Monday, November 2, 2009

NOLA Phrases: A Monday Mission vocabulary list

Moving to Louisiana forced us to learn all sorts of new words and terms (We knew we needed help with words like Tchoupitoulas, but we THOUGHT we knew how to pronounce Burgundy, but don't even think about putting the stress on the first syllable if you don't want to be pegged as a no nothing tourist.) But there are phrases I didn't expect. I don't know if they're particular to Louisiana or if they're just southern things, but this Yankee girl had to get used to them. Most of them I still don't use. Except ya'll. Because who can resist ya'll?

Make groceries - you don't buy them, you "make" them.

Go to the grocery - as in "go to the grocery store," but without the "store"

Make 3 - children don't "turn 3" (0r whatever age) they "make 3." Perhaps this is the adult's way of saying the child is lucky they made it to three without being eaten by an alligator or something. Also used in the past tense: "He made three on Saturday." (I kept wanting to ask "Made 3 of what?")

Come see - this is what an adult says when they want a child to come to them. They don't actually have anything for the child to look at.

Bo-bo - boo-boo. I've never actually seen this written, so maybe it's written the same way, but it's pronounced with a long "O."

ya'll - a contraction for "you all." This phrase has become common around the country.

all ya'll - like ya'll, only more (more redundant, more offensive to the grammar police...)

dress - to put lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise on a sandwich (i.e., "Would you like that po' boy dressed?")

"the storm" - If someone references "the storm" they are undoubtedly discussing Hurricane Katrina.

This has been a Monday Mission. Your Mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write a post in the style of a vocabulary list. If you complete the mission, please put a link to your post in the widget below.



Join us next Monday, when your mission will be to write a post in the style of a menu.

14 comments:

kelley said...

I could have used this before my trip to New Orleans. And yes, I do like my po' boy dressed.

kelley said...

oops, I didn't log out as the mom of my family, I was working on my family blog--but it's me ~kaye

Unknown said...

I feel smarter already. If I ever make to NO, I will speak the real lingo... but I have one more question- what do you call shopping carts and soda?
( seems to differ in all the states I've lived in and visited)

painted maypole said...

soda is soda and a shopping cart is a buggy.

S said...

Love "come see." Use it all the time, to great effect. On the cat, too.

Beck said...

Ha! This had me thinking about our regional vocabulary - lots and lots of swearing.

Soda is ALWAYS pop.

"Close the light, please!"

alejna said...

This was lots of fun! Almost all of these expressions were new to me. (And wouldn't I have felt silly if I'd put pants on a sandwich instead of lettuce and tomato...)

So, is the stress on the final syllable of Burgundy, then?

Chantal said...

huh I hadn't heard of many of those. I would be thoroughly confused in your neck of the woods.

Louise said...

"The storm" is funny. OK THAT storm wasn't funny, but that it is THE storm sort of makes me laugh. I always liked "all y'all" better than just "y'all." I thought it had a kind of southern charm. (Even though I'm somewhat of a grammar police myself. I would not personally use it, but I think it's cute when others do.) And house WOULD one say "burgundy?"

Jen said...

Very cool - I enjoyed this!

MARY G said...

Oh, lovely!
Strangely enough, I grew up saying boo-boo and the short 'o' sounds weird.
I love expressions! And now I have an inspiration. I have started this MM twice and got bogged down twice. Perhaps third will pay for all.

Kyla said...

Interesting. Over here we have y'all and all y'all, too.

imbeingheldhostage said...

That's the best! My family is ALL from KY-TN area and several of these phrases still crop up around my mother's table.
See all ya'll later (love the grammar police comment)

Magpie said...

Fascinating.

NY Jews talk about "making a party" when they mean to throw a party.