Evidently on the mean streets of Oslo, you've got a decent chance of hearing "Texas" in everyday conversation. Maybe in reference to what is happening in the Eurozone. Maybe actually in reference to the great state of Texas (probably in regard to our open carry gun laws).
As Texas Monthly reported, in Norwegian slang "Texas" means "crazy:
"Usually, when the word 'texas'—as an adjective, most often without capitalization—appears in Norwegian, the context involves the phrase, 'det var helt texas,' which translates to, roughly, 'it was totally/absolutely/completely bonkers.' You wouldn't call a person 'totally texas'—it usually describes a chaotic atmosphere."
Interesting. But where did it come from?
Well, according to the Texas State Historical Society and the Norwegian American Historical Association, the first Norseman in Texas was Johannes Nordboe. He and his family moved to your very own Dallas County in 1841.
Other Norwegians followed establishing communities in Van Zandt, Cherokee, and Kaufman counties between 1846 and 1853.
Texas was very much a cowboy state during this time, so it seems to be no surprise that it would become synonymous with the idea of being crazy or wild. Some commenters online say in their regional dialect it is also used to mean something is "big." Logical, Norwegians, logical.
We've reached out for comment from some Nordic friends of GuideLive for comment.
In the meantime, if you're looking to get in touch with your inner Norwegian, we recommend reaching out to the Norwegian Society of Texas. The Dallas-area chapter is known as Viking — can it get better than that?
