
Why Linda you don't talk funny at all you have lived in Texas all your life right?
I am the one that talks funny cause I haven't been here long enough yet to have the slang and accent sneak in on me.
Small town life anywhere U.S.A. can be just as friendly and helpful as texans it just takes a lil longer to get to know the neighbors and the town.
My daughter just sent this to me in email and I had to share it hopefully y'all won't bust a gut too bad reading it.
remember I just moved from there to here. lol
You Might Live In Illinois
If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March, you might live in Illinois.
If someone in a store offers you assistance & they don't work there, you might live in Illinois.
If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, you might live in Illinois.
If you have ever worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you might live in Illinois.
If your town has an equal number of bars and churches, you might live in Illinois.
If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Illinois.
YOU KNOW YOU ARE A TRUE Illinoisan WHEN:
1. Vacation means going north or south on I-55 for the weekend.
2. You measure distance in hours.
3. You know several people who have hit a deer more than once.
4. You often switch from heat to AC in the same day and back again.
5. You drive 65 mph through a raging blizzard, without flinching.
6. You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including weddings).
7. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.
8. You carry jumper cables in your car and know how to use them.
9. You design your kids Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.
10. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.
11. You know all 5 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, road construction, & It's Hot.
12. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to a blue spruce.
13. "Down south" means Missouri.
14. A brat is something you eat.
15. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole shed.
16. You go out to a tailgate party every Friday.
17. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car.
18. You find 0 degrees a "little chilly."
19. You know the difference between corn and soy beans at a glance.
20. You do not consider Chicago to be a part of Illinois.
21. A "hill" is any landmass higher than 20 feet above sea level.
22. You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Illinois friends. What's not to understand?
Gotta relate a story:
When the "oil-patch" died in early 80's, wound up unemployed - took a job that required a move to Denver, CO. We had fly-in support from some of the employees from Houston. I mildly complained, that it was nice and fun to wonder around the mountains, but it "wasn't Texas". One of the guys said, "It's OK, you just need to be happy where you are". Two years later - another move with the company to LA,CA. Same consultant flew in to help, and asked what I thought of CA - same answer - "OK, but it ain't Texas".
Finally 2 more years and relocated to Houston. Had been here about a month when I heard from the same man - he had left the company and reloacted to Savannah, GA. First words he spoke, "It ain't Texas!". We both had a good laugh - told me he was on his way back to Corpus Christi. (He was born in Refugio).
There is definately "something" about this state.
Interesting link:
http://www.texasthebigpicture.com/mediasynopsis.shtml
Good Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMhaehb5AnE
But what I haven't figured out about Texas is...
Why is Humble pronounced Umble
Houston isn't pronounced Uston
Joaquin pronounced Waukeen
Jasper isn't pronounced Asper
Refugio pronounced Refurio...
...easy to get confused in Texas ~ 8 ))
Bronc neat links thanks
Pod I agree the way things are pronounced are different and can be confusing.
but then each everywhere has things like that
I tease my boss about the way he says chaffing dish I pronounce it so the Ch sounds.....umm how to explain it ... like sh and he makes it sound like like when your boots are chaffing your legs from rubbing them raw..make sense? hehehe
pod good questions. took me awhile to remember to call sequin, "sea-geen"
and bexar, lol, sometimes i still think of it as bex-are not BEAR of all things.
Hey pod, the "H" is silent at the beginning of a word in the spanish language....I think some of the pronunciations are a holdover of that because spanish used to be the language of Texas when it belonged to Mexico. You have the correct spanish pronunciation of Joaquin so that shouldn't be a suprise.
wow how does everyone else say houston? i think i use the H?
Our roots are under Six Flags....depends on what flag was flying when the area was named....hence the different pronunciations. A great deal are of Mexican derivitive because we were once Tejas. Pronounced teh-has. The "j" in spanish is an "h" sound. With people from everywhere settling here many are very garbled from the original sounds.
Always know when we have "furiners" when we hear Waxahachie sound like Waax-ahachie.
Indian name. S/B wahx-ahachie. Mexia.....mu-haya.......Bexar....another spanish word..Bay-her. Sam Houston was president of the Republic of Texas therefore, pronounced as his sir name. Joaquin is a spanish word......j at the beginning of a word has a slight "w" sound and an "h" sound in other places.....ui is always ee. Lots of people say su-geen or sea-geen....depending on where they came from. We native Texans speak in a flat monoton and that effects a lot of things.
The H is correct. I was posting while you were.
Spain (1519-1685; 1690-1821)
France (1685-1690)
Mexico (1821-1836)
Republic of Texas (1836-1845)
Confederate States of America (1861-1865)
United States of America (1845-1861; 1865- )
Texas is the only state allowed to fly the flag side by side with the US as we were a Republic and volunteerily joined the Union.
Tejas is the Spanish version of a Caddo Indian term meaning Friends or Allies. From that word derived the state motto.....FRIENDSHIP
LouC you must have a background in history and language. That is very interesting and now makes alot of sense. We understand how to pronounce in the acceptable way but now I know why ~ thank you!
Now if only we could unvoluntarily unjoin the union... 8 )
It is Hou -ston here, but there is a street in Boston, MA pronounced House - ton. Also a family name.
The Republic had a bigger consulate in London than the US.
As for un-joining - we did reserve the right to split the state int 4-5 states. Think of congress with 8 TX senators - lol.
Bring it on!
In my day the school curriculum was very different. From 3rd grade we had Texas history first and then World history......all the way through high school. Two years of high school Spanish taught me mainly how to conjugate verbs.....it was also high Spanish not street language....therefore, not many learned to speak Spanish. I can understand sometimes if I get the main words.....can read it fairly well....have Mexican neighbors and friends and they laugh when my Texas monoton tries to speak so I don't try anymore. I think French is the most beautiful language of the world and would love to learn it. Guess I just need to make a priority.
BTW....Texas History was class all by itself.....for 30 minutes or an hour depending on what grade level.
Have to becareful how I word this........there is someone of great prominence that does NOT represent the Texas manner of speaking at all. Never have the faintest idea what is being said. Seldom try.
Lou, times haven't changed too much. I had a full hour of Texas History everyday in 7th grade. Coach Stevens was one of the best teachers I ever had and he loved teaching Texas History! His classroom was jam packed full of cool Texas memorabelia and I remember watching "The Alamo" and "Lonesome Dove" in his class. I learned alot from him.
Lou, if you're talking about who I think you're talking about, I think he's hilarious! We may not want to go there.
You are right.....nuff said or I will be closed down. Terry watches that sort of thing.
So... where does San Jacinto fit into the scheme of pronunciation? Logically, San is Hispanic but Jacinto is pronounced with the hard J even by the best of Texans.
LouC ~ my youngest stepdaughter spent a year in college in France majoring in Intl business and French. She loves all things French and has been back a few times. Her youngest daughter is in a French immersion school at the age of five. It is far easier for the young to be bilingual.
Llano is another one that gets an "L" rather than a "Y" sound.
Double 'l' s/b "y" in Spanish.