Cajun Phrases – A Yankee’s Guide To What We’re Talking About

Just about everything we do here in Louisiana is almost like an inside joke. If you're not from here, chances are you'll have no clue what we might be talking about. In fact, some of the things we say might even make a person, say a Yankee, kind of nervous.

1) "I Was So Honte" - This is going to sound like "Haunt". No, it doesn't mean that we're possessed by an evil spirit, it simply means that we've done something that we're embarrassed out.

2) "Don't Eat The Dead Ones" - If you were from Ohio and heard someone say this, you might think you're hanging out with a bunch of bloodthirsty cannibals. Don't worry, you're not about to be eaten, someone is just making sure you don't eat a crawfish that might make you sick. Now, all of them will be dead because they've been boiled, so what we're really saying is not to eat any crawfish with a straight tail.

3) "Have Some Dirty Rice" - If you didn't know any better, you might think you've been asked to eat some rice that's full of dirt and trash. However, what you've been offered is a South Louisiana favorite; rice cooked with ground meat. Actually, you might hear us say it's rice cooked with "grind meat", but we're really talking about "ground meat".

4) "I Need To Save The Dog" - Attention, there is nothing wrong with the dog. I repeat, there is nothing wrong with the dog. This is just our way of saying we're going to put something up, or away. We also save food, toys, dishes and even clothes. We might even "save" something on our "car porch". I'll let you figure out this lil mystery on your own.

5) "I Was Full Of Blood" - Admittedly, if you hear any of us say this, it could mean that something bad has happened. Hopefully, if you hear us say this, it means we've done the necessary prep work with a pig we're going to cook for you. We might even be saying this because we've also made you some blood sausage, or "Boudin Noir". Don't question it, just eat it, you won't be sorry.

Yep, we know, we probably come across as pretty strange. That's part of the reason we usually don't move away. We can't imagine needing to repeatedly explain ourselves every time we talk. That, and the fact if we move, we run the risk of not being able to find what we need at the store to make a good catfish court bouillon...