Cajun French Language Tutorials
Jim Leger teaches the Cajun language
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Allons Jouer “Rollie Pollie” - Let Us Play Rollie Pollie (Cajun Game)
CLICK HERE TO HEAR AUDIO TO THIS POST
I want to state why I present my posts in the form of short accounts. When I do so, it provides me the opportunity to use different Cajun words and sayings. Most of the time these accounts are remembered by me and then I begin to scribble key words and sayings and then try to write them in a story form.Â
Allons jouer “rollie pollie” in Cajun is an invitation to play a ball game that Cajun kids use to play when I was in elementary school.
Please note that I am putting the Cajun first and then the English translation.
Where Cajuns perhaps use another conjugation form of a verb than SF I will sometimes indicate so by putting one of them in parentheses.
J’me rappelle équand j’étais dans les grades ‘un-sept’ à l’école qu’on jouait (joue) ain joue qu’on appelait (appelle) “rollie pollie.” (I remember when I was in the 1-7 grades [elementary school] that we played a game that we called “rollie pollie.”) Tu peux voir que le nom de ce joue devient de l’Anglais.  (You can see that the name of this game comes from English.)  Si on connaîtrait pas comment appeler quelques choses en Français on usait des mots en Anglais pour nous expliquer. (If we did not know how to name or call something in French we used English words to explain ourselves.)
Pour commencer le joue il était nécessaire d’avoir aine plotte manière mou puisque elle été usé pour essayer de frapper ain et l’autre. (To start off with the game it was necessary to have a soft ball since it was used to try and hit one and the other.)
Avec la plotte aine autre choses qui fallait avoir c’était ain trou pour chaque joueur. (Along with the ball another thing that was needed was a hole for each player.) Les trous étaient mis en ligne à peu près ain pouce de distance après l’autre. (The holes were put in a line (row) about (nearly) an inch apart from the other.)
L’objet de le joue étais bien simple. On placé ain joueur au chaque bout de la ligne de trous. La plotte étais roulé au travers et par dessus les trous. (The object of the game was very simple. We would place a player at each end of the line of holes. The ball was rolled over and across the holes.) Les trous étaient fouillé assez creux pour laisser la plotte tomber dans eux tout nette. (The holes were dug out deep enough to allow the ball to fall in them completely.)
Chaque joueur se plaçait au près de son trou, paré pour galoper ou ramasser la plotte si a tomberait dans son trou. (Each player placed himself next to his hole, ready to run or pick up the ball if it fell in his hole.)
Si la plotte tomberait dans le trou assigné à n’importe qui, il fallait que le joueur la ramasse et puis là , la jeter (garocher*) vers n’importe des joueurs, qui galopait vitement a coté des trous.  (If the ball were to fall in the hole assigned to any player, the player had to pick it up and then throw it towards any one of the players, who was running quickly away from the holes.
*Garocher is another verb meaning “to pitch or throw etc.” I do not have this included on the audio. (gar-o-shay)
Si la plotte frapperait ain de les joueurs il fallait qu’y l’attrape et là aller au ligne de trous et puis là , lui-même essayer de frapper quelqu’ain d’autre.  (If the ball were to hit one of the players he had to catch it and then go to the line of holes and then, himself, try to hit someone else.   Â
Si le deuxième jeteur frapperait personne, on le mettait contre ain poteau et puis là tous les autres joueurs avaient aine chance de tirer la plotte après lui. Ça faisait pas du mal si on l’gognerait avec la plotte parceque elle était pas dur, mais manière mou. (If the second thrower did not hit one, we would put him against a post and then all the players had one chance to throw the ball at him. It did not hurt if we would hit him with the ball because it was not hard, but rather soft.)
L’action contre le joueur planté contre le poteau étais vu comme faire cotto, comme la même chose qu’on disait (dise) à la vache à lait si a voudrait pas rester tranquil pour la tirer. (The action against the player planted (stood) against the post was viewed the same as making cow-tow, like the same thing we would tell a milk cow, [cotto caillette] if she did not want to stay still to milk her.)Â
Ce joue était peut être très simple, quand même, on avait ain tas d’amusement.  Y fallait qu’on soit vite sur nos pieds et aussi y fallait exercer le contrôl de soi-même pour pas faire du mal à nos prochains. (This game was perhaps very simple, however, we had a lot of fun. It was necessary that we be swift on our feet and also it was necessary to exercise self-control so that we would not hurt our fellow man.)Â
Talheure, j’vas écrire ain autre post. Si vous-autres aimerait connaître comment dire quelque chose en Cajun, quittez-moi donc voir connaître ça. (Soon, I will write another post. If you would like to know how to say something in Cajun, please let me know, that.
June 2007
- Author: Jim Leger | Category: Learn Cajun French | Comments(0)
Craig”s Request
Mon grandpère m’a pris à la chasse de canard et de zoie chaque hiver. (My grandfather took me duck and goose hunting every winter.)
Moi et mon grandpère on a été à la chasse chaque année. (Me and my grandfather went hunting every year.)
J’apprends le Français par moyen de Jacques Léger. (I learn French from Jim Leger ) You could also say: Jacques Léger est après me montrer le Français.
June 2007
- Author: Jim Leger | Category: Learn Cajun French | Comments(0)
Allons Apprendre Comment Jouer L’Accordéon (Let Us Learn How To Play The Accordion)
 Cajun musicians play a unique instrument. Growing up we knew it as “l’accordéon.” It is sometimes called in English “the squeeze box.” For a history of the Cajun Accordion go to “Cajun Accordion” on the web and you will get a good history of this “diatonic” instrument.
I asked a friend of mine who is from a Cajun background, but who does not speak the language, to give me a little insight into “l’accordéon.” He will give a brief description of the accordion and then play “The 99 Year Waltz,” “La Valtz De Quartre-Vingt Dix-Neuf Ans.”Â
Mr. Gaudet has learned to play the Cajun accordion on his own. He is a musician, but had never learned the accordion before. When he states that he does not understand the “Cajun or French” music, what he means is that he does not understand the “language” of the lyrics. He is just a beginner.Â
I chose to interview him, because if one has an ear for music he can learn to play this diatonic instrument. As Mr. Gaudet states in the interview, it is not an easy instrument to play. However, some Cajun children are palying it at a very young age.
I grew up in a neigborhood where some of the Cajun boys were able to play by ear not only the accordion, but also the fiddle and other instruments. Unfortunately I never did learn to play any instrument, but the Cajun music to me is beautiful. You have to be a Cajun to let the music move you, or learn to appreciate its beauty.
Years ago the fiddle was the instrument of the Acadians, but the accordion was introduced and Cajuns made it their own.
Â
June 2007
- Author: Jim Leger | Category: Learn Cajun French | Comments(0)
La Chaisse À Roues - La Chaisse Roulante - La Fauteuil Roulante
CLICK HERE TO HEAR THE AUDIO TO THIS POST
The above title shows how to say “the wheelchair” in French and in Cajun. Which one would you say Cajuns use?
Most probably “la chaisse à roues” would be used by most Cajuns. We understand that the word for chair is “la chaisse” and for it to have wheels would be “à roues.” Now, ‘la chaisse roulante” would be understood because Cajuns know what “roulante” means. Anything that is able to roll is described with the adjective “roulante” (fem.) “roulant” (masc.)
For instance a “trundle bed” is “ain lit à roulettes.” Now for small wheels you will note the “ettes” at the end of “roue” which would mean that it is diminutive in size, that is the wheel.
“La fauteuil roulante” would perhaps present a problem for some Cajuns because of the noun “la fauteuil.” I heard it when I was growing up, and it always meant a large easy chair with arms. In SF it is used in naming the wheelchair as well, ”la fauteuil roulante.”Â
Cajuns use the noun “la berce,” or “la berceuse” for the rocking chair. The verb transitive “bercer” means to rock, like in a rocking chair or a baby’s cradle. “Équand on était malade, pendant notre jeunesse, mom nous mettait dans aine grande berce dans la cuisine, là , on pouvait être avec la famille et pas tout seul.” (When we were sick during youth, mom would put us in a big rocking chair in the kitchen, there, we could be with the family and not all alone.) ”La grande berce était usé aussi pour bercer les bébés pour les faire dormir.” (The big rocker was used also to rock the babies to make them go to sleep.”Â
E.g.s “La chaisse à roues est usé par aine personne qu’est estropié ou aine personne qu’a du tracas à marcher.” (The wheelchair is used by a person who is crippled or by a person that has trouble walking.) “Aujourd’hui ‘les chaisses à roues sont couru, très souvent, par moyen de l’électricité, fourni par des batteries, plutôt de les faire aller à la main.” (Today the wheelchairs are often powered by electricity furnished by batteries, rather than made to go by hand.)Â
Let’s see a few differences in Cajun words to that of SF. The ones that I will enter in this post are mainly taken from Cajun Self Taught beginning on page 234.
Annoying in SF is “ennuyant.” The verb ”ennuyer” means to annoy.  Now in Cajun the verb “ennuyer” means to be lonesome, (make lonesome), miss someone etc. The adjective “ennuyant” means lonely, tiresome or boring.  Never did I hear “ennuyant” used in the sense of annoying, nor the verb “ennuyer” to annoy. “L’ennui (n.m.) is boredom, or loneliness in Cajun. In SF this noun can carry the thought of bordedom but it carries other meanings that are foreign to Cajun French.
“L’ennui m’a frappé équand la nuit s’a fait.” (Loneliness hit me when the it became nighttime.) “Cette place est très ennuyante, c’est pour ça que j’peux (puisse) pas rester là pour longtemps.” (This place or habitat is boring or makes me feel lonesome, that is why I cannot stay there for a very long time.) Perhaps that is the case due to having had some kind of association in the past with the place and it would make one remember the past.
“Le tit garçon a commencer a s’ennuyer carrément après sa mère a parti d’ayeou qu’alle l’a quitté pendant qu’alle allait (allât) faire ses groceries.” (The little boy started to miss his mother right away after she left the place where she left the boy, during her going to buy groceries.)
“Équand qu’on devienne plus vieux on s’ennuie pas autant que quand on soit très jeune.” (When we become older we do not feel lonesome as much as when we are very young.)
The Cajun word for ball is “plotte.” SF is “pelote or balle.”Â
“J’amais jouer à la plotte quand j’étais jeune.” (I liked to play ball when I was young.) (Most often than not to play ball meant to play baseball.)Â
To bark in SF is “aboyer.” In Cajun we say “japper.” [japper in Sf can mean to yip or yelp] Le chien était après japper presque toute la nuit parce qu’il entendait les pintales après amener (amènent) du train dans l’arbre. (The dog was barking nearly all night because it heard the guineas making noise in the tree [bringing noise in the tree].
To beat in SF is “battre.” In Cajun we use “bucher.” “Battre” is used when we speak about fighting or whipping some cake batter or beating on a mattress etc.   ”Le tit garçon est après bucher ain garçon ain tas plus grand que lui.” (The little boy is beating the boy that is much bigger than he is.) “Aujourd’hui la pratique de bucher les enfants à l’école quand ils malfont est aine chose qu’est défendu.” (Today the practice of beating or spanking children at school when they misbehave is a thing that is forbidden.)
“Il s’a battu avec le tit étranger équand çula l’a appelé ain villain nom.” (He fought with the little stranger when he called him an ugly name.)
To beg in Cajun is to “charmander.” In SF it is “mendier.” One who begs like perhaps a hobo is called “ain charmandeur” (the ch is pronounced like in chum). The noun mendiant is also used but not as often as charmandeur. “Les hobos dans les autrefois allaient charmander dans notre voisinage. Y laissaient des marques sur la barrière pour quitter à connaître à d’autres hobos quoi c’est qu’ils ont reçu après qu’ils ont charmandé là . ” (The hobos in times past would go begging in our neighborhood. They would leave markings on the fence to let other hobos know what they received when they begged there.)
Cajuns use the noun “azélia” for azalea, whereas the SF uses “azalée.” “L’azélia profite très bien dans le soudouest de la Louisiane, surtout, éyeou qu’on attrape ain tas de la pluie.” (The azalea grows very well in southwest Louisiana, especially, where they catch a lot of rain.) “L’azélia vient dans aine bande de couleurs.” (The azalea comes in a bunch of colors.)
When a person belches Cajuns use the verb “roter.” Sf the verb “éructer” is used, however, “roter” means the same. ”Il est pas vaillant de roter parmi la compagnie.” (It is not nice to belch among company.)  Cajuns use “vaillant, vaillante” for nice or pleasing in manner, whereas SF seem to use it to mean hardy, courageous or brave. “Ça c’est ain vaillant homme, il a des belles manieres.” (That is a nice man, he has good or nice manners.)
I did hear “éructer” used by my grandparents and my parents, however, we children avoided that verb and stuck to “roter.” No doubt that was the case due to the latter being easier to pronounce.
In Cajun when a horse acts stubbornly or balks we say “le cheval est après faire rétif or le cheval fait le rétif.” In SF the verb “dérober” is used. [In Cajun "dérober" means to derobe or undress.] “Mon père avait ain cheval qui faisait rétif au point qu’on pouvait (puisse) pas le dompter.” (My father had a horse that was stubborn to the point that we could not tame it.)
“Mauditerie” is used in Cajun to express badness. In SF “méchanceté” is used. “La mauditerie du jeune homme va le couter ain tas, plus tard pendant sa vie. (The badness of the young man will cost him a lot later on during his life.)
Here is one that is interesting, Cajuns use the word “la charpente” for the carpentry, where we hear SF use the word “la charpenterie.” La charpente in SF stands for a framework  an outline, a skeleton etc.  “Ain homme qui travaille à la charpente a peut-être ain peut du mal dans ses poignets.” (A man who works at carpentry perhaps has much pain in his wrists.)
A woodsman or carpenter can also be “ain menuisier,” where in Cajuns “le charpentier” is used for all types of woodworkers. “Il y a du monde qu’ont le dernier nom de “Charpentier” mais ça veut pas dire qui sont des “charpentier” en occupation.” (There are some people who have the last name of “carpenter” but that does not mean that they are “carpenters” in their occupation.)
Cajuns wear “ain capot” for a coat. SF people wear “ain manteau.” No doubt the word “capot” comes from the hooded wrap that men and women use to wear in years gone by. “En Louisiane on a pas besoin d’ain gros capot.” (In Louisiana one does not need a big coat.)
The noun for a chat in SF is “causette,” in Cajun we prefer “aine causade or aine causerie. “J’aime entendre le vieux monde dans aine causade (causerie) après dire des contes de les autres fois.”  (I like to hear the old folks involved in a chat, relating stories of former times.)Â
Our coffee pot is referred to as “aine gregue” in SF it is referred to as “aine cafétière.” “On avait pas aine grande gregue à café puisque on buvait pas ain tas de café à la fois.” (We did not have a big coffee pot since we did not drink a lot of coffee at one time.)
Here’s one that would make Cajuns laugh. The SF word for “bazaar” is “la foire.” The Cajun word for it is “le bazar.” To a Cajun “la foire” is “loose bowels or diarrhea.” “Les enfants voulaient aller au bazar pour avoir ain bon temps.” (The young ones wanted to go to the bazaar or fair to have a good time.)
If you want to go to the barn in SF you would use “étable-grange or la grange.” In Cajun we use a noun that is used for other buildings as well, that is “le magasin.” “Le foin était serré dans le grenier du magasin, et puis là , il était poussé dans les crêches des écuries pour nourrir les animaux.” (The hay was stored in the attic (hay-loft) of the barn and then it was pushed into the hay-cribs of the stalls to nourish the animals.)
I never heard the SF words for “the courthouse,” ”le palais de justice.” To us it was always “la maison d’cour.” “Les procès dans la paroisse de St. Landry étaient tenu dans le village de Opelousas parceque c’était là que le siège de la paroisse se trouver.” (The trials in St. Landry Parish were held in the city of Opelousas because that is where the parish seat was located [found].
When one went to the train “station” to catch a train the place was called in Cajun “ain dépot, le dépot.” In SF the train station is called “la gare.” “Dans les années passés il y avait beaucoup des “dépots” au long du chemin d’fer.” (In past years there were many train stations (depots) along the railroad.”
One difference that would repel Cajuns is the use of the SF word for “the dishtowel,” [le torchon]. Cajuns use the words “le torchon” for “the toilet towel or toilet wipe [wad]“ The word for “dish towel is ” [la lavette]. You can recognize the verb “laver” which means to wash in the word for dish rag. “La cuisinère usait aine lavette qu’était, avant ça, justement ain morceau de haillon.” (The cook or kitchen maid used a dish rag (towel) that was simply a piece of haggard cloth before now.) The drying towel was called in Cajun “aine serviette à éssuyer.”  ”La serviette usé pour éssuyer la vaisselle assapait pas grand chose, y fallait la éssuyer plusse qu’aine fois.” (The drying towel used to wipe the dishes did not absorb the water very well, it was necessary to wipe them more than once.)
“Les soldats Romains d’autrefois usaient ain torchon attaché sur ain piquet équand ils avaient fini d’aller à la selle.” (The Roman soldiers of times past used a “wad” attached to a small stick when they had finished using the toilet.) The Cajun verb to use toilet paper after using the facilities is “torcher” “se torcher,” or to wipe oneself.
Here’s one that I found out on my own when I was reading SF literature, “hocher la tête,” meaning to “shake the head.” Now in Cajun we would say “secouer la tête [s'couer].”  ”To nod the head,” SF would use something familiar to Cajuns “baisser la tête,” literally meaning to lower the head. Cajuns could also use “pencher la tête” meaning to “lower the head, or to nod.” “To raise the head,” in SF would be the same as in Cajun, “relever la tête.”
I have never heard Cajuns use “hocher” in their conversations. “Autrefois équand on faisait quelque chose honteux on penchait la tête pour montrer qu’on avait (ait) honte.” (In times gone by we would bow the head when we did something shameful to demonstrate that we had shame.) “Aujourd’hui il est dur à croire qu’aine personne va faire [voir-many times the v is elided and the word is pronounced "oir-the o sounding like an English w, like we say "ouaouaron," for bull-frog] sa honte par avoir la tête en penchant.”  (Today it is hard to believe that a person will make his shame known by the bending of the head.”)
In Cajun when we go horseback we say “aller à cheval.” In SF you may hear “Faire du cheval.” Now to a Cajun that would sound weird “to make of the horse.” We say “to go by horse.” “J’aime aller à cheval, mais l’occasion se présente pas souvent.” (I like to go horseback (riding), but the occasion does not present itself often.)
We use to make ice-cream using ”ain sabotière.” In SF the word is “sorbétière,” or “ain appareil pour sorbet.” That would mean to sorbet or make sherbet etc. “J’me rappelle quand j’étais très jeune c’était aine belle affaire de faire la crème (à la glace) parceque il fallait que j’m'assieds sur le sabotière tandis qu’aine autre personne tournait la manche (SF “la manivelle) pour faire glacer le mélange.” (I remember when I was very young that it was a nice thing to make ice-cream because it was necessary for me to sit on top of the ice-cream maker while another person turned the crank to ice the mixture.)
C’me donne ain tas de allégresse équand j’peux me rappeller des mots ou des ditons en Cajuns mais c’me fait d’la peine que j’peux (puisse) pas les user souvent.  (It gives me great or much joy when I can remember words or sayings in Cajun, but it pains me (it makes me sorry) that I cannot use them very often.)
J’crois que j’vas arrêter asteur avec ma chasse des mots ou ditons en Cajun pour les comparé avec le Français. Je souhaite que vous-autres peut (puisse) continuer à faire ça pour vous-même.  (I think that I will stop now with my hunt for words or sayings in Cajun to compare them with SF. I hope [wish] that you could continue to make this (hunt) for yourselves.)
“Vous-autres devrait pas simplement “chuchoter”* tous les mots et ditons que j’aie donné en haut. Il faut les répéter à vous-même dans aine voix haute.” (You should not simply whisper all the words and saying that I have given above. It is necessary to repeat them to yourselves in a audible (loud) voice.)Â
*The verb “chuchoter” means to whisper.   Â
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June 2007
- Author: Jim Leger | Category: Learn Cajun French | Comments(0)
L’Avare - Qui C’est Ça?
Beaucoup des fois, j’entendais mes parents racontaient ain conte concernant ain vieux avare qui resté allentour de nous-autres. Y disaient qu’il serrait le tas d’argent qu’il avait dans ain caine, et puis là y mettait ça dans aine place dur à trouver. En fin, peut-être qui cachait son argent dans son matelas!
English Translation: Many times I would hear my parents relate an account (story) concerning an old miser who lived in our vicinity. They would say that he saved, the lot of money that he had, in a can and then he would put it in a place hard to find. At the end of it all, perhaps he would hide his money in his mattress!Â
Alors, qui c’est ça ain avare? Cette aine personne qu’est très chiche. Il aime mieux rester avec sans que user son argent pour acheter de quoi. Si tu visiterais sa place tu croyais qu’il etait aine personne dans la pauvreté.
English Translation: Therefore, who or what is a miser? It is a person that is very stingy. He would rather be with nothing than to use his money to buy things. If you were to visit his place you would think that he was a person living in poverty.
On entendait des fois que la place (maison) d’un avare avait pris en feu et lui et son argent étaient consumé par les flammes du feu. Il était trop faible pour se lever de son lit et s’échapper du feu. On peut blamer ça sur le fait qu’il avait pas assez pour manger dans sa maison?  Pour ain avare ça c’est bel et bien, mais les conséquences de sa chichetesse (chicheté) a venu le visiter.
English Translation: We would hear at times that the home of the miser had caught on fire and he and his money was consumed by the firey flames. He was too weak to get out of his bed and escape from the fire. We can blame that on the fact that he did not have enough to eat in his home. For a miser that is well and good, but the consequences of his stinginess came to haunt him.
J’entendais ain autre conte que l’avare est mort et ses survivants connaissaient pas qu’il avait ain tas d’argent caché dans son matelas ou à d’autre place. La famille connaissait pas, mais ain voisin à su (ou y savait) que le vieux avare avait son argent serré dans son matelas ou dans aine autre lieu. Équand ils ont venu le ramassé pour l’amner au embaumeur après que le coronaire (coroneur) a déclaré la cause de sa mort, le voisin a venu et il a volé l’argent du vieux avare. Voilà , aine autre conséquence qu’a venu visiter le vieux avare par moyen d’affecter ses survivants. Ils ont jamais pu prouver que le voisin avait volé l’argent qu’était bien caché.
English Translation: I would hear another account that the miser had died and his survivors did not know that he had a lot of money hidden in his mattress or at another place. The family did not know, but his neighbor had found out that the old miser had his money hidden (saved) in his mattress or in another place. When they came to pick him up to take him to the embalmer after the coroner declared the cause of his death, the neighbor came and he stole the old miser’s money. See there, another consequence that came to haunt the old miser by means of affecting his survivors.  They never could prove that the neighbor had stolen the money that was well hidden.
L’argent est pour nous-autres aine défense si on le userait pour nous aider à procurer ça qu’est nécessaire pour la vie. Si on le cacherait comme le vieux avare ça serait pareil comme pas de l’avoir du tout.
English Translation: Money is for us a defense if we use it to help us procure that which is necessary for life. If we hide it like the old miser that would be just like (tantamount) like not having it at all.
Moi, j’sus pas ain avare, en fin, j’ai pas ain tas d’argent. Ça prenait pas ain gros caine pour user comme coffre pour serrer mon argent! Comme ain tas du monde d’aujourd’hui j’existe jour à jour et j’me tracasse pas trop à demain. Le pain du jour (quotidien) est toujour là pour me nourrir. Si ma place prendrait en feu, mon argent en papier ferait pas ain gros feu, et mon échange serait pas aine grande chose perdu.
English Translation: Me, I am not a miser, in fact I do not have a lot of money. It would not take a big can to use as a safe to save (hide) my money! Like many people of today, I live day to day and I do not worry myself too much about tomorrow. The daily bread is always there to nourish me. If my home were to catch on fire, my paper money would not make a big fire, and my change would not be a big thing lost.
Oui, ain avare compte son argent et le serre peut-être dans ain caine ou dans son matelas mais la seule plaisir qu’il obtient c’est d’avoir la connaissance qu’il possède ain tas d’argent qu’il l’apporte à rien que cette connaissance.
English Translation: Yes, a miser counts his money and saves it perhaps in a can or in his mattress, but the only pleasure that he obtains is that of having the knowledge that he possesses a lot of money, that brings him nothing but that knowledge.
La morale ou le leçon appris ici s’explique elle ou lui même.
English Translation: The moral or the lesson learned here is self-explaining (explanatory).
Â
June 2007
- Author: Jim Leger | Category: Learn Cajun French | Comments(0)
Cajun Words From A-Zed
 AUDIO TO FOLLOW (Bientôt - Soon)
Note:Â I use ain and aine for the indefinite pronouns instead of un and une because that is the way we generally pronounce them; however, that does not mean that at times we do not use the SF way of pronouncing them, especially for emphasis.
Abalourdir: v.t. to make dull or stupid. You can see the word “lourd” or “heavy” in this Cajun word, so it refers to dulling of the mind etc.
Trop de télévsion va peut-être abalourdir les esprits des enfants d’aujourd’hui. (Too much televsion will perhaps dull the spirits or minds of today’s children.)
L’abajoue: n.f. cheek pouch.
Équand le vieux homme a aine chique de tabac dans la bouche y me fait penser a l’abajoue d’ain ecureuil plein de noix. (When the old man has a chew of tobacco in his mouth he makes me think of a squirrel’s cheek-pouch full of nuts.)
Le barbeau: n.m. june bug.
Le barbeau est très embarrassant équand y vient dans son temps. (The june bug is very bothersome when it comes during his time (season).
Barguiner: v.t. to bargain, to trade.
Il y a du monde qu’aiment barguiner avant de faire aine achète.  (There are some people who like to bargain before making a purchase.) J’vas barguiner mon cheval pour le tien. (I will trade my horse for yours.)
Barosse: a. sluggish, slow, lazy, dull etc.
Les drogues (drugs, dope) peuvent mettre ain esprit plein de vitesse dans ain état très barosse. (The drugs or dope can put a spirit (mind) full of vitality in a state of much sluggishness.)
Le chou-chou: n.m. “little darling.”
J’appelle mon tit garçon mon chou-chou ou tit chou. (I call my grandson my little cabbage (darling).
Le cure-dent: n.m. toothpick.
On avait pas des cure-dents en maison, ah bien, on usait des mis de balais pour curer nos dents après on avait mangé. (We did not have toothpicks in the house, therefore, we used broom straws to pick our teeth after having eaten.)
La culbute: n.f. somersault.
J’ai fait aine culbute devant mon père pour le montrer comment alle est fait. (I made a somersault in front of my father to show him how it is done.)
Le coussin: n.m. cushion, seat cushion, pad.
My grand-mère faisait sûr que le coussin de son boghei était bien entretenu. (My grandmother made sure that the seat (cushion) of her buggy was well taken care of.)
Darder:Â to stick with a pointed instrument; to dash, lunge or hurl.
La mouche à miel se protège par moyen de darder ses ennemis. (The honey bee protects itself by darting its enemies.) Il a fallut se darder déhors de la maison équand le feu a commencé. (It was necessary for us to dart out of the house when the fire started.)
Dévisser: to unscrew.
On avait du tracas pour (à ) dévisser le bouchon sur le pobon de confiture. (We had or he or she had trouble to unscrew the top or lid to the jar of fruit preserves.)
La doutance: n.f. doubt, uncertainty or suspicion.
L’engageur a engagé le tit bourgre avec aine doutance, parce qu’il avait entendu aine mauvaise parole contre lui. (The hirer hired the young man with suspicion because he had heard a bad word against him.)
L’échafaudage: n.m. scaffolding.
L’échafaudage que les charpentiers ont bati a pas resté débout pour longtemps. (The scaffolding that the carpenters built did not stay up for very long.)
Écervelé: feather-brain, scatter-brain, foolish.
Y me disent que j’sus très écervelé, ça c’est pas vrai, c’est que j’sus seulement ain obliard. (They tell me that I am a scatter brain, that is not true, it is only that I am forgetful.)
Échiner: to wear out, tire out, be haggard.
La grande route à pied va tous m’échiner à mon âge. (The long trip on foot will tire me out, wear me out, render me haggard, at my age.)
L’éguerre: n.m. a square (tool), right angle in a road or a piece of land.
Mon père pouvait user aine éguerre comme si il avait reçu aine éducation dans la charpente. (My father could use a square as if he had received an education in carpentry.) Équand ti viendras (vas venir) a l’éguerre dans le chemin, y faut ti tournes à la droite. (When you will come to the 90 degree angle in the road you need to turn to the right.) Ils ont bati aine barrière pour marquer l’éguerre de leur terrain. (They built a fence to mark the right turn or angle of their property.)
L’épaulette: n.f. shoulder strap, trim, or outside padding.
Les jouers dans l’orchestre (band) apportent des capots (habits) que ils ont décoré avec des belles épaulettes. (The players in the orchestra (band) wear coats that are decorated with beautiful shoulder pieces or epaulets.)
Farauder:Â to sport fine clothes.
Le jeune bougre aime se farauder dans son habillement pour essayer d’attraper l’attention des jeunes filles. (The young man likes to sport fine clothes to try and attract the young girls’ attention.) Using the adjective (adverb) ”faraud”: Il est tous l’temps habillé très faraud (faraude fem.) He or she is always dressed very sporty.) La robe que Anna apporte est bien faraude. (The dress that Anna wears is very sporty, dressy.)
Frileux:Â feeling chilly or suffering from the cold.
La vielle femme s’enveloppe dans aine couverte équand é s’assit sous sa galerie parce qu’elle est très frileux. (The old woman wraps herself in a blanket when she sits under her porch because she is affected by the cold.)
La frisette: n.f. curl, curly lock, small curl.
Les jeunes femmes, pendant les années passés, avaient aine frisette sur chaque bord ou coté de leur figure aux tempes. (The young ladies in years gone by had a curly lock on each side of their face at the temples.) J’me rappelle quand les femmes mettent ain “permanent, Toni” dans leur cheveux pour les donner des frisettes. (I remember when the ladies would put a perm (by Toni) in their hair to give them curls.) The verb “friser” to curl or to frizz v.t. Équand ma soeur était après friser ses cheveux la maison se sentait très forte. (I remember when my sister was frizzing or curling her hair (with Toni) the house had a very strong odor.)
Gauche: adj. awkward, clumsy, lefty.
Aine personne qu’est gauche va pas faire bien comme ain commis dans aine boutique ayeou qu’on vende seulement des objets en verres. (A clumsy person will not do well as a salesperson in a store where they sell only glassware.)
Gercer: v.t. to chap, to be chapped.
Pendant l’hiver nos lèvres peuvent gercer à cause de le froid et notre habitude de les licher. (During the winter our lips can get chapped due to the cold and our habit of licking them.)
Le gorgoyo: n.m. tadpole, pot bellied person.
On allait attraper des gorgoyos quand j’étais ain tit garçon dans les fossés au ras de ma maison. (We would go and catch some tadpoles when I was a young boy in the ditches near to my house.) Si t’arrêterais pas de manger comme t’es toujours à la crève de faim, tu vas ressembler (ressembleras) ain gorgoyo avec ain gros ventre. (If you do not stop eating as if you are always starving, you will resemble a tadpole with a big belly.)
Grouiller:Â to move, to stir, to get moving, to hurry.
Allons grouiller mes enfants avant que la pluie nous trempe. (Let us move quickly my children before the rain drenches us.) Avec ain mal en dos aine personne peut pas rester tranquille, il faut grouiller constamment. A person with pain in the back cannot stay still, it is necessary to stir constantly.)
Hein: interj. poses a question.
Tu v’aller au village ain tit brin plus tard, hein? (You will go to town in a little bit, yes?) Hein, quoi c’est que ta dis? (What, what is it you said?)
Humecter: v.t. to dampen, wet, moisten etc. To do it to oneself.
Le temps est assez humide, équand qu’on va déhors pour seulement aine tite élan, c’est comme si qu’on a fait exprès de nous humecter. (The weather is so humid, that when we go outside for just a little while, it is as if we deliberately wet ourselves.)
La’hydropsie: n.f. dropsy.
Ma tante avait aine mauvaise affaire de l’hydropsie jusqu’a ses bas d’jambes ont gonflé terriblement. (My aunt had a bad case of the dropsy until the bottom parts of her legs swelled up terribly.)
Imposer: v.t. to impose on. to impose onself on someone.
Il est pas vaillant d’aller s’imposer sur aine et l’autre. (It is not nice to go impose ourselves on one another.)
Influencer (influer): v.t. to influence.
Comme des parents, on peut influencer (influer) nos enfants par le moyen qu’on se comporte. (As parents, we can influence our children by means of our conduct or behavior.)
L’ivoire: n.m. ivory.
Les voleurs de gibiers ont presque tous tuer les éléphant dans L’Afrique pour l’ivoire qui se trouve dans leurs gros crochets. (The game poachers have nearly killed all the elephants in Africa for the ivory that is found in their tusks.)
Jabot: n.m. the bust, bosom, chest.
Ma mémère cachait son tit porte-monaie dans son jabot. (My grandmother would hide her change purse in her bosom area.) Y faut pas mettre la main dans le jabot équand on est après s’engager dans aine querelle, peut-être l’autre personne croira, va croire, qu’on a ain pistolet caché là . (We should not put our hand in our bosom area when we are engaged in a dispute, perhaps the other person will think that we have a pistol hidden there.)
Jais: adj. n.m. jet black, black mineral like coal when polished used to make beautiful black jewelry.
Mon garçon avait aine tête de cheveux noir comme du jais. (My boy or son had a head of hair that was black as jet black.) J’ai acheté des morceaux de bijouteries qu’été fabriqué avec du jais bien poli et très jolies. (I bought some pieces of jewelry that were fabricated with black jet stone very well polished and very pretty.)
Joliment: adv. fairly, pretty, good many etc.
Le pain de hier était joliment dur, alors mom a fait du pain perdu avec ça. (Yesterday’s bread was pretty hard, therefore, mom made some French toast with that.) La famille qui reste au près de nous-autres est joliment riche. (The family that lives near to us is fairly rich.) L’étudiant trouve que les mots que la maitress l’a donné pour épeler sont joliment dificiles à  faire. (The words that the teacher gave the student to spell are fairly difficult to spell.)
Juter: v.t. to ooze out juice.
Les oranges qu’on a acheté avant-hier étaient bien facile à juter, parce qu’ils étaient très jutants. (The oranges that they or we bought day before yesterday were very easily juiced because they were very juicy.)
Le kap-kap: n.m. an insignificant person, a click beetle.
Le tit kap-kap s’a presenté devant mes amis avec des accusations contre moi pour essayer d’me reprocher. (The little significant person presented himself before my friends with accusations against me to try and reproach me.) J’crois que le nom “kap-kap” été donné à cet insect a cause de le “claquement” qu’il apporte ou amène pour faire connaître sa présence (connaître de faire d’être là ). (I believe that the name that was given to the click beetle was due to the clicking that it carries on to make known its presence or make known its presence.)
Le Kodak: n.m. camera (Kodak brand name became the word for camera among Cajuns. Seldomly did I hear “le caméra.”
J’me rappelle équand j’étais dans le septième livre à l’école il y avait ain homme dans le voisinage qu’avait ain Kodak connu comme le Polaroid qui prenait des portraits carrément. Dans les jours là les portraits étaient pas en couleurs, simplement en noir et blanc. (I remember when I was in the seventh grade at school there was a man of the neighborhood who had a camera known as the Polaroid (land camera) that would take and develop pictures instantly. In those days the pictures were not in color, only in black and white.)
Larguer: v.t. to tire out tire out oneself.
C’est aisé (facile) de se larguer équand on devint vieux. (It is easy to tire one self out when one becomes old.) Le cheval s’a largué par galloper pour tros longtemps dans le soleil chaud. (The horse tired itself out by running for too long in the hot sun.)
Le livre: n.m. book and in my locale it referred to the grade you were in school.
J’aimais lire ain livre presque chaque soir quand j’avais treize à dix-neuf ans. (I liked to read a book nearly every night when I was a teenager.) J’me rappelle bien le soir de ma graduation du huitième livre. ( I remember well the night of my eight grade graduation.)
Le maque-chou: n.m. sweetcorn cooked down with some sugar and perhaps other vegetables.
Ma grandmère faisait ain délicieux maque-chou équand alle venait nous visiter pendant le temps du maïs tendre. (My grandmother would make a delicious succotash when she visited us during the time of the sweet tender corn.) Chaque cuisinère parmi les Cajuns avait leur propre choix de faire ain maque-chou. (Each Cajun cook among the Cajuns had their own way or choice of making succotash.)
La matière: n.f. matter, bad matter in a sore etc.
Le clou sur le bras de mon frère a abouti et puis là ma mère l’a percé pour oter la matière (posthume) de ça. (The boil on the arm of my brother came to a head and then my mother pierced it to remove the bad matter (pus) )out of it.
La meule: n.f. a revolving grind or whet stone.
Presque chaque récolteur avait aine meule dans aine remise ou dans ain hangar pour affiler ses outils. (Nearly each farmer had a revolving whet stone in a shed (used to store farming equipment or buggys etc.) to sharpen his tools.) La meule est très lourde, y faut la tourner avec des manches. (The revolving grinding stone is very heavy, it is necessary to turn it with handles.)
Le monstre: n.m. adj. monster, huge, bad like a monster.
Ça c’est monstre de ain homme. (That is a huge or monster of a man.) Il m’a fait peur à monstre. (He scared me hughly.) Fils de monstre (pronounced f’i'd monstre) was a euphemism for the other bad expression. It was used for “son of a gun.”) Ça c’est monstre, oui! (He or that is like a monster, ugly etc. yes!)
Le nioque: n.m. nest egg. We used it to indicate a bump or goose egg on the head etc.
Le tit enfant a tombé déhors de son tit lit, et il a frappé sa tête contre le pied du grand lit, après ça, ain nioque s’a levé sur le haut de son front. (The small child fell out of his baby bed and he hit his head against the foot of the big bed, after, that a goose egg came up on the upper part of his forehead.)
Le normand: n.m  (normand a.) Used to describe a big horse in contrast to a smaller horse (ain Créole).
Mon grandpère avait deux chevals normand, qu’il usait pour haler ses outils de récolte. (My grand father had two hugh horses that he used to pull his farm implements.) In contrast: Mon père avait deux mulets créoles qu’il usait pour faire sa récolte. (My father had two Creole (small) mules that he used with which to farm.)
L’oeillet: n.m. shoe eyelet.
J’ai apris comment filer les cordes de mes souliers dans leur oillets équand j’avais sept ans d’âge. (I learned to string my shoel laces into their eyelets when I was or had seven years of age.)
L’ombrelle: n.f. umbrella, parasol etc.
Les Cajuns appellent toutes espèces de “umbrella,” l’ombrelle. Ils appellent les tits “parasol” comme des parasol. (The Cajuns use the word l’ombrelle to name or call all kinds of umbrellas. They call the smaller umbrella, dainty ones, “le parasol.”) In SF the word “ombrelle” can also stand for the shade itself. In Cajun we always used “l’ombrage.” This word is also used for your shadow, “ton ombrage.”
Le ouaouaron: n.m. bullfrog.
Les cuisses de ouaouaron (wahwahron) sont des délicatesses servi dans les restaurants du soudouest de la Louisiane. Le village de Rayne est appelé le Capitale des Ouaouaron du Monde. (The frog legs are delicacies served in restaurants in southwest Louisiana. The town of Rayne is called or known as the Frog Capitol of the World.)
Chaque année l’école de Rayne envoyait aine contestante avec ain ouaouaron pour la répresenter dans la saute (saute-mouton ou “leapfrog.”) des ouaouarons dans l’état de la Californie. (Each year the High School of Rayne, sent a contestant (girl) with a bull frog to represent it in the frog-jumping contest in the state of California. [I believe it was called the "Mark Twain Contest?"]
Pagailler: v.t. to row, to oar.
Dans les cyprières de la Louisiane on peut voir ain tas du monde après pagailler leur piroques. (In the cypress swamps of Louisiana one can see a lot of people rowing their dugouts or canoes.)
Another verb used is “ramer,” which is used for poling as well as for oaring.  Il y a des foies il est mieux de ramer la piroque plutôt que la pagailler. (At times it is better to pole your canoe instead of rowing it.) This may be true in the swamps.
Le parcage: n.m. the penning or corraling of animals.
Équand les bêtes avaient besoin d’être testé pour la maladie de “Bangs,” y fallait les mettre en parcage pour être capable de attraper du sang d’eux pour l’examen. On les faisait aller premièrement dans ain chute et là le vétéinaire attrapait du sang par moyen d’aine aiguille.  (When the cattle needed to be tested for the Bangs disease, it was necessary to pen them to be able to draw some blood for the test. We would make them first of all go through a chute and there the vet would draw blood by means of a needle.)
Piétiner: v.t. to trample on.
Il fallait pas aller piétiner allentour du jardin avant que le jardinage été tous élévé. (We had better not trample around the garden until the plants were up.)Â
Le pique-nique: n.m. the picnic, easy.
C’est ain pique-nique plutôt que dur à ain bon charpentier à figurer comment mettre aine coverture à la correcte pente. (It is easy or a picnic for a good carpenter to figure how to put a correct pitch or slope to a roof.) Chaque année on allait sur ain pique-nique à Opelousas, avec l’école  qui nous représenté. (Each year we would go on a picnic in Opelousas having the school as our sponsor.)
Prémédité: adj. premeditated or aforethought. (Préméditer: v.t. to premeditate.)
Rien était prémédité, tous était fait volentaire ou de (dans) soi-même équand la bataille à commencé. (Nothing was premeditated or with forethought all was done voluntarily [within oneself or spontaneously] when the fight began.)Â
Presser: v.t. to be in a hurry, to be squeezed, to be urgent.
Y faut se presser pour arriver à  la classe à  l’heure. (We need to hurry up to arrive at class on time.) Pour ôter le jus d’aine orange, il faut la presser. (To obtain the juice from an orange it is necessary to squeeze it.)
Le quantième: n.m. date of a month.
Sur quel quantième du moi de Juin t’as* aine  appointement avec le docteur?  (On what date of the month of June do you have an appointment with the doctor.) (*or vous-avez if you are speaking to an older person or more than one person)
Quoique: adv. even though, although.
Quoique alle est jeune, a peut bien faire à diner pour la famille. (Even though she is young, she can well fix dinner for the family.) (Même si=albeit is also used.)
Racheux: adj. Rough coarse, unplaned like wood.
On avait pas de madriers pour batir ain autre écurie sur le côté du vieux magasin, alors, on a eut pour user du bois très racheux. (We did not have lumber (2×4’s etc.) to build another stable on the side of the old barn, therefore, we had to use unplaned wood, very coarse.)
Rechute: n.f. a relapse or setback, especially of sickness.
Ma grand-mère a eut aine rechute avec la pneumonie (fluxion) pour la deuxième foie. (My grandmother had a relapse with pnemonia for the second time.)
Recreuser: v.t. to hollow out again.
Y l’a fallut pour le récolteur de (à ) recreuser ses fossés d’égouts dans son clos, autrement, d’ça, sa récolte aurait été toute assapé. (It became necessary for him, the farmer, to redig or rehollow his drainage ditches in his field, otherwise, than that, his crop would have become waterlogged.)
Regricher: v.t. to go against the wind, current, to bristle up like animals when afraid.
Les chiens vont se regricher si on approcherait leur habitation sans les quitter à connaître. (The dogs will bristle if we approach their habitat without letting them know (by calling out to them etc.) Il est dificile à regricher le courant d’eau quand le vent est fort. (It is difficult to go against the current when the wind is strong.)
Sangler: v.t. to cinch, put a belly band, to saddle one with a debt or burden.
J’voulais pas me sangler avec cette dette au moment a cause de peut-être perdre mon job. (I didn’t want to saddle or tie myself with this debt at the moment due to perhaps losing my job.) T’as besoin de sangler le cheval très bien avant de le monter parceque ta selle va peut-être tomber au dessous de toi. (You need to cinch your horse very well before climbing on him because your saddle could perhaps fall from underneath you.)
Semer: v.t. to plant or sow seed.
Y faut semer la grain de maîs de bonne heure en printemps, après la chance d’attraper aine gelée est passé. (It or we must sow the corn seed early in the spring after the chance of getting a frost has passed.) Les choques connaissaient équand le récolteur était après semer la grain de maîs. Y fallut les évader pour les empêcher de fouiller et manger la grain. (The blackbird knew when the farmer was planting the corn seed. It was necessary to scatter them or frighten them to keep them from digging up and eating the seed.)
Soigner: v.t. to take care, look after.
My plus vieille soeur habitude de soigner sa tite soeur et son tit frère pendant que ma mère travaillait dans l’clos. (My older sister used to take care of her little (younger) sister and her little (younger) brother while my mother worked in the field.)Â
The noun “le soin,” “the care etc.” Le soin qu’est donné aujourd’hui à les enfants sur la part des parents est pas du tout comme dans les années passés. (The care given today to children on the part of parents is not at all like it was in years gone by.)
Tantôt: adv. soon, presently.
J’vas v’nir tantôt plutôt que bétôt. (I will come presently, rather than a little later.) Le maître d’école voulait que les enfants faisaient ça tantôt. (The principal wanted children to do that now.)
Le tayaut: n.m. hound dog, hound.
Èquand le tayaut a commencé a japper le chasseur connaîssait qu’il avait éventé le lapin. (When the hound began to bark the hunter knew that it had scented (caught a scent of) the rabbit.)
Le tignon: n.m. kerchief around the head.
La femme apportait ain tignon (tillon) quand le vent était bien fort pour essayer de pas défaire sa coiffure. (The woman wore a kerchief when the wind was very strong, to try and not undo her hairdo.)
Le tortillon: n.m. hair bun worn in the back of the head.
On avait ain portrait de ma grand-mère quand alle apportait ses cheveux en arrière de sa tête dans ain tortillon (tortillant). (We had a picture of my grandmother when she wore the hair on the back of her head in a bun.)
Le ti-lait: n.m. the milky juice of plants, fruits or the watery juice after milk was churned to make butter.
J’aimais pas boire le ti-lait qui resté après que le lait été brassé ou barraté pour faire du beurre. (I did not like to drink the milk-juice that remained after the milk was stirred or churned to make butter.) Le ti-lait de la figue resemble du lait, mais c’est vraiment aine acide qu’on mettait sur des poreaux (verrures) (The juice of the fig looks like milk, but it is truly an acid.)
Tondre: v.t. to shear, to clip nails.
Pour tondre les ongles d’orteils à ma grand-mère, mon père usait aine paire de forces (gross cisseaux) et ain couteau bien affilé. (To clip my grandmother’s toe nails, my dad used a pair of big scissors and a well-sharpened knife.)
Les moutons avaient besoin d’étre tondu (past tense) pour ôter leur laine et là la vendre pour augmenter la rente. (The sheep needed to be sheared to remove the wool, and then to sell it to augment or increase the private income.)
Usable: adj. Les choses usables sont gardé on avant des choses inutiles. (The usable things are kept in front of the non-usables.) Mon char est pu usable asteur que le moteur s’a chauffé de trop équand j’ai oblié de mettre d’leau et l’antifreeze (dégrivant SF) dans le radiateur. (My car is not useful anymore now that the motor overheated when I forgot to put water and antifreeze in the radiator.)
Le vivier: n.m. fishing pond, pasture pond for animals to drink from.
Chaque proprétié avait ain vivier dans sa savane pour aller à la pêche et ayeou les animaux peuvent boire. (Each homestead had a pond in which to go fishing and for the animals from which to drink.)
Vouer: v.t. to vow or dedicate. vouer à : dedicate to.
Équand ain homme et aine femme se marient y faut vouer à rester ensemble pour la balance de leurs vies. (When a man and a woman marry they must make a vow to stay together for the rest of their lives.) Pour vouer à donner quelques chose ou faire quelques choses devrait pas étre fait sur ain caprice. (To vow to give or do somethings should not be done on a whim, or capriously.)
Wagon: n.m. wagon. (note Cajuns pronounce the “w” as in English)
Le wagon était très utile dans le temps passé avant qu’on avait des camions (trucks). (The wagon was very useful in times past before we had trucks.) On halait allentour de dix-sept cents livres de cotton au moulin dans ain wagon pour faire aine balle qui pesait allentour de sept-cents livres après la grain était ôté, et seulement le soie restait.) We hauled around 1700 pounds of cotton to the gin in a wagon in order to make a bale that would weigh around 700 lbs, after the seed was removed, only the silk remained.)
Whiskie: n.m. whisky (the “w” is pronounced as English “w.”
Équand mon père mettait du whiskie dans son café il appelait ça ain pousse-café. (When my dad would put whisky in his coffee he would call it a type of “Irish coffee.”)
Yanque: adj. nothing or nothing but.
J’ai reçu que yanque pour tous mon ouvrage. (I received nothing for my work.) Yanque (rien de) veut dire qu’il y a que zéro. (Nothing means that there is but zero.)
Y: adv. used in the following verbal expressions:
Allons-y (let us go there, after it, let’s go get it)Â Of course y can stand for he, she, him, her, they, their)
Y vont pas aller. (They will not go.) Y veut manger son déjeuner de bonne heure. (He wants to eat his breakfast early.) Allons-y donner sa partie. (Let us give him, her, them, their share.) Remember when it replaces the pronouns use them only in front of a word that begins with a consonant.Â
Zigzaguer: v.t. to zigzag.
L’homme était après zizaguer parce qu’il avait bu tros de la boisson. (The man was going zigzag because he had drunk too much liquor.)Â
Zirable: adj. revolting, disgusting, repulsive.
C’est très zirable oui, ça! (That is (it, he, she, they, their) very revolting, that yes.) Le chien est tous zirable après qu’y revienne de la chasse.) (The dog is terrible dirty when he comes back from the hunt.)
(PLEASE NOTE THAT UNDER “ZIRE” IN THE AUDIO THE USE OF THE WORD IN A SENTENCE AND THEN THE TRANSLATION IN ENGLISH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE WRITTEN POST. TRY TO SAY THE CAJUN WORD AND SENTENCE. GOOD PRACTICE!)
Zire: adj. to be disgusted, to be repelled etc.
J’mange pas ain tas des fêves parceque j’sus zire d’avoire ain tas du gaz. (I do not eat a lot of beans because I am disgusted with having a lot of gas.) J’ai zire de manger d’la viande de lapin. (I have disgust of eating rabbit meat.)
Zireté: n.f. repulsive thing.
Ça c’est aine affaire qu’on appelle aine zireté. (That, that is a thing that we call a repulsive thing.) La zireté de quelques monde est pas acceptable. (The repulsiveness of some people is not acceptable.)
La fin: n.f. The End.
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June 2007
- Author: Jim Leger | Category: Learn Cajun French | Comments(0)