Tag Archives: Slang

“Brake Tag”

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Brake Tag

Informant 1.Info: Caitlin Flint, age 21, Metairie, Louisiana. Collected May 22, 2016 on Iphone.

Verbal Lore; Folk Speech, slang

English

United States of America

Context: an inspection sticker for a car registered in the state of Louisiana. Needs to be annually renewed to  make sure the  car is in proper working order.

Transcript (if verbal lore)

“The third slang word is ‘brake tag.’ Brake tag is an inspection sticker that is given to you by the DMV- the Louisiana department of Motor Vehicles.  When your car has passed inspection and is able to be drived. You need to get it renewed every year or two. It is the exact same as an inspection sticker in any other state. I do not know why it is called Brake tag, but everyone I know has- everyone I know who is from New Orleans has always called it a brake tag, so  to use it in a sentence ‘oh, hey Dale,  I noticed that your brake tag was expired, you may want to go stop by the DMV to get a new one.’ That would  be about it.

 

Informant info: (Left to Right) Sadhana Puri, age 20, Jessica Link, age 20, Alex Ledoux, age 21 all from New Orleans, LA. Collected May 15, 2016 on iphone

“Alex: I looked up some things like what’s New Orleans slang, because I wasn’t sure what was slang and what was just normal. Brake tag was on that and I was just surprised that not everyone knows what a brake tag is.  It’s something you get on your car you put it in your windshield.  You have to get it changed every year, but like  I feel like they don’t necessarily check all the time.  You know you can get away with it.

Jessica: They don’t but also you can get a ticket. For having-

Alex: Yeah you can get a ticket so it’s like-

Jessica: I think they have them in some other states, but I don’t know what they’re called in other state.  But I knew that they were only called a brake tag in New Orleans or Louisiana

Alex: Really I did not

Sadhana: I thought it was all states, I thought it was just all states.  I thought it was just a general term.  It was surprising to me that it’s a New Orleans term.

Jessica: We have brake tag stations. There will be a sign that says brake tags, and I know what that means, it’s just on your car a sticker.

Jessica: I think other states, at least some have it, but I don’t know what they’re called.

Katelyn: Is it on the upper-

Alex: They check your brakes.

Katelyn: They check your brakes

Alex: Well they’re supposed to, but they usually just give you one

Jessica: Oh yeah this is that spelling of brake.

Alex: They’re supposed to check your car and make sure it’s like up to code or whatever the terminology is.

Jessica: It’s good

Katelyn: So it’s like uhm, shoot I forgot what it  is called.

Jessica: y’all have them

Katelyn: We do I forgot what it is called, it’s not called brake tag.

Sadhana: What do you call them.

Alex: What would it be called, I feel like brake tag is self explanatory.

Katelyn: It’s like registration you like update your tags.

Jessica: just a tag.

Katelyn: Tags.

Jessica: I think they might call them something else in like other places too, I’m not sure. Yeah.”

Collector’s comments: The term is so wide spread that most New orleanians don’t realize there is another term for the stickers, as such it is an entirely unique word to the city and a good example of New Orleans.

Tags/Keywords: New, Orleans Brake tag, car, Inspection sticker

Link

Beaucoup

Davaron Stockman, age 20, LaPlace, Lousiana. Collected on May 22, 2016 via iphone.

Verbal Lore: slang

Language: French

United States of America/ France

Comes from French phrase “merci beaucoup” or “thanks a lot”, typically used to mean “a lot or too much”

 

“Well, first off we have the word beaucoup. It is the French word for a lot. Growing up I would always hear my mom, um family members, use the word beaucoup in a way of saying there’s a lot of something. So, I would hear my mom say things like I have beaucoup money or you don’t have to worry about paying for that. I have beaucoup this, beaucoup that. Its just, Its just a word for a lot.”

Collector Commentary: The term is a French word that has been absorbed into colloqiuial New orleans English speech. As such, it is a french word that is used in French speaking places but,it is unique as a NO slang word beause it is used in English speech as a synonym for “a lot.”
Tags/ Keywords: Beaucoup, French, a lot,

Link

Lil’ Dip

Davaron Stockman, age 20, Laplace, Louisiana (5/22/16

Verbal lore: slang

Language: English

Country of Origin: United States of America

Social/ Cultural context: Used by New Orleans youth to mean boyfriend, girlfriend or significant other.

“Ha-ha the next one is kind of funny, um, it’s uh, Lil’ Dip. I really started hearing it around middle school, high school time. It’s really like a slang word for boyfriend or girlfriend. I would hear, um, guys or girls when they’re describing their boyfriend or girlfriend use the words Lil’ dip. Basically to use it in a sentence, I saw your little girlfriend over there. Who, my Lil’ dip? Yeah, she uh, was just chilling, uh in the classroom or whatever, something like that.”

Collectors Commentary: This item was explained to be term specific to the folk speech of the young people of New Orleans and ties into the customary dating culture there.

 

Key words: New Orleans, slang, lil’ dip

 

 

Link

Bayou
Informant info Brian Flint, age 23, from Metairie, LA.  Collected May 22, 2016 via iPhone.
Verbal Lore: Slang
Language: English, Choctaw
Country of Origin: United States of America
Social / Cultural Context: The term is used in everyday English language, it has been adopted as a geographical term to specifically refer to the waterways in Louisiana and other Gulf states, and can be found on any english language map of the region.

“ The next one is ‘bayou.’ You might have heard that one before. It comes from the Choctaw word for slow-moving water. And Choctaw is an Indian tribe that used to live in that area of the country. And, it’s a slow- moving body of water that is synonymous with you know, some of the lazy rivers you see in swamps around southeastern Louisiana, mostly around the Gulf States and in the floodplains of the Mississippi River.”

Informant info: (Left to Right) Sadhana Puri, age 20, Jessica Link, age 20, Alex Ledoux, age 21 all from New Orleans, LA collected May 15, 2016 via iPhone video.

“Sadhana: Bayou should we talk about?

Jessica: Yeah we haven’t talked about bayou.

Jessica: Slow moving river.

Katelyn: slow moving river

Jessica: yeah that’s like it’s official definition, I’m pretty sure.  Uh, so we have like a bayou in the city.”

Collector’s comment: This word is a bit different than most in the fact that it shows the relationship to the Native Americans who used to live in the area.  It’s usage is pretty specific to New Orleans, but that could also be due to the fact that it is one of the larger cities that still remains close to a bayou.  It can be considered slang because its usage in New Orleans is more common.
Tags/Keywords: Bayou, Choctaw, Waterway, New Orleans

Full list of Collected Slang Words and definitions

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Baby- A term often thought of as an inappropriate way to address women is deemed more acceptable in New Orleans.

Bayou – A small  slow moving water way usually near swamps in Southeastern Louisiana and along the Gulf coast

Boudin – a rice based sausage

Brake Tag– an Inspection Sticker given bythe Louisiana Department of Motor vehicles

Cafe au’ Lait– coffee with steamed milk, otherwise known as a latte

Cher- A term of endearment meaning “dear” in French, but said with a Cajun accent the r-sound is dropped.

Chicory- A caffeinated root added to coffee giving it a strong flavor.

Coke– a carbonated beverage, not limited to the brand name coca cola

Cold drink– a carbonated beverage

Crawfish– small marine crustacean that resembles a small lobster, also known as a cray fish

Down in the Parish– to travel south down the Mississippi River

Doubloons- Coins tossed out during Mardi Gras Parades that symbolize the group throwing them.

Dressed– to have the traditional toppings of mayonaise, lettuce, and tomato put on a po’boy sandwich

“For” Versus “At”– a new orleans speech quirk where a person says they want to meet for “2pm” instead of at “2pm”

Gumbo- A thick-rue based stew served with rice.

K&B purple– a deep lavender color that is associate with the Katz and Bestoff (K&B) drugstore chain

King Cake- A Mardi Gras cake.

Langiappe – A little something extra, or a small plate sent out by chefs at New orleans Fine dininf restaurants

Making Groceries– to go out and buy or pick up groceries

Maw maw– a term for Grandmother, also an adjective to describe something that is old, frumpy or dowdy.

My mama n’ dem– your relatives

Neutral Ground– the median between two opposing lanes of traffic, usually has grass, trees, or a canal in it

NOLA– the acronym for New Orleans Louisiana, used to refer to the city

Parish- The Louisiana term for County

Po’boy– a shortening of the term “Poor Boy” which is a traditional New Orleans Sandwich

Rally Possum– a new term born from the Possom that wandered into an LSU baseball game and subequently becme regarded as a good luck charm

Second Line–  a line of people dancing toTtraditional New Orleans music while waving handkerchiefs and following a leader with an umbrella

Shotgun House – a long narrow housw with no hallway and interconnecting rooms

Snowball– a sweet treat made with finely shaved ice and sugary syrup served in a cup and popular in the summer, very similar to a snow cone

Stand in the Wedding-– To be part of a wedding party

Tableauxs- A silent satirical play performed during the balls held by some societies during Mardi Gras.

The Interstate– Interstate 10, which is the only interstate to pass through New Orleans

The Parish-  St. Bernard Parrish

Throws– the objects throen to spectators at New Orleans parades

Wank- The term for a neighborhood on the West Bank of the Mississippi River.

Where Y’at– a phrase which means both where are you going/ where are you and how are you doing?

Who Dat-  a phrase used by Saints (The New Orleans Football team) fans and often used to describe those same fans

Yat-  a term to describe a New Orleans Accent, also used to describe native New Orleanians, especially those from St. Bernard parish. derives from the Phrase “Where Y’at?”