I Wish I Could Talk To You

"That's just the way that I talk, yo..."

-Big L

A lot of people have become rather enamored with the way that New Orleanians talk. Recently, I received a forward that includes the explanation of some of our slanguage. Enjoy.

• "Girl down....or Boy down!.": If someone tells you this you might want to stop what you're doing because you are embarrassing yourself.
  
• "Say red" or "say black": Females, a New Orleans native says this to you in respect to your skin color. He is trying to get your attention to get your number.
  
• "Woadie or Wo, Fool, Cuzin": These are just nicknames for any and everybody. So, someone may be trying to get your attention if they call by these names. Do not be offended.
  
• "Juvey": This is someone who you are conversing with who is younger than you are. (Ex. If you are 18 messing around with a 16 yr old, that's your juvey.)
  
• "Ya heard me?": Self-Explained
  
• "Fa Sho": Okay
  
• "Hot boyz and hot girlz": Hot people are very cool. But don't get it confused, if someone calls you cold, you're cool too. But you're either "too hot to be touched", or "too cold to be hot." YOU CAN'T BE BOTH!
  
• "Catch the wall": This is a call for all ladies to bend over, put their hands on the wall for support, and shake their behinds.
  
• "Tear it down boy": Get hyped up and start dancing. If you're so bucked up that something(or someone) can get broken, you're tearing it down.
  
• "You down bad": You either do really bad things, or you let people do really bad "things" to you.
  
• "Bucked-Up": If your head is bucked, you are convinced of something that totally isn't true. For example, if you're the only one who thinks your hair looks good, your head is bucked up.
  
• "Yeah Bruh!": I knew you'd like what I'd say, that's why I said it.
  
• "Man, you already know.": Simply put, it means yeah.
  
• "How you livin?": How are you doing?
  
• "What up lil daddy?": Hello male person
  
• "What's up round?": Hello good friend whose always around.
  
• "What time you gon' be there fo?": We say fo, why? Cause we can.
  
• "....no": This is a word used at the end of any negative sentence. (e.g. "I'm not going to school today NO.") This is telling you that I'm not going to school and the no is letting you know that I'm serious, so don't take it as a joke.
  
• "...yeah":This is used for anything positive or negative. (e.g. You got your behind whooped YEAH") This is letting you know that you got your behind whooped and the yeah is stressing the fact that you really got your behind whooped."
  
• "waaaaaaa": This is a greeting you may receive from any N.O. natives. Don't be alarmed.
  
• "trade": This is a term the girls like to use for the fellas who are looking good as hell. So, if a girl sees a handsome young man looking good and clean she would say " Damn, look at that trade" or trade may be used for someone who is giving you financial support or just buying you gifts. So, if a girl is looking for a trade, guys you need to be on the ball and have good financial support.
  
• "I don't even know": Self-explained even though it's ghetto.
  
• "Looka here...": This means I am about to explain or (Hey Mama.. This is you!!!) say something important.
  
• "You a fool...": Do not be offended. Fools are very popular in New Orleans. This means that you are either very funny, very crazy, or very good at whatever activity you do.
  
• "Yes indeed": This is an age old New Orleans saying that has been passed down from generation to generation. It simply means "Really?" or "I'm impressed, shocked, or amazed."
  
• "Neutral grounds": The large strips of land that divides streets of opposing traffic. (For some odd reason, everyone else in America calls them "medians".)
  

  This is because the different nationalities of old New Orleans would meet in the middle of the street to do business in the "neutral zone" or "neutral ground".

  
  
• "Lemme get dat out ya": This means, Let me take that off your hands or can you please give me that.
  
• "A Beast": Ladies do not be offended. This used by males when they see a very attractive female.
  
• "Get the gun!": This means because the thing you did or said was so thoughtless that I should shoot you.
  

-B