Cajun @ MindSay

  We finally got a load out of New Orleans with extra time to deliver it, so off we went downtown. Here is a video of some of the bands and sights.

All right, Ladies and Gents.  You've all been reading my blog for some time now, and you all know that normally I speak plain English.  Well, in my latest entry, I pulled a fast one on y'all.  I used a Cajun French word.  I don't claim to be fluent in that dialect, although I truly wish I was.  It's a language that is very soon going to die out, likely within the next two or three generations.  Reason being:  My grandparents spoke it almost exclusively to each other, though they also spoke English.  Their children learned some of it, but they mostly speak English.  Then their children heard a few phrases and slangs but not much else.  You see, it keeps dwindling away with every passing generation.  And that saddens me, because it's a part of my heritage fading away. 

Last night when I was typing up my entry, I came upon that word "couillon" and I didn't really know how to spell it.  I had never written it out before.  So I did a Google search on Cajun French words, and I happened to find a website with a very long list of certain Cajun French words and slangs.  Mind you, Cajun French is not totally different from real French.  But at the same time, it's not the same at all.  A lot of the basic words and phrases are the same, just with slightly different pronounciations.  However, there are some words that are different, as well as some phrases that are truly our own. 

Here are a few Cajun French words and phrases that I often make use of (what I have listed here is how they are pronounced and defined in my area):

canaille --  [kah-neye] adj. 1) Mischievous (often in reference to children) Ex: That child is always pulling the dog's tail.  He's so canaille.  2) Sly or crafty, sneaky.  Ex: That young man thinks he's so canaille, but one day he'll get caught red-handed.

couillon -- [koo-yon] adj.(or n.) 1) Stupid or foolish (person).  Ex: Don't wash the dishes in the bathtub, couillon!!  2) Crazy (person).  Ex: Why you acting all couillon, rolling around on the floor with your tongue hanging out?  3) Funny (person).  Ex: He's so couillon, running around like that and acting silly.

tchu -- [choo] Ass.  Ex: Behave yourself, 'tit tchu! ('tit tchu [tee choo] = little ass)

fond de culotte  -- [fond d' koo-lot] expr. The seat of one's pants.  Most often used as a type of insult, usually in terms of someone or something's appearance.  Ex: Man, that painting looks like the fond de culotte!!

mais la -- [may la] expr. An expression with no particular literal meaning, usually used to express annoyance or frustration.  Ex: Mais la, I dropped all my books!

pâque -- [pock] v. An Easter tradition where you and another person each take a hard-boiled Easter egg and tap the ends together to see whose egg cracks first.  Usually spelled like it sounds: "pock".  Ex: We're going to Nanny's house after church to eat lunch and pock eggs with everybody else.

tataille -- [tah-tie] n. A monster or scary creature.  Ex: My little girl is afraid to sleep in her own bed because she thinks there's a tataille in her closet.

tracas -- [trah-cah] n. A worry or problem.  Ex: I don't like getting my pants measured because I have a tracas about someone sticking me with a pin while they're trying to hem it.

Well, that's the main ones that I use that are on that list.  Now I will be less likely to confuse y'all when I use one in any of my entries.  lol 

If anybody is interested in learning more Cajun French words and phrases, kindly go here and educate yourself.

Have a good day, everybody!  =)

Until next time,

TheFallenAngel