1. Country
What it means everywhere else: A rural area or a popular genre of music.
What it means in Dallas: Anyone living in Texas, but outside of Dallas. Country can also refer to places and things that seem a little less urban than Dallas residents are used to.
2. Millionaire
What it means everywhere else: Someone who has made at least a million dollars.
What it means in Dallas: Sometimes it means a 30K millionaire, someone who lives way above their means in an attempt to keep up with the Joneses.
3. Summer
What it means everywhere else: The best months of the year to spend time outside enjoying the sun.
What it means in Dallas: The months of the year where being outside in the sun makes you feel like your face is going to melt off.
4. Margarita
What it means everywhere else: A refreshing summer cocktail made with tequila, triple sec, and lime or lemon juice.
What it means in Dallas: The refreshing drink of choice (year round) of everyone in Dallas, often served in a gigantic fishbowl or frozen (which, P.S., was invented here).
5. Fort Worth
What it means everywhere else: A major city in Texas that’s close to Dallas.
What it means in Dallas: That place you absolutely refuse to go, even if their zoo is maybe sort of better.
6. Austin
What it means everywhere else: That one super hip city with all the art, music, and culture in Texas.
What it means in Dallas: Ack. Bunch of grimy hippies.
7. Dallasite
What it means everywhere else: Someone from Dallas.
What it means in Dallas: Someone from Dallas or Plano or Mesquite or Oak Point or Prosper or Irving or Allen…
8. Boots
What it means everywhere else: Great practical footwear for winter that comes in a variety of styles.
What it means in Dallas: Cowboy boots, always and forever. And hey, they’re not country… well maybe they’re a little country… but they’re cute.
9. Brunch
What it means everywhere else: A late breakfast or early lunch, sometimes eaten on a Sunday.
What it means in Dallas: A lifestyle.
10. Cowboys
What it means everywhere else: People who ride around on horseback and tend to cattle, or characters from an old western film.
What it means in Dallas: The best football team in the land.
11. Cheerleaders
What it means everywhere else: Women who cheer on a team with choreographed dances and chants.
What it means in Dallas: Like 95% of why people go to Dallas Cowboy games.
12. Speed Limit
What it means everywhere else: The maximum speed you’re allowed to drive in a certain area, indicated by signs along the road.
What it means in Dallas: A suggestion.
13. TexMex
What it means everywhere else: Slightly less spicy tacos.
What it means in Dallas: The original fusion food. A beautiful and delicious blending of two cultures. The most wonderful thing on Earth.
14. Barney
What it means everywhere else: The lovable purple dinosaur who taught you all about good manners and sharing with friends as a child.
What it means in Dallas: All of the above, plus you get to brag about how Barney was invented in Dallas. Everything awesome was invented in Dallas. See: the frozen margarita above.
15. Scrimp
What it means everywhere else: As in, “to scrimp and save.”
What it means in Dallas: Just another way to pronounce shrimp.
16. Marge
What it means everywhere else: The name of your favorite aunt, or favorite Simpsons character.
What it means in Dallas: Shorthand for the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.
17. Bomb Factory
What it means everywhere else: World War II.
What it means in Dallas: The most awesome place to see live music ever.
18. BBQ Sauce
What it means everywhere else: A good marinade or condiment for meat.
What it means in Dallas: Sweet and beautiful nectar of the gods that you’ll literally eat on anything.
19. Fox and Otter
What it means everywhere else: Two seemingly unrelated animals.
What it means in Dallas: The most delicious spicy and sweet and amazing locally made pickles on the planet, and the best-kept secret ingredient to any burger.
20. Malls
What it means everywhere else: Big indoor or outdoor shopping centers with major brands.
What it means in Dallas: Something to do for an entire weekend.
21. Smoke
What it means everywhere else: That bad habit you picked up in college and have been kind of trying to kick ever since.
What it means in Dallas: The awesome restaurant you take all your first dates to impress them.
22. Conspiracy
What it means everywhere else: A generally unbelievable theory that verges on obsession.
What it means in Dallas: What you’ll start believing in if you visit the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.
23. Big D
What it means everywhere else: A phrase that makes you chuckle.
What it means in Dallas: Home sweet home.
Did we miss anything? Share words that mean something entirely different in Dallas in the comments below!
