Louisiana Cajun / Creole French
{ I found this video a year or so ago and it still fascinates me.}
additional information taken from this site x
The Cajun language is a mixture of French, Indian, African , and English. It is mostly French, but when a French word is not known, the English word is thrown in.( Ou’ est le picture frame?—Actually, we say “Est ou"instead of "ou est”)). Sometimes a French word is thrown in when the English word is not known.( You should have heard the potain(ruckus) next door.) Cajun French is a spoken language mainly. The old cajun people who passed the language down to their descendants rarely went to school, and if they did, they went to school here in America, so only English was taught. Speaking French was discouraged. They certainly were never taught to read and write in French. Unfortunately, since the 1960’s , there has been a drastic decline in children being taught to speak French, although most children have a Cajun accent and know several French expressions and words. Today the children are being taught French, not Cajun French, in the elementary schools,and in many instances by teachers who are not Cajun because we have so few teachers who are fluent in French and qualified to teach it.
Grand Beede’———–Big clumsy man
Saleau, Saloppe——–Sloppy,dirty man ;sloppy,dirty woman
Peeshwank, pischouette(little girl)————-runt, little person
Texians——————all people who don’t talk like us(a Grand Isle expression)
Mamere(or Maw maw)—————–Grandma
Papere(or Paw Paw——————-Grandpa
Nanan, Nanny———Godmother
Parran——————–Godfather
P'tit Boug, boug—–little boy,boy
Gaienne—girlfriend
Podna——————–friend,partner
Capon-——————Coward
Couyon—————-A stupid person
Domion-—————–a peeping Tom
Tahyo——————a big hungry dog
Vieux———————old man
Defan—————“sainted”,demised,passed away,DEAD:What a dead person is referred to as- Example-“Defan Pop”( Dear Sainted Dad “Pauvre
Defante(feminine form) Mom”–Poor Sainted Mom
Vielle———————old woman
Motier foux————half crazy
I got the faiblesse———-I feel like fainting
J'ai gros couer—————–to feel like crying (literally means “I have a big heart”) It is the equivelant of the Yiddish “I’m verklempt”(or whatever Mike Meiers would say).
Cho! Co!——————————-Wow!
Cocain——an adjective for really big
Je vas te passe une callotte—I will pass you a slap(callotte)
Pouponer——————to make yourself look nice, powder your face(Thanks, Melanie)
en colaire(fache’)————to be angry Te en colaire? Met tes fesse a’ l'aire.
fais do-do———————–go to sleep
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