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:

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.

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