Conversation

Illustration credit: Bunny Matthews

Ah = I, as in “Ah ain't makin' no funaya”

ain't never heard of that = it ain't that way and no way is it going to be that way here in the center of the universe, New Orleans. We will never accept it.

Assoon = as soon. Also heard is 'Assoonaz', which means 'As soon as...'

awkwud = awkward

awl = all

awthentick = authentic

axe = ask

Balow da bridge = Below the bridge = East of the Industrial Canal Bridge on St. Claude Ave.

'barrass = embarras

boot = booth

C-yalayda = see you later, as in 'C-yaLAYda when I meetcha at AnnaMae's momenem, ya know, afta we clean da crawfish heads futta bisque. '

came by = visited

climba = climber

containa = container

countaz = counters

cuz = because

buncha = bunch of

but chagotta = but you have to, more literally 'but you got to'. Without the consonant blend due to the 'but' yats would say 'ya gotta'.

da= the

dat = that

dawlin = darling, a term of endearment and NOT of sexual harrasment.

den = then

dere = there

dese = these

dis = this

'Don't You Do Me Nuttin' No' = 'Don't do anything to me' or 'Leave me alone--don't hurt me'.

droolin' = drooling

durin' = during

eatah or eatha or eadda = either

fa true = for true = 'I tell no lies.' Yat translations: 'No s___!'

Flems=bad nasal congestion, as in 'My momma used to make me go to bed when I caught the flems!

goinna town = Going to town: 1)on the ball, 2) a speed demon

Heah = here or hear

high fa-loo-ten = pretentious

hil-AIR-ayuss = hilarious

Ig-zackly! = Exactly!

intah = into

inna = in an

kin = can, as in 'How kin ya be a fake yat?'

laytah = later

lil = little

locka = locker A.k.a. clothes closet when not referrin to a 'shif-a-robe' (to high class Yat's a 'Chifoniere'which is similar to a arm-wa or armoir or armer).

ma = my

mo' betah = more better = really, really good, as in 'Central's muffelatta is mo' betah than any place else in da city'.

musta = must have

Nah = No or now

Nevah = never

Nuttin = nothing

Pass By -- VERY COMMON SLANG - USED BY ALMOST EVERYONE IN NO

If I said I would pass by, it meant (and still means) not that I am going to pass your house by, but that I am going to actually come over and visit you at your house.

Example: 'Whereyat, Shirl! Gonna pass by tomorrow and seeya!'

pitchin' stuff = throwing things

Puttin = putting, as in “Cathy is puttin' awl dis onna website so it don't nevah git lost or nuttin!

pyrootin' around = diggin' around, scavaging, rootin' around.

rememba = remember

ring me up = call me on the phone, as in 'Here is my numba, 'ring me up' when ya git home. '

sittin' = sitting

staws = stars

sump'n = something

ta = to, as in 'Dem mudbugs still is good TA me'

try'na = trying to

went ta = went to

whea = were

wheayat = where you at = Greetings,
its good to see you.

Brings back dem nostalgias = I remember

caniption fit = becoming
excited or aggitated, as in "When I saw the skull and cross bones on the label
of the paragoric bottle I REALLY had a caniption fit!

pitchin' stuff =
throwing things away, as in "Grammaw wuz awlways pitchin' stuff at da cayoodles
pyrootin' aroun' her gawbidge cans before the mule-drawn gawbidge wagon "came by
her house". Translation: Grandmother was always pitching things to the
neighborhood dogs of mixed breed who rummaged through her garbage cans before
the mule drawn wagon came to her residence.

diggin' around = digging
around = being nosey or looking for clues.

high falutin'= pretentious


"poppin' the gator" - a lewd (by 60s & 70s standards) dance, done
without a female partner. A story:
At high school dances It ALWAYS happened
at one time or another. A shameful, disgraceful display of raw sexuality! LOL!
Tame by today's standards. It was soon broken up by chaperones, but once I saw
an old nun at Chapelle, enjoying the show and clapping. Sweet old thing didn't
have a clue, or did she?

Pyrootin' Around = Snooping around or Looking
for something

seeyalayda = I'll see you later

snoopin around =
snooping around = being nosey.

Thank ya, hawt! = Thank you, heart (my
dear)

Waydjagotaschool? = Where did you go to school? meaning "Where did
you go the HIGH school". An inquiry to determine your socio-economic position in
your formative years. The answer determines:
Which part of the city you grew
in.
How much money ya MamanDaddy had.
Your peer group of social
companions.
When answering the inquirer, DO NOT answer with an institution
of higher learning such as "I have a law degree from Eleshoo" or "I have an MBA
from Hawvid"
They do not care about that......they want to know which New
Orleans high school you attended. < BR >

wit = with

woik = work

wunduhed = wondered

wudda = would have

Ya = you

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Topic: Things one can only own in New Orleans
Posted by: Shirl at Mon Jun 10 16:13:49 2002
Message:
We have a way of possessing things for which the rest of the world sees no
need. Take baths for example. Non-Yat do just that; they take them, or they
give them. Not us. We own them. For example, our mamma's alway direct:
"Sweethawt, nah go take ya badt". And, our daddy's always say,
"Lerse ("Lois" to the rest of the world), I'm gonna go
take ma badt now mamma."

How does one own a bath? No telling. But
here we do. "My bath"? Is it possible to take someone else's
bath from them or for them? Maybe somebody else has the explanation. It
might be from a French thing.

Posted by: Rita at Mon Jun 17 20:09:35 2002
Message:
I guess that's like saying you're going to the A & P. Then the old man asks, "Why don't ya go home and P?"

Topic: And stuff we don't own (even though we do)
Posted by: Cathy at Fri Jun 14 11:00:11 2002
Message:
Whenever we go to our camp (or talk about going) we say we're going "to THE camp".

We never say we're going "to OUR camp".