Are You Sure You Really Know What Texas Means?

Every Texan knows what Texas means and, thanks to the lone star states worldwide appeal, most non-Texans do too. At least one country sees it differently though ...

It's history is really kind of a mashup of both Spanish and Native American languages and while they sound a little different, the word means the same thing to both.

The Texas State Historical Association says the word totally predates Texas, as a place, and has different spellings including tejas, tayshas, texias and techas to name a few.

The Native Americans of East Texas were using variants of the word long before the Spanish got there and they didn't show up until around the 1600's.

I'm no historian but I think I remember learning that date in junior high so, I'm sticking to it. Anyway, the meaning of the word is friends or, perhaps, "allies".

"Friends" is the translation that not only survived, it sparked the Texas motto: "The Friendly State".

It does take on different meanings though, depending on who you ask. Different strokes for different folks, 'ya know?

A lot of people use it to just mean "big". A couple of examples would be: that building's as big as Texas or that steak is Texas big.

In other parts of the world though, like the Netherlands, it means something completely different.

When they say Texas in the Netherlands, what they're talking about kinda defines the word. A reference to the 2nd largest state in the USA means just that ... the state.

Otherwise, to them, it means "crazy". Someone jumps naked into a frozen lake, they're "Texas". Scaling El Paso skyscrapers without ropes or a parachute? That's "Texas".

Evel Knievel? Totally Texas.  Keep that in mind if you run into anyone from the Netherlands and, hopefully, take it as I do ... as a compliment. After all, we do think and act a little different 'round these parts.