UTRGV professor and radio host to be present at MOSTHistory Oct. 15
The Museum of South Texas History, a museum chronicling the borderland heritage of South Texas and Northeastern Mexico, welcomes Dr. W. F. Strong to present “The Texas Dialect and Texcentric Tendencies” on Sunday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. Strong’s presentation will be the exploration of Texans’ dialog and its unique lingo from “Y’all” to “Fixin’ to” and the linguistic curiosities like the Texas Diphthong and standard “mispronunciations” among – some – Texans. 
Strong was raised working on farms and ranches in South Texas cultivating a long connection with Texas soil, as did his ancestors who farmed and ranched in North Texas for more than a century. Two of his distant relatives signed the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico. This familial history has nurtured his love for the vibrancy of Texas culture, both historical and modern.
Because of his fascination and love for Texas, Strong developed brief, often humorous, sometimes dramatic radio vignettes called Stories from Texas. These short radio vignettes seek to celebrate the Texas character in all its toughness, to showcase poignant passages from the vast literature this land has produced, to provide a narrative for Texas pride, entrepreneurial success, and Texas mythology. His stories reminisce about the nostalgic Texas of long ago, but are not dusty old tales from the trail, amounting to historical drudgery. They are classic tales told in a contemporary language and style. Many stories celebrate modern Texas, from Blue Bell Ice Cream to Whataburger, to Texas on Facebook. The stories celebrate Texas’ charismatic culture and reveal the diverse forces that forged it.
Strong is a Fulbright Scholar and Professor of Communication at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. He was raised in Texas and holds degrees in Communication and Literature from Abilene Christian University and the University of North Texas. His doctorate is in Communication and Rhetoric from the University of Arizona. He wrote his dissertation on Mark Twain’s Speaking, where he developed his intense interest in storytelling as an art form.
Sunday Speakers Series is included in the fee for regular museum admission. FRIENDS of the Museum are admitted free as a benefit of FRIENDship.
This program is made possible with generous support from the Carmen C. Guerra Endowment. Mrs. Guerra was deeply committed to supporting educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley. This named endowment was created at the museum by her family to honor her memory and to continue her commitment to providing opportunities for education to the community.
About Museum of South Texas History
The Museum of South Texas History is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is located in downtown Edinburg at 200 North Closner Boulevard on the Hidalgo County Courthouse square. Hours of operation are from 1 p.m.–5 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. Founded in 1967 as the Hidalgo County Historical Museum in the 1910 Hidalgo County Jail, the museum has grown over the decades through a series of expansions to occupy a full city block. In 2003 following the completion of a 22,500 square foot expansion, the museum was renamed the Museum of South Texas History to better reflect its regional scope. Today, the museum preserves and presents the borderland heritage of South Texas and Northeastern Mexico through its permanent collection and the Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archives and exhibits spanning prehistory through the 20th century. For more information about MOSTHistory, including becoming a FRIEND, visit MOSTHistory.org, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter, find on Google+ or call +1-956-383-6911.