Page 245 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New Orleans

Phr ASE b OO k  243

Phrase Book

South Louisiana has a rich heritage American words have all been mixed
of blending its disparate cultures, and together into a New Orleans patois. The
New Orleans is no exception. French, following is a list of the most frequently
Spanish, Cajun French, Creole French, used words and phrases, plus a guide
English, German, and even some Native to correct pronunciation.

Words and Phrases
armoire (arm-wah) cupboard or wardrobe gris-gris (gree-gree) voodoo charm
arpent measure of 180 ft (55 m) Guignolée New Year’s Eve celebration
au dit (oh-dee) ditto or “the same” jour de I’An New Year’s Day
aw-right accepted greeting or acclamation on krewe private club that sponsors a parade
meeting friends or acquaintances and a ball during Mardi Gras
banquette (ban-ket) sidewalk lagniappe (lan-yap) “something extra”
at no cost
baptiser (bap-tee-zay) to give a name
to something levee embankment for flood control or
riverside landing
bateau boat
neutral ground the median of a large avenue or
bayou (bay-you or bye’o) a waterway
or creek street (the St. Charles Avenue
streetcar runs on
boeuf (berf) cow, meat, steak the neutral ground)
nonc uncle
Boureé Cajun card game
nutria South American rodent imported to
bousillage (boor-sill-arge) mixture of Spanish Louisiana in the late 18th century.
moss and mud, The nutria is an important part of the
used to insulate walls fur industry
brulé (bru-lay) burned, toasted ouaouaron (wah-wah-rohn) bullfrog
(as in café brulé)
parish civil and political division in
cabinette outhouse Louisiana (like a county)
cocodrie alligator patois (pat-wah) dialect: different Cajun
communities speak their own patois
Cajun descendants of the Acadians who
settled in South Louisiana in the 18th pirogue (pee-row) long, shallow canoe
century
praline (praw-LEEN) candy made with sugar,
charivari (shi-va-ree) noisy mock serenade to a cream, and pecans, very popular in
newly married older couple
New Orleans
chaudron a cauldron or large kettle
rat de bois (rat-de-bwah) opossum
cher (share) widespread term of shotgun house long, narrow house
endearment in Cajun
French T or Ti petite, junior, a nickname
(T-frere = baby brother)
cold drink soda with ice
Vieux Carré (voo-cah-RAY) literally “Old Square”,
coulée (cool-ay) ravine or gully the French Quarter
Creole descendant of original French or ward political division of New Orleans
Spanish settlers where y’at? how are you?
Creole of color descendant of French or Spanish
settlers with African blood Street and Town Names
doubloons aluminum coins thrown to Mardi Gras Atchafalaya (chaf-fly) large (800,000 acres)
crowds swampy wilderness area in South
Louisiana
dressin’ room polite term for the bathroom
Tchoupitoulas St (chop-a-TOOL-us)
fais-do-do (fay-doh-doh) literally “go
to sleep”; Cajun term for a community Burgundy St. (bur-GUN-dy)
dance where parents bring their Chartres St. (CHART-ers)
children, who often fall asleep to the Euterpe St. (YOU-terp)
music
Melpomene Ave. (MEL-pom-meen)
fourche the fork of a creek Metairie (MET’ry) suburb of New Orleans
(as in Bayou Lafourche)
Terpsichore St. (TERP-si-core)
gallery balcony or porch Opelousas Ave. (opp-a-LOO-sas)
243-244_EW_New_Orleans.indd 243 13/08/14 2:09 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Phrase book template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1)
Date 14th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm