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N’Awlins Niblet (Part 3)

I joined my first online forum about 8 years ago (wow, has it been that long? Shoutout to the Cubies!), and once I became pregnant with my first daughter, I have become involved in several online Mommy groups. Through the years, I have been fortunate enough to meet some amazing women (and even some husbands) from each Forum. Inevitably, someone will say, “I love your accent!” or “I can definitely hear an accent!” I always deny having any such accent, but what I do NOT deny is that New Orleanians definitely have their own dialect!

So, I would like to alternatively entitle this post:

“Where y’at?” or other phrases heard in New Orleans

Beignets: Donuts with corners and no holes. The coffee shop Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter made them world famous. At Cafe du Monde the beignets come two ways, sugared or plain.

Do-do (dough dough–not du-du!): A cute word children use when tired and sleepy (from the french “to sleep” = dormir)

Po-Boy: like a sub sandwhich on French bread

Dressed: Sandwiches served with lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise–“the works”

Laissez le Bon temp rouler (Lazay Lay Bon Tom Roulay): Let the good times roll

Neutral Ground: Median or grassy area between the paved areas on a boulevard

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

Makin’ groceries: Buying groceries

Yat: Standard greeting–(“Where yat?” is “Hello, how are you doing?)

Streetcar: New Orleans has had the streetcar railroads since the 1830s. The St. Charles line is the only original line left. The Riverfront has a restored streetcar line. They are not called trolleys or cable cars. You’ll find those in San Francisco.

Mymomenem: Y’at for “my mom and them” or my family or my mom’s place. When one goes to visit one’s mother, one can say “I’mgoinbymymomenem’s.

Y’all come back now, ya hear?

Slanguage cited from:
http://www.bigeasy.com/features/lingo.html
http://www.experienceneworleans.com/glossary.html

9 thoughts on “N’Awlins Niblet (Part 3)”

  1. Laura: we miss you! We’re in the same place…stop by when you can! Lots of new pregnant Mommas over there! 🙂

  2. Reading your osts make me crave authentic Creole and Cajun food. Not find that here in the pacific northwest I tell you!

    Funny thing about Streetcar. A part of the city here got a new streetcar/trolley. They agreed to name the new trolley South Lake Union trolley. Once all the signage and billboards came up they realized South Lake Union Trolley was abreviated as SLUT and they mmediately changed it to South Lake Union Streetcar, lol.

    ANyway I never lived in LA but I lived in TX and we drove at least once a month to LA for cajun and Creole food. YUMMERS

  3. Keep up the blogging! I’m on two years now, and the first three months are the toughest. Ya’ll are doing great. 🙂

  4. Mmmm I love beignets! My husband used to go to Nawlins 2x a year for business… He was never able to take me with him. I hope he goes again this year and that I can tag along too. (I found you on List Mama) Love this blog!

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