TEXAS - Why Do Texans Say Howdy so Often? In place of greeting people directly with hello, Texas natives frequently use "howdy." It's an informal greeting that works well when combined with "Hey all!" at the end - "Howdy all!"
How Come Texans Say Howdy a Lot?
The saying, or yee haw, is also commonly used by cowboys in the Lone Star State. It's a widely accepted greeting among true Texans and an excellent way to start a conversation with someone. It's not a direct quote from Woody, the cowboy from Toy Story.
Initially, "howdy" was just an abbreviated form of "how to do ye? As southerners settled across Texas and brought with them their distinct accent, "howdy" soon became part of Texas culture - so much so that Googling "howdy" will return more results than Googling "hello."; after all, Big Tex first says each year at State Fair of Texas, "Howdy folks, welcome to the fair!"...what better way is there than that to greet the world?
Other distinctively Texasan expressions include "over yonder" (over there) and "pitch a hissy fit" (a dramatic reaction). Don't try correcting someone on this point either - they will likely laugh it off!
