Say What?!
The Language of New Orleans

The people of New Orleans have their own language. Its tone, lilt, and slang are indigenous to this city and reflect its ethnic history and tradition. New Orleans is part of the deep south, but you won't find much of a stereotypical southern drawl; in fact, there are several distinctive dialects. One of the most surprising is a Brooklynese style heard in the 9th Ward, Irish Channel, and Chalmette sections of New Orleans. Little or no French is spoken by the majority of folks in New Orleans, but it isn't without the French influence.

Aside from having everyday words and expressions that aren't used elsewhere in the States, New Orleanians throughout the city give meaning to and pronounce certain words their own way. Many of them are related to...(no surprise here!)...food! See our list of Cajun food terms on NewOrleansRestaurants.com!

Talkin' N'awlins Style! | All about Food!

Ball (bal masque, tableau ball)

A Mardi Gras Krewe's formal event and dance

Banquett (ban' ket)

Sidewalk--French meaning a small bank along the road

Bayou (by' you)

Slow stream, or body of water running through a marsh or swamp.

Big Easy

"The Big Easy" became the official nickname for New Orleans after a contest was run years ago. Historically, New Orleans has weathered primitive conditions, yellow fever, hurricanes, floods, wars - English, French, Indians, Union -- and just plain hard living. Being a survivor was something to celebrate. In addition, New Orleans is noted for its total mix of cultures that have held onto their past traditions and languages. New Orleans is also constantly celebrating! There are music festivals, food festivals, etc. throughout the year. The bottom line is that "The Big Easy" won because it fits! If it's fun, tastes good, sounds right - then we're all for it!

Boeuf Gras

The fatted bull; a Lenten symbol of the last meat eaten before a season of fasting

Calliope Street (Cal' i ope)

(The ope said like rope--no "e" heard) Don't ask where "Cal-lie-o-pea" is, nobody will understand what street you're looking for!

Cajun (kay' jun)

French Acadians that settled here from Canada

Camelback (cam' l bak)

A single row house with the back half made into a two story.  The front section remains a single.

Captain

Leader of a Carnival organization

Carnival

• The party season before Mardi Gras, starts on January 6 (the Twelfth Night) (Celebrated with Kingcakes at Mardi Gras parties.)
• Cruise line from New Orleans that takes Caribbean cruises--it is wonderful!

City that Care Forgot

A nickname for New Orleans

Court

A Krewe's King, Queen, Maids and Dukes

Crescent City

A nickname for New Orleans, originating from the shape of the Mississippi River as it bends around the city

Creole (cree' ole)

Descendents of French, Spanish, and Carribean slaves and natives; also come to mean any person whose ancestry derives from the mixed nationalities in the Carribean.

Crescent City Connection

Twin bridges connecting the Eastbank with the Westbank

Den

Mardi Gras float warehouse

Doubloons (duh bloons')

Aluminum coins stamped with the parade krewe's insignia and theme

Dixie (There's just no other way to say it!)

Making money in the "Land of Dixie" was a term used by rivermen and merchants--because $10.00 bank notes were earned, and the French word for ten is Dix.

Do-do (dough dough--not du-du!)

In New Orleans, it's a cute word children use when tired and sleepy (from the french "to sleep" = dormir)

Dressed

Sandwiches served with lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise--"the works"
(And, of course...the way those with class catch their Mardi Gras throws!)

Fais do-do (Fay' dough dough)

A Cajun dance party, after the children have gone to sleep (see above!)

Fat City

A region of Metairie (see below) that is a popular place to party during Mardi Gras, originating from the term Fat Tuesday, the literal translation of Mardi Gras

Favor

A souvenir that krewe members give to friends

"Fixin to"

About to

Flambeaux (flam' bo)

Lit torches historically carried during night parades

Gallery (galllll rreeeee)

Balcony--walkway outside of homes on the second floor

GNO

Greater New Orleans area

Gris gris (gree gree)

Voo Doo good luck charm
If the Saints tried it, we know it doesn't work!

Hi-rise

Anything above sea level! - (just joking--with a bit of truth!)
The elevated interstate roadway.

Hurricane Party

What some do after securing your house for a hurricane--throw a party! (If it's safe to stay, that is!) Get some snacks, drinks, and buddies - and hunker down to watch the news give hurricane updates on TV! Hurricane is also the name of a famous New Orleans drink--be careful; they sneak up on you. You can now order Pat O'Brien's Famous Hurricane mix online from Cajun Treats

Indians

Black men who dress up in very ornate, hand-beaded, sequined and feathered outfits to represent their street or gang during Mardi Gras

King Cake

Extra-large oval doughnut pastry dusted with colored candied sugar. A plastic baby doll is hidden inside the cake--the lucky person who gets the piece of cake with the doll inside (and doesn't break a tooth or swallow it in the process!) buys the next cake for the next party throughout the Mardi Gras season.

Krewe (crue)

A Carnival organization's members

Lagniappe (lan' yap)

Something extra that you didn't pay for--thrown in to sweeten the deal--like a baker's dozen .(See mardigrasneworleans.com for more information.)

Laissez le Bon temp rouler (Lazay Lay Bon Tom Roulay)

Let the good times roll

Lundi Gras

The day before Mardi Gras when King Rex and KIng Zulu arrive on the riverfront.

Makin' groceries

Buying groceries

Mardi Gras

Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent....the day to celebrate before the traditional Catholic tradition of sacrificing and fasting during the 40 days of Lent.

Maskers

Float riders & anyone dressed in costume

Metairie (Met' tree)

A suburb of New Orleans--between the Airport and New Orleans

Muffuletta (Moo Fa' lotta) and a lotta it is!

Super-large, round, fat sandwich filled with salami-type meats, mozzarella cheese, pickles, and olive salad (I challenge you to eat all of it!)

"N'awlins"

"New Orleans"--It's faster that way!

Neutral Ground

Median or grassy area between the paved areas on a boulevard

 

pantry (pan-tree)cupboard

Picayune (Pic' ee yoon)

• Small, nit-picky (It was a Spanish coin worth more than a nickel and less than a dime-- 6 1/4 cents to be precise)
  
• Name of our onlydaily newspaper, the "Times Picayune"

• Small town north of New Orleans in Mississippi.
  
  

Pirogue (Pee' row) Yes, it sure looks funny!

Flat-bottom canoe, perfect in the bayous. Miniature pirogues filled with food are available at New Orleans Cajun Treats.

Police Jury

Similar to a City Council, but has more legal authority concerning individuals

Shot gun

Usually part of a "double"--a single row house in which all rooms on one side are connected by a long single hallway--you can open the front door and shoot a gun straight through the back door, without hitting a single wall...now I have no idea who has tried this, or even why this is the way one describes these houses!

Sno-ball

Shaved ice (nearly powder) served with flavored syrups. Those of you in the north might throw 'em.....we eat 'em!

Slave Quarters

Houses behind the main building of large plantation homes where slaves used to live

Tchoupitoulas Street (Chop a two' les)

Interesting street name .... one of the trickiest to pronounce - and spell!

The Parish

Louisiana has Parishes not Counties, but this often refers to Chalmette, a suburb outside New Orleans.

Throws

Trinkets such as beads, cups, and doubloons that are tossed from the floats to the crowds during Mardi Gras parades.

"Throw Me Something, Mister!"

What everyone yells at parades to get throws from the maskers on the floats!

Twinspan

The twin bridges connecting the Northshore at Slidell with New Orleans across Lake Pontchartrain.

Uptown (uhp' tawn)

Area "upriver" from the French Quarter

Vieux Carre' (Vooo ca ray') (View ca ray')

French for "Old Quarter", this is a term used for the French Quarter including world-famous Bourbon Street.... experience it in any of our French Quarter Hotels.

Vignette (Vin Yet')

A sketch or illustration of a person, place or thing

Voodoo (Voo' doo)

A form of witchcraft

West Bank

You have to look east to see the "other" side of New Orleans, on the west bank of the Mississippi

Yat

Standard greeting--("Where yat?" is "Hello, how are you doing?")--a "yat"
is also used to describe a homeboy, pisano, bro'

Some additions by our readers!
Translated for those of you who do not know "N'awlins speak"!

"MIE-Nez"

Translated: mayonnaise
Contributed by Sister Anne Joan: "MIE-nez is a pronunciation unique to Creole New Orleanians; it reflects the French pronunciation of a visibly French word, the actual meaning of which I do not know. When I moved out of New Orleans to enter the convent, I used to avoid pronouncing it; nobody knew what I meant! Bless y'all's dawlin' hawts"

"It don madda"

Translated: "It doesn't matter." Contributed by: Jill Vicknair
That seems like the right way to say it to me, Jill!

"Yea, you right!"

Translated: "Yes, you are right!"
Contributed by: Rick Ranson with this comment: Surely this will qualify as "yatspeak!"

"Yatspeak..."

"My Ex grew up on da Rue Royale, and she had a way of making the word 'water' sound SO good. More like 'Wahrter.' I love y'alls town. And the worlds FINEST women come from New Orleans. You may quote me."
Contributed by: Carl Huffman

"Cher"

New Orleans Translation: An expression many use when greeting another..."Dear, Love"
Contributed by "a French Quarter Fan" with this comment: "I am sure this has it's origins in the French "cheri," but it just turns my legs to water when uttered by a N'awlins native....."

"Ova by ma Mama's"

Translated: "Over by my mother's."
Contributed by Martin H. Booda

"Makin' groceries"

Translated: grocery shopping!
Contributed by Brooke Zimmerman: I still make groceries, only now I live in W.V. and nobody knows what I'm talking about!

"Gumbo ya-ya"

Translated: everybody talking all at once; i.e., at a loud party.
Contributed by J. Vegas

"Boogalee"

Translated: A Cajun
Contributed by J. Vegas

"bourre" (BOO ray)

Translated: A French card game. "Wildly popular way to gamble on the old riverboats, and still is amoung Cajuns. Makes high-stakes poker look like Old Maid- it's that viscious. I love it!"
P.S. the term "coon ass" for Cajun comes from the english corruption of "canas", meaning a country bumpkin.
Contributed by J. Vegas

"Pass a Good Time"

Translated: Have a good time. Contributed by Carole Thomas-Fajardo

"soc au' lait" (Sock-o-lay)

Translated: sack of milk. Used in place of What the?, Ouch!, or WOW! Contributed by KAJUN

"beaucoup crasseux" (boo coo cra sue)

Translated: very dirty. Contributed by KAJUN

"beaux beaux" (boo boo)

Translated: a scrape or bruise. What the rest of the country calls a boo-boo.
Contributed by Bryan Melan
Native Yat transplanted to Texas

"pass the vacuum"

Translated: vacuum the floor
Contributed by Bryan Melan

"nainain and parain"

Translated: godmother and godfather, respectively
Contributed by Bryan Melan

four major points on the NO compass:

Of course the four major points on the NO compass are: Lakeside, Riverside, East Bank, and West Bank (over which the sun rises every day!}
Contributed by Bryan Melan

Went by my mama’s and n’em

Visited my mother and family
Contributed by Jim Russell

Thanks to Per Hansen for several lexicon updates--a true Yat habit

Glossary of Food terms!

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