Texan English

Texan English is a dialect of Southern American English. Because of Texas's unique history and immigration background, it is often assumed that Texas English is unique as well. However, linguistically speaking, very few features of Texas English do not also occur elsewhere. What makes a "Texas accent" stand apart somewhat from the rest of the South, is the "confluence of its influences". As the most extensive recent study ever undertaken on the subject puts it: "The most basic explanation of a Texas accent is that it's a Southern accent with a twist." This "twist" is the blending result of the major features of the Deep South and Upper South coming into contact with one another, as well as the notable influence derived from an early Spanish speaking population along with that of German immigrants.

Texan English contains a variety of different characteristics which are on no account universal and each Texan may speak only some of these characteristics or even none. Just as there is no single "Southern accent", there is no single "Texas accent." The drawl of the Lower South has more influence in East Texas, while the "twang" of the Upper South left a greater imprint on West Texas. In South Texas, particularly, the Spanish and Mexican characteristics are heavily combined with that of the others. The El Paso area has stronger ties to New Mexican English and the dialects of the Southwest.