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Learn The Language
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Rule number one: kindly refrain from saying Noo Or-leens. Although it has a pleasant ring to it when sung (especially when it rhymes with dreams and Creole queens), it is not at all proper in Southern conversation. Of course, if you're a Yankee and proud of it, by all means fling about Noo Orleens. Folks will know immediately
The correct pronunciation is..uh...aahh, well, sort of...Nawlins. N'awliuns. Okay, so it's difficult in print. But what it is not is Noo Orleens. However... now you pay close attention 'cause this is tricky... you will also be recognized as an out-o-towner if you do not say Orleens when referring to Orleans Parish or Orleans Street. It is Orleens Parish and Orleens Street.
Y'all may want to practice a little b'foah you get heah!
Orleans is one of our most prominent shibboleths. We have a lot of shibboleths.
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CAJUNS AND CREOLES
These days the lower-case adjective "creole" describes virtually anything indigenous to this region, be it a tomato or a house. As a noun with a capital "C", a Creole is a person, and therein hangs a tale. By some definitions, virtually everyone in New Orleans seems to be a Creole. By others, there's hardly anyone who measures up. Strictly speaking, a New Orleans Creole is a descendant of an early French or Spanish settler, "born in the colony," not in Europe. According to most dictionaries, Creole comes from the same Latin root as the word "create," with the French creating their "Creole" from the Spanish "criollo." Over time, this went from denoting a person born of Spanish parents overseas to a person born similarly of French parents. A child of the colonies, in either case. Yet Creole can also mean a mix of African-American and white parentage, or even undiluted African-American. The Cajuns of South Louisiana are descendants of French colonists who, more than 350 years ago, settled in what are now the Canadian maritime provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. They called their home in the New World "l'Acadie" and they were known as Acadiens. "Cajun" is a corruption of the anglicized word, Acadian. The British, who took possession of that territory in the 18th century, expelled the Acadians. Thousands of the Cajuns eventually settled in South Louisiana.
WHICH WAY IS UP?
If you're alert, determined, and here long enough, you might be able to figure out which way is north, south, east or west. New Orleanians don't use such mundane directions, because the serpentine Mississippi River, which carved out the croissant-shaped land mass upon which the Crescent City sits, renders them virtually useless. Instead, we let our waterways call the shots: Downriver (or downtown); upriver (or uptown); lakeside (toward Lake Pontchartrain); and riverside (toward Old Man River). Absolutely no one here would propose meeting on a southwest or northeast corner of anything, because there's really no such place. It takes a bit of practice, but you'll eventually grow accustomed to corners we call "downtown lakeside", "uptown riverside," and so on. Good luck!
WHAT STREET IS THIS?
New Orleanians are particularly cantankerous when it comes to pronunciations of local streets. The city was founded by French settlers who christened the streets in the French Quarter, so you'd think Gallic names would roll right off our tongues. But you would be wrong. Chartres is said like the English word "charters;" Conti is pronounced "con-tie" and the "gun" in Burgundy is stressed. Many an Orleanian refers to "Eye-berville" Street, and you already know about Orleans Street. Carondelet is a Spanish word, stressed on the second and fourth syllables, and the latter is pronounced just like "let."
Having played havoc with our very heritage, you can imagine what we do with street names that are Greek to us. Clio is "Clie-o;" Melpomene is "Mel-po-meen;" Calliope is "Cal-y-ope;" and we dance around poor Terpsichore to the tune of "Turp-see-core."
And while we're on the subject of streets, a sidewalk here is called a banquette. That's the French word for bench, and of course we mangle it to "ban-ket." In the early days, sidewalks were made of wood with a slightly raised bench-like edge on the street side that helped protect the ladies' skirts from the mud and mire.
The French Quarter is also called the Vieux Carre' ("view ka-ray"), which means "old square." Matter of fact, if you look for a "French Quarter" exit off the Interstate you'll be out of luck -- it's the "Vieux Carre'" exit!
If you happen to hail from Brooklyn, New York, you'll likely feel right at home in New Orleans. Many Crescent City residents speak a soft, Southernesque version of the fabled "dese, dem, and dose" lingo usually associated with that northern port city. The word "port" is operative: New York and New Orleans are cities with ports (and quite colorful pasts), and immigrants from the Old Country populated each. A many-splendored blending of nationalities created the similar sounds. New Orleans, incidentally, is not a typical Dixie city, and you'll rarely hear the stereotypical Southern accent here.
The term "neutral ground," which to all Orleanians means the median in a road, dates back to the early days when the wide strip of land that's now Canal Street served as the neutral ground dividing the French Quarter and the American Sector. |
Banquette (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.
Beaucoup crasseux (boo coo cra sue) - Translated: very dirty organization.
Boucherie (Boo-Cher-Ree) - A festive hog killing where neighbors are invited. This was a cajun's definition for the boucherie.
Boudin (boo-dan) - Hot, spicy pork mixed with onions, cooked rice, herbs, and stuffed in sausage casing.
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!"
Cafe Brulot (caf-ay broo-loh) - This dramatic after-dinner brew is a blend of hot coffee, spices, orange peel, and liqueurs. It is blended in a chafing dish, ignited, and served in special cups.
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.
Camelback (cam' l bak) - A single row house with the back half made into a two story. The front section remains a single.
Carnival (from Latin carnivale) - translated to be farewell to the flesh (the feast of Epiphany) to midnight on Fat Tuesday (the day before Lent). The party season before Mardi Gras, starts on January 6 (the Twelfth Night). Celebrated with Kingcakes at Mardi Gras parties.
Cher - New Orleans Translation: An expression many use when greeting another..."Dear, Love".
Creole (cree-ol) - The word originally described those people of mixed French and Spanish blood who migrated from Europe or were born in Southeast Louisiana and lived as sophisticated city or plantation dwellers. The term has expanded and now embraces a type of cuisine and a style of architecture.
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-do-do) - The exuberant Cajun version of the traditional American country dance or a feast before sleeping.
Fat City - A region of Metairie that is a popular place to party during Mardi Gras, originating from the term Fat Tuesday, the literal translation of Mardi Gras.
Gris-Gris (gree-gree) - Charms, talismans, or spells used to conjure up good or evil by believers of Voodoo.
Grits (gri-its) - Finely ground, dried, hulled corn kernels that resemble mashed potatoes in consistency, but taste more like corn. Can be served as a breakfast dish with butter, sugar, and milk. But is also served with grillardes.
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 Weather Channel give hurricane updates on TV! Hurricane is also the name of a famous New Orleans drink--be careful; they sneak up on you.
Lagniappe (lan-yap) - It's that certain ... little something extra, the 13th in a dozen, traditionally given to good customers; the Creole merchants' way of saying, "merci", thank you. Lagniappe has been described a million times over, and yet defies all descriptions. It's that extra bit of thoughtfulness. Not fawning or obsequious, but genuine and heartfelt. It's not just service with a smile. It's service with a song and a spit-shine. It's not as grand as the much vaunted Southern Hospitality, but not as trivial as "Have a nice day." It's that special courtesy bourne of the very simple -- yet very profound -- recognition that we are all fellow travellers. Y 'all come back now, c' here.
Laissez les bons temps rouler! (le-say le bon-ton rou-la) - A favorite Cajun French expression meaning, "Let the Good Times Roll."
Makin' groceries - Buying groceries--(usually at Schwegmann's-- New Orleans' well-known grocery store!)
Mardi Gras (marty-graw) - Literally "Fat Tuesday", the day of wild celebration before Lent begins, on Ash Wednesday, the 40 days before Easter.
Mie-nez - Translated: mayonnaise; a pronunciation unique to Creole New Orleanians.
Metairie (Met' tree) - A suburb of New Orleans--between the Airport and New Orleans.
Neutral Ground - Median or grassy area between the paved areas on a boulevard.
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 daily newspaper, the "Times Picayune" Small town north of New Orleans in Mississippi.
Pirogue (Pee' row) - Flat-bottom canoe seen here--perfect in the bayous.
Soc au' lait (sock-o-lay) - Translated: sack of milk. Used in place of What the?, Ouch!, or WOW!
Tchoupitoulas Street (Chop-a-two'-les) - Interesting street name .... one of the trickiest to pronounce.
Uptown (uhp' tawn) - Area "upriver" from the French Quarter
Vieux Carre (voo-ca-ray) - Literally "old square", it is the French Quarter, the original city of New Orleans. Pronounced voo ka·RAY, from the provincial French, the phrase means "old square." But to modern-day cosmopolitaines, its known as the French Quarter. The jewel in the crown of the Crescent City, the Vieux Carre is known for its eclectic architecture, its fine restaurants and nightclubs, and its world renown as the focus for annual pre-Lenten Mardi Gras celebrations. Jazz, Zydeco, Fusion, Mississippi Mud, Funk, Gospel, R&B, Rockabilly, Soul, Doo-Wop ... the music hits you from every point of the compass. From the alleyway to Preservation Hall - to the House of Blues - to the Dome itself; the notes fly through the air like the last five minutes of Friday afternoon Study Hall at St. Anne's Convent School. Someone once asked noted Rock Historian and Rolling Stone columnist Mylo Scatta what New Orleans would be like without music. "Like everywhere else," he replied.
Old Man River, the Big Muddy, Mr. Sippy's Wife... no matter what you call it, this natural wonder wraps itself around New Orleans like a protective parent upon hearing a convicted sex offender has been placed in that halfway house around the corner -- you know, that run-down clapboard just past the library, with a dozen or more rapists, murderers and ex-Congressmen -- and the kids have to walk past it coming and going to school!
Vignette (Vin Yet') - A sketch or illustration of a person, place or thing
Voodoo (VOO-DOO) - A religious tradition brought to New Orleans by the blacks from Africa by way of the Caribbean Islands.
Yat - Standard greeting - ("Where yat?" is "Hello, how are you doing?")--a "yat" is also used to describe a homeboy, pisano, bro'.
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.
In 1721, the French colonial government of Louisiana commissioned engineer Adrien de Pauger to create a city styled on those in Europe at the time, with a grid of streets focusing on a large public square in the center. Pauger's plan became the layout of what is now the Vieux Carre. The public square was originally intended to be a parade ground and practice field for the army troops stationed in the city, hence its name, Place d'Armes. Its purpose as a military parade ground solidified in the 1760s, when the Spanish took control of the Louisiana territories and constructed the Cabildo next to St. Louis Cathedral, both overlooking the Plaza das Armas (as the square was called by the Spanish). The Cabildo housed the Spanish colonial government offices and the local army garrison. The square was renamed in 1848 in honor of General Andrew Jackson, for his defense of the city at the Battle of New Orleans (December, 1814-January, 1815). The square's current look dates from 1851, when the Baroness Pontalba had it landscaped in a solar pattern (honoring Louis XIV of France, the "Sun King.")
The Vieux Carre'. The Old Square. Da Quarters. The French Quarter. It goes by all these names, but it's the focal point of many a tourist's visit to the city. The French Quarter is the section of the city bounded on the north by North Rampart Ave., on the west by Canal St., on the east by Esplanade Ave., and on the south by the Mississippi River. It's called the Vieux Carre' (Old Square) because it's the original part of the city. Everything else grew out from here. Full of life and history, the Quarter is a dynamic, living neighborhood. Unlike historic districts in many other cities, the Quarter is still growing and evolving. Locals constantly wrestle with the issue of balancing evolution with the need to preserve history, but that's one of the challenges of living in N'awlins. The visitor just has to take it all in and enjoy.
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