Wait, What? Norway is Using “Texas” as a Slang Word?

If you are from Texas, you know it can get a little crazy out here sometimes.

I have lived in the Lone Star State my whole life and was born in the farthest point west you can go, El Paso, TX. One thing I preach about good ol' Texas is the farther west or south you go, the more wild it gets.

I wasn't surprised when I heard that a Northern European country uses "Texas" as a slang word, and when I heard the meaning behind it, I wasn't mad at it.

What country uses "texas" as a slang word?

The last place that I thought would even know about Texas is Norway.

According to BBC, Norwegians use it in daily conversations. The phrase it's often used in is "Der var helt texas!" What does that translate to? "That was very completely/totally Texas!"

What does it mean?

It is a slang term for "wild" or "crazy", used to describe a chaotic environment.

Let's say you go to a party and it got a little wild. You could say, "That party last night was totally Texas!"

Get our free mobile app

How did Norwegians start using it as slang?

It started being used because Norwegians started to watch cowboy movies and read Western literature. Westerns became really popular and of course many took place in Texas. Soon it became a symbol of something out of control and lawless.

In modern Norway, the phrase has evolved since its popularity. Now, they say "helt texas," which translates to "completely crazy."

When I first read this I couldn't believe it. All I could think was "That's helt texas!"