Mais, dats good, yeah

I am from Louisiana. But not just from Louisiana, but from southern Louisiana which is even better. We have the best food, the best party, and the best time. We do it right round here. Even more specifically I live in a part of Louisiana called Acadiana. I use to work in New Iberia which has a large Cajun-French population. This leads to some very interesting expression that they use down here. I was born in another part of the state, still in southern Louisiana but the Cajun population is not as big. So when we moved over here, these expression and words have creeped into my vocabulary. Most of these expressions have come about from translating the french to the english. Let me teach you a little something.

To make grocery: go to the grocery store
example: She went to make grocery.

To get down: get out
example: Are you going to get down at the store?

To save: to put away
Save the dishes in the cabinet.

Fais do-do: a big dance (literally means to go to sleep since the children would be put to bed before the adults had their party)
Are you going to the fais do-do tonight?

Pass a good time: have fun
We passed a good time at the festival last weekend.

make a bahbin (ba-bahn): hanging your lower lip while pouting
My child makes a bahbin when he doesn't get ice cream.

mais (may): well
Mais, but that's some good soup.
Usually this is said at the beginning of a sentence, but sometimes used as an exclamation.
Mais! or Mais la! (I use this a lot.)

Yeah: used at the end of sentence. Most sentences end with yeah.

Canaille (ca nie): mischievous
That little boy is canaille, yeah.
(I'm thinking of getting Bubbie a shirt that says this.)

Ca Viens?: How's it coming? (a greeting)

Boude (Boo-day): to pout
Quit bouding and go outside.

poo-yi: smelly
Poo-yi, that stinks!

envie: craving
I have the envie for some ice cream.

shâ (shah): dear, equivolent of cher in standard French
shâ is used for anything cute or as a term of endearment

shâ-shâ: to cuddle or treat gently, usually in speaking to babies or children
Shâ-shâ the baby.
(I say this a lot too. I tell the boy to shâ-shâ the dogs a lot.)

We also have our share of dats, dis, and deres.

There are many more and it's hard to get the accent down in text. I should make a video explaining how it is pronounced. Needless to say, most actors who are not from here do not get the accent right.

I would like to note that not everyone here talks this way but most people use a least one expression without meaning too. There are many more words that we use without realizing it. It's part of the unique and wonderful culture that exists down here in Louisiana (lou-z-ana).