Thread: Colloquialisms

Originally Posted by xman

To me Cajun means Zydeco Creole, basically, yummy fun!

X

X. just to get more specific ---you used three terms: Cajun, Zydeco, and Creole which can be more defined. Cajun --you've already defined. Zydeco is more related to African Americans within southern Louisiana who speak Cajun French or a dialect of Cajun French. The music is different than regular Cajun in the sense that it has more blues and rock incorporated in it. Creole is one of those extremely difficult words to define. Originally, within Louisiana (specifically New Orleans) a Creole was anyone of European descent who was born in Louisiana not Europe. This could be Spanish, French, German,etc but only of European descent. Then Creole became a French upperclass person --seperate from white Cajuns and African Americans who speak French. Eventually , Creole became a term to describe anyone with white/black mixed roots ---maybe a light colored black person who speaks French and has Carribean cultural characteristics. Now it tends to mean an African American within New Orleans who may or may not speak French --it's all a little complicated. But, most people here and around the world seem to really like the Cajun/creole/Zydeco music ----I hate to say this but I'm not a fan of it --but can appreciate it for what it is --something very unique. This part of the south is very strange and unlike Northern Louisiana, and other parts of the south. Voodoo, Carribean influences and dialects of French only certain communities can understand --all very strange. Sorry, if I've given too much info.

Justin

Originally Posted by xman

Now you'll know your way around when you come to visit, but give yourself lots of time. It typically take a week of driving alone to get from one end to the next and that's without going north at all.

X

Hey X. Do the provinces get along in general ? Is there a since of unity? - a feeling of being Canadian above being , lets say British Columbian or the like?


Justin

Don't mess with Texas.

Originally Posted by xman

...Cowtown (Calgary) is more cowboy that Texas. Trust me on that....

X

My experience is that "Cowtown" is a reference to Ft. Worth, Texas. And "Don't Mess with Texas". That says is all!

RT (A Texan living in Utah)

Bandera, Tx is "recognized" as The Cowboy Capital of The World. Just ask them.
The river below is the Medina River which runs through Bandera. Really a beautiful part of Texas.

Originally Posted by rtaylor61

RT (A Texan living in Utah)

This must be painful for you RT. My sister lives in Gatesville, TX and I know through experience how proud Texans are of Texas. I'm sure Utah is beautiful but Texans are Texans through and through.

Justin

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

Hey X. Do the provinces get along in general ? Is there a since of unity? - a feeling of being Canadian above being , lets say British Columbian or the like?

Not entirely. Most Canadians are proud to call themselves one, but feel that some others are messing up a good thing. The West and Alberta in particular tends to hate Ontario for running the show and Quebec for being different. Quebec hates everybody else because they don't feel they get enough respect even though they get the best deals. Ontario, strangely likes everybody else. Everybody likes a Maritimer, especially a Newf. Nobody cares too much about the north and they seem fine with that. It's not as bad as it sounds though.

Originally Posted by mikey

Don't mess with Texas.

I'm just sayin'.

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

... the Medina River which runs through Bandera. Really a beautiful part of Texas.

Can't argue with that.

X

Originally Posted by xman

The Western most of the flatlands is called Oilberta (Albera) and you can call them Oilbertans. Guess why.
The capital there is Edmonton, called Oiltown, Edmonchuck or Deadmonton.
Cowtown (Calgary) is more cowboy that Texas. Trust me on that.
Between the two rests Dead Rear (Red Deer, which is neither red nor shaped like a deer )
X

I've been to Alberta (mostly Calgary) a number of times for work/business over the years - there are no friendlier, nicer, or more pleasant people to be found anywhere as far as I'm concerned. I even got to attend the Calgary stampede once, very much like the Houston Rodeo right down to the chuck wagon races except ours is held indoors.

Just had a flashback to a few weeks spent in Whitecourt in February about 12 years ago.................... that place is where cold and snow come from.

The American Midwest seems to be pretty boring in comparison; but here's a couple:

Don't know sh*t from Shinola. Learned from my mother at an early age.

And a couple from her mother, born & bred in Orange County, southern Indiana (the only difference from Kentucky being the Ohio River). Gramma was born in 1876 & died Christmas Eve 1955, about 6 weeks from my 5th birthday. I wish I could remember more about her, an interesting lady. Some of her family were moonshiners.

It's a cloud-soaker and a river riser! (A big storm)

And my favorite:

Hmmmpph!! Could change meanings w/ the twinkle (or lack of it) in her eye.

Usually it meant, "Don't BS me boy, I'm your grandmother and I wasn't born yesterday!" But WITH the twinkle, it could mean, "Thanks for the compliment, I love you too." Or it could be any variation in between; but there was no mistaking what she meant by it.

My father is from the midwest and he used to always say "criminitly" (of course, I have no idea how to spell it but it always sounded like "crime in itlee"

Any idea about the meaning/origin of this?