Dictionary of Louisiana Creole

The contents of this website remain the intellectual property of the following authors: Albert Valdman, Thomas A. Klingler, Margaret M. Marshall, Kevin J. Rottet

• Warning: There has been no censoring of the data, including offensive language or racial slurs.
• Orthography: Entries use the modern Kouri-Vini Orthography; however, the examples retain their original orthography based on Haitian Creole from the book. There are also several examples written in a French Orthography; these have also been left as is in the book. Additionally, the acute (à) and circumflex (â) when used for stress, preterit, or disambiguation, have not been included separately (i.e., aren't used).
• There are several variants for certain sounds that have not been included in the variants for entries. Please use the variants in quotations in place of the others when searching for words with the following sounds:
  • use "s" for /s/ ← s, ç
  • use "è" for /æ/ ← æ, è
  • use "i" for /ɪ/ ← ì, i
  • use "an" for /ã/ ← an, am, en, em
  • use "on" for /ɔ̃/ ← on, om
  • use "in" for /ɛ̃/ ← in, im
• Parts of Speech abbreviation correspondences:
  • adj. = Adjective
  • adv. = Adverb
  • adv.phr. = Adverbial Phrase
  • art.def. = Definite Article
  • art.indef. = Indefinite Article
  • conj. = Conjunction
  • dem. = Demonstrative
  • det. = Determiner
  • det.poss. = Possessive Determiner
  • f. = Feminine
  • int. = Interjection
  • interr.phr. = Interrogative Phrase
  • m. = Masculine
  • n. = Noun
  • n.phr. = Noun Phrase
  • num.card. = Cardinal Number
  • num.ord. = Ordinal Number
  • onom. = Onomatopoeia
  • pl. = Plural
  • place n. = Place Name
  • prep. = Preposition
  • pron. = Pronoun
  • pron.indef. = Indefinite Pronoun
  • pron.refl. = Reflexive Pronoun
  • pron.rel. = Relative Pronoun
  • prop.n. = Proper Noun
  • ptcl. = Preverbal Particle
  • sg. = Singular
  • v. = Verb
  • v.aux. = Auxiliary Verb
  • v.cop. = Copular Verb
  • v.intr. = Intransitive Verb
  • v.mod. = Modal Verb
  • v.phr. = Verb Phrase
  • v.refl. = Reflexive Verb
  • v.tr. = Transitive Verb
• Sources abbreviation correspondences (post-1960):
  • gen = (BT + CA + NE + PC + ST)
  • AN = Ancelet 1994
  • BT = Bayou Teche, field data
  • CA = Côte des Allemands, field data
  • DC = Clifton 1980
  • DT 77 = Tentchoff 1977
  • GY = Guidry, Richard
  • HW = Hebert Wiltz
  • MO 60 = Morgan 1960
  • MO 69 = Morgan 1969
  • MO 72 = Morgan 1972
  • NE = Neumann 1985
  • PC = Pointe Coupee, field data
  • ST = Saint Tammany, field data
  Sources abbreviation correspondences (pre-1960):
  • BD = Broussard 1942
  • BI = Bienvenu 1933
  • BO = Bourgeois 1927
  • DU = Durand 1930
  • FO T# = Fortier 1895
  • FO 1887 = Fortier 1887
  • GC1 = Cable 1886a
  • GC2 = Cable 1886b
  • JR = Jarreau 1931
  • KB = Krehbiel 1962
  • LA = Lavergne 1930
  • ME = Mercier 1881
  • ME 90 = Mercier 1890
  • ME 91 = Mercier 1891
  • PE = Perret 1933
  • T# = Neumann 1987 Text # (T12–T17 are satirized Creole, use with caution)
  • TM = Marie Augustin
  • TN = Tinker 1935
  • TP = Trappey 1916
  • WO = Marguerite Wogan

Website created by William S. Morales.

5139 entries found

• jinin CA ( v.tr. )
  1. To bother, annoy, disturb, trouble; gêner, déranger.
     T ap jenen man. Arèt seray-la. You’re bothering me. Stop the noise. (CA); Mo jenou s ape jenen mwa. My knee, it’s bothering me. (CA) ♦ Quand dé bougue apé génin toi, faut to fait yé batte et tchué yé entre yé. When two guys are bothering you, you must have them fight and kill each other. (FO T3) See examples
  2. To have trouble (doing sth.); avoir du mal à.
     ♦ »Asteur couri di maman li vini, nou pa gagnin tro tan, mo bien géné pou respiré; mo faible, faible. » Now go tell marna to come, we don’t have much time, I’m having trouble breathing, and I’m very weak. (ME) See examples
• jinn No sources ( n. ) djinn CA
  1. Gin; gin.
     Ye te van twa en djin FIZZ. Sete SEVEN-UP avèk en djig djin. They used to sell you a gin fizz. It was 7-Up with a jigger of gin. (CA) ♦ Pou en pwatrinèr, to me de ou trwa zonyon daliz koupe par tronch don en boutey wiski ou jin. For tuberculosis, you put two or three blackhaws cut into slices into a bottle of whiskey or gin. (BI) See examples
• jinéflik CA ( v.intr. )
  1. To genuflect; faire une génuflexion.
     Chak fwa li di sa, li te jeneflik e li te leve. Every time he said that, he would genuflect and he would get up. (CA) See examples
• jinéral No sources ( adj. )
  1. General; général. •an jènèral
     adv.phr. (CA; PC). In general; en général. Sa pan an jènèral se pa tou ki gen sa konm sa se y enn o deu. That is not in general, it’s not everyone who has that, only one or two. (PC) See examples
• jinéral No sources ( n. ) jènèral CA, PC
  1. General; général.
     Jènèral Chèmœn vyen du sud. General Sherman came from the South. (PC) ♦ Zénéral Chéri Dinde apé konskripté ein gran larmé karant vin mil lome. General Sheridan was drafting a big army of sixty thousand men. (T16) See examples
• jinérasyon PC ( n. ) jènèrasyon PC jinèrasyon CA
  1. Generation; génération.
     Dèrgnè jènèrasyon, ye parle meriken e ye piti. The last generation speaks English with their kids. (PC) See examples
  2. Parents; parents.
     To gen moman, popa, jenerasyon? Aou ye res? Do you have a mother, a father, parents? Where do they live? (PC) See examples
  3. Offspring; descendance.
     To gen en bon bef, to kou mele ave en bon lavach, l a mennen en bon jenerasyon, parey konm en bon nonm ave en bon fonm mennen de bon piti. If you have a good bull, you mate it with a good cow, it’ll have good offspring, just like a good man with a good woman will have good children. (PC) See examples
• jipon CA, ST ( n. )
  1. Petticoat, slip, underskirt; jupon, combinaison (sous-vêtement).
     To me to jipon e apre to me to jip pou pa ye wa ant to janm-ye . You put on your slip and then you put on your skirt so they can’t see between your legs. (CA) ♦ Calalou porté madras, li porté jipon garni. Calalou is wearing madras cotton, she wears a lined underskirt. (WO) See examples
• jiromon CA, MO 60, PC ( n. ) juròman PC jiranman PC jiroman PC jironmon PC juromon PC jiromo CA jòromon CA jòromo CA
  1. Pumpkin; potiron, citrouille (N. Am.).
     ...To met jironmon, to mèt patat dous, nenpòt ki sa t ole. ...You can put pumpkins, sweet potatoes, anything you want. (PC); Apre to kwi to jòromon to roz li avèk lamiskad e to bras li e en moso dibèr. After you cook your pumpkin, you sprinkle it with nutmeg and a piece of butter and you stir it. (CA) ♦ Gros giromon dans clos pou cochons, vaches et moun. Big pumpkins in the field for the pigs, cows and people. (T27) •jòromo kou lon n.phr. (CA); jiromo kou lon (CA). Cushaw, long-necked pumpkin; potiron à cou long, espèce de courge comestible. ( Cucurbita moschata Duchesne). Jòromo kou lon, se kwi dan leplich. The long-necked pumpkin is cooked in its shell. (CA) •jiromon patat n.phr. (PC). Pumpkin; potiron, citrouille (N. Am.). REM: Speaker at PC says this is the same thing as pumpkin, but Read (1963:89) equates it with ‘cushaw’. Holmes 1990:66 glosses giraumon patate as ‘potato pumpkin’. See examples
• jironyam PC ( n. ) juròmyòm PC jironmyonm CA joronmyonm CA
  1. Geranium; géranium.
     ♦ Pou vomisman fe en la tizonn avek jirònyam a la roz e bwa sa. Sa rete vomisman. For vomiting make a tea with some geraniums and roses and drink that. That will stop vomiting. (LA) •jironmyonm dou n.phr. (CA). Pointed leaf geranium; géranium aux feuilles pointues. Jironmyonm dou sa fe pa deflèr. Sa fe bèl fey. Sweet geraniums don’t make flowers. They make nice leaves. (CA) •jironmyonm pwason n.phr. (CA). Multicolored geranium; géranium multicolore. See examples
• jistis CA ( n. )
  1. Justice; justice.
     Lontan pase enave pa la jistis. Ye te fe kòm ye t ole. Long ago there was no justice. They did what they wanted. (CA) ♦ »Ça cé kichoge ki vrai; la jistice épi vou cè comme torti dan conte; torti-là rivé coté bite avan comper chivreil... ‘‘ That is something that is true; justice and you are like the turtle in stories; the turtle arrives at the mound before Brer Deer... (ME) See examples
• jlé CA ( n. ) jilé CA lajlé CA, ST
  1. Frost; gelée, gel.
     Si sikro mont, li bon pou koupe. Sinon, li gen pou atann en bon jle. If the sucrose level goes up, it’s ready to cut. If not, it has to wait for a good frost. (CA) ♦ Piti Bouki pa pi rive kote dife paske inave en gro jele deyò. Bouki's child could not reach the fire because there was a big frost outside. (LA) See examples
  2. Jelly; confiture.
     Asmaten mo manje jile e preno avèk en vèr dule. This morning I ate jelly and prunes with a glass of milk. (CA); Mo lajle deponm. My apple jelly. (ST) See examples
• jlé CA, NE, PC ( v., v.intr., v.tr. ) jilé MO 60, NE, PC
  1. To shiver; frissonner.
     BUTTERFLY sòrti deor ape jile. Butterfly went outside shivering from the cold. (NE) ♦ Jour là li té fait bien fréte, tout moune yé t’apé gélé. That day was very cold, everyone was shivering. (T36) See examples
  2. To freeze; geler.
     «Mo près-là pour geler icitte. Mo essayé en bas un log, mais comment? Mo pas chaud encore. Mo va geler. « «I’m nearly freezing here. I’ve tried to get under a log, but how? I’m still not warm. I’m going to freeze.» (AN T11); No te mèt patat dous andan en pilo. Sete fe avèk latè e difwon e sete la sèl mòyèr patat dous pa jle. We had sweet potatoes in a stack. It was made with dirt and hay and it was the only way the sweet potatoes didn’t freeze. (CA); Te fe fre, li jile. It was cold out, the cane froze. (PC)To freeze; geler. Si fre vini, li jile li, li heg. If the cold arrives and freezes it [the sugar cane], it is bitter. (PC) See examples
• jnou CA, NE ( n. ) jinou CA, ST jenou PC jœnou PC jounou PC
  1. Knee; genou.
     L a dòn mwen en chòt dan jounou. He will give me a shot in the knee. (PC); Mo krwa mo gen romatis dan mo jenou. Li fe mo mal kan mo marche. I think I’ve got arthritis in my knee. It hurts when I walk. (ST) ♦ Li té billé en noir avec ein gros tablier blanc qui té couvri li depuis so zépoles jusqu'à so genoux. He was dressed in black with a big white apron that covered him from his shoulders to his knees. (T40) •a jnou adv.phr (CA); a jounou (PC). On one’s knees, on bended knee; à genoux. M ap ale a jnou. Mo fe mo lapriyè. I’m going to kneel down. I’m saying my prayers. (CA) ♦ Li mené li a genoux et pi li dit so paroles yé pou tournin n'homme. He knelt down and then he said the words to make him turn back into a man. (FO T2) See examples
• joli CA, NE, PC, ST ( adj., adv. ) honli PC joli MO 60, PC
  1. Pretty, beautiful; joli.
     Èn joli mezon. A pretty house. (NE) ; En joli ti fiy. A pretty little girl. (PC); Lapli fini e apre mo wa en joli lark-an-syèl. The rain finished and after I saw a pretty rainbow. (CA) ♦ Yé té si joli, ké tout moune té oulé marié avec yé. They were so pretty, everyone wanted to marry them. (T29) See examples
  2. Nice, pleasant; agréable.
     Se en joli boug. He’s a nice guy. (PC)Medium (of meat); à point. Roti sa jòli-la. Roast that till it’s medium. (MO 72) See examples
• joliman CA, PC ( adv. ) jolimon PC joliman PC jolimon NE
  1. A lot, quite a bit, often; souvent, pas mal.
     E n te senk sè dan kabann. Men moun-ye te toujou apre mon, e ich te e vini joliman anbete mon osi la-la. And we were five sisters at home. But people were always after me, and even you are often coming to bother me! (PC) See examples
  2. Rather, quite, very; assez, très.
     En jolimon bon kouchkouch. A rather good couscous. (NE); Mo frè joliman malad. My brother is really sick. (PC) ♦To gen pou dèt jolimon malen pou niche bout chondèl la. You must have been rather clever to swipe that bit of candle. ['joliment'] (DU) See examples
• jolyé No sources ( n. )
  1. Jailer; geôlier.
     ♦A la barre jou, jolié la vini ouvri la porte so la prison. At daybreak, the jailer opened the door of his prison. (FO 1887) See examples
• jonat CA ( n. )
  1. Jaundice; jaunisse.
     Li vini jén. Le te gen doulèr an so kote. Doktè di ke li gen jonat. He turned yellow. He had a pain in his side. The doctor said he had jaundice. (CA) See examples
• jonglé CA, MO 60, NE, ST, PC ( v.intr., v.tr. ) jong NE janglé PC jonng No sources jonngllé No sources
  1. To think, reflect, consider, think it over; réfléchir, penser.
     Mo gen pou jangle en ti bren. I have to think for a little bit. (PC); Lès mo jongle sa li di man. Li di man trant-kat pou so sentur. Let me think what he told me. He said thirty-four for his waistband. (CA) ♦ Li zongle konm li te rich astè, sa se et enteresan pou kouri peye lotel-la pou so dejennen. He thought that since he was rich now, it would be interesting to go pay for his lunch at the hotel. (JR) •jongle pou (onho) v.phr. (CA; NE; ST). To think about; penser à. Sa-fe Pa Bouki komonse jongle onho-la. So Brer Bouki began to think about it. (NE) REM: NE notes that pou is used when the object is a person or people, and onho when the object is inanimate.1. To think of, come up with, find (an idea); trouver (une idée, une solution). ♦ Men li zongle enn manyè pou sove li-menm. He thought of a way to save himself. (JR) 2. To remember, recall; se rappeler, se souvenir. ♦ Kan rwa-la rive, li zongle kichòz li te bliye kote li. When the king arrived, he thought of something that he had forgotten at home. (JR) 2. To realize; se rendre compte, réaliser. ♦ Li kontinwe konte lòt-ye, san zongle ke li te pa konte li-menm. He continued counting the others without realizing that he hadn’t counted himself. (JR) See examples
• joni CA, PC ( v., v.intr., v.tr. ) janni PC jonni PC
  1. To ripen, get ripe; mûrir.
     Vou kònen ki se sa en defig? Aben si li lamotche vè, aben la li pa bon monje vou èspere ska li vini janni. Do you know what a fig is? Well, if it is half green then it’s not good to eat, you wait until it turns yellow. (PC)1. To turn yellow or brown; jaunir, brunir. SANDY LAND-la, l a jonni to koton si to pa konnen sa pou fe. Sandy earth will turn your cotton yellow if you don’t know what to do. (PC); Soley joni dra-ye. The sun yellows the sheets. (CA) 2. To brown (in a frying pan); (faire) rissoler, faire roussir. Mo fe en rou, ave farin e zonyon, en ti pe lagres, e mo BROWN, mo jonni li. I make a roux with flour and onions, a little grease, and I brown it. (PC) See examples
• jonis No sources ( n. ) lajonis CA jònis PC lajannis CA, PC, ST
  1. Jaundice; jaunisse.
     En moun ki malad gen lajannis so lapo vyen joan. When someone is sick with jaundice, their skin turns yellow. (PC) ♦ Si to gen la jonnis, bouyi fey peche pi bwa dolo la kon to swaf. If you have jaundice, boil some peach leaves and drink to your thirst. (LA) See examples
• jou PC ( n. ) lajou CA
  1. Cheek; joue.
     Li t ape galope e so lajou te roz . He was running and his cheeks were pink. (CA) See examples
• jouflé PC ( adj. )
  1. Swollen, puffy; enflé, gonflé.
     Vou gen zye joufle. Ena ki gen ye zye gonfle, sa gonfle anba ye zye. You have puffy eyes. There are some people who have puffy eyes, it is swollen below their eyes. (PC) See examples
• joujou CA, NE ( n. )
  1. Toy; jouet.
     To pe pron nenpòrt èkèl joujou t ole. You can take any toy you want. (NE) ; Piti-la gen tro joujou o planche. The child has too many toys on the floor. (CA) See examples
  2. Game; jeu.
     Sete en joujou osi pou wa ki te kapab fe plis pirwèt d en kou. It was a game to see who could do the most somersaults in one try. (CA) See examples
• joukwa CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Roost; juchoir, perchoir.
     En joukwa, èna l poul kouch le swar. A roost is where the hens sleep at night. (PC); Andan poulaye, to gen p gen en joukwa pou poul-ye ale kouche. In the henhouse you have to have a roost for the hens to sleep. (CA) ♦ Ti poulèt-la te pa kapab monte en ho joukwar. The little hen was not able to get up on the roost. [ 'joukwar ‘] (TP) See examples
• jouké CA, PC, ST ( v.intr. )
  1. To perch; jucher, se percher.
     Li te jouke desi labaryè kòm en poul dan so joukwa. He was perched on the fence like a chicken in its roost. (CA); Poul ape jouke . The chicken is roosting. (ST) ♦ Li pran so vol et couri jouké on pli gran cype dan diboi. He took flight and went to perch on the tallest cypress in the woods. (T8) See examples
• jour CA, MO 60, NE, PC, ST ( n. ) jou CA, PC jòr CA
  1. Day; jour.
     Kòmen jou sa pran? How many days does it take? (PC) ♦ Mo révé qué dans peu de jours nous té rivé coté Lindine. I dreamt that in just a few days we had arrived at Lindine. (T34) •en dan se jou-ye n.phr. (PC). One of these days; un de ces jours. En dan se jou-ye to gen pou bezòn li. One of these days you’re going to need him. (PC) •lòt jour adv.phr. (CA; PC); lòt jou, lo jou (PC). 1) The other day; l’autre jour. Mo te gen en aksidan ke arive mo lòt jou. I had an accident that happened to me the other day. (PC) ♦ Sa fe mwen en ta di byen lòt jou kon mo tonnde Monmzel Sali sèmonte twa on piti Favè-ye. It did me a lot of good the other day to hear Miss Sally lecturing you about the little Favet girls. (DU) 2) Formerly, in the olden days; autrefois. Astè ye gen machin, men dan lòt jou-ye sète lamen. Vou ramase koton ò, tou zafen-sa-ye, ye fe ye avek lamen. Nowadays they have machines, but in former times everything was done by hand. You picked cotton and all of that by hand. (PC) •pa lòt jour adv.phr. (CA; PC). Just the other day (lit. not even the other day); que l’autre jour, ce n’est qu’hier que. Ben pa lòt jour ye te tou mile avek ti trèkta-ye, ye te pa gro machin kòm ye gen astè-la. But just the other day they were using mules and small tractors, they didn’t have big machines like they have now. (PC) •par jour adv.phr. (CA; PC); par jou (PC). By day; par jour. To manj trwa repa par jou? Dejœnen, dmen e soupe. Do you eat three meals a day? Breakfast, lunch and supper. (PC) ♦ Pou en move maladi, fe en di te avek la rasin kolon e pronn li trwa ou kat (fwa?) Par jou. For a serious illness, make a tea with [kolon] root and drink it three or four times a day. (BI) •tou (so) jour adv.phr. (CA); tou (so) jou (PC). All one’s days, life; toute sa vie. Mo rès isi tou mo jou . I’ve lived here all my days. (PC) •tou le de jour adv.phr. (CA); tou le de jou (PC). Every other day; tous les deux jours. •tou le jour adv.phr. (CA; NE; PC). Every day; tous les jours. Mo pan mo lenj an deyòr tou le jour. I hang my clothes out every day. (PC) ♦ La Graisse té sorti tou les jou dans eune bel carosse en or. La Graisse went out every day in a beautiful golden carriage. (T29) •vye jou n.phr. (CA; PC); vyè jou (PC). Old age; vieillesse. Ye anbetmo astè-la, an mo vyè jou. They bother me now in my old age. (PC) •jœn jou n.phr. (PC); jenn jour (CA; ST). Younger days, youth; jeunesse. Èna plen ki bliyè ye jœn jou. There are a lot who have forgotten their younger days. (PC) •jour avan adv.phr. (CA); jou anvon, jou anvan (PC). The day before; le jour d’avant. •jour deu tan n.phr. (CA); jou dè ton (PC). Day; jour. Kònen rète dè trwa jou dè ton. I usually stay two or three days. (PC) •jour jòrdi adv.phr. (CA); jou jòrdi, jou jordi (PC). These days, nowadays, at present; de nos jours, actuellement. Jou jòrdi se machin, plen machin. These days they use a tractor. (PC) •jour deu fèt n.phr. (CA). Holiday; jour de fête, jour férié. ♦ Jour là, c'était ein jour de féte. That day was a holiday. (T36) •jour de Pak n.phr. (CA; PC); jour dè Pak, jou de Pak (PC). Easter Sunday; jour de Pâques. Ye dòn sa pou piti-la pou jour de pak. They give that to children on Easter Sunday. (PC) •jour de Nwel n.phr. (CA); jou de Nwel, jour de Nwa, jou de Nwa, jou de Nwal (PC). 1) Christmas Day; le jour de Noël. (PC) 2) New Year’s Day; le jour de l’An. (PC) •Jour deu Lan n.phr. (CA); Jour de Lon (BT). New Year’s Day; le Jour de l'an. See examples
• journin MO 60, PC ( n. ) la journin jounin CA, PC, CA journè NE
  1. Day; journée.
     En bo journen. A beautiful day. (MO 60) •dan la journen adv.phr. (CA; PC). During the day, in the course of the day; (pendant) la journée, le jour. Li travay dan la journen. He works during the day. (PC); En jasmen franse le swa sa san bon. No te gen jasmen andan partèr-la. Dan la journen, no te pa san li. Night jasmine smells good at night. We had some in the flower bed. During the day, we couldn’t smell it. (CA) •tou-d-en-journen adv.phr. (CA; PC). All at once, overnight; dans un jour, du jour au lendemain. To dòn pa la libèrte tou-d-en-joumen. You don’t give [slaves] freedom all at once. (PC) •tou la journen adv.phr. (PC); tou la jounen (CA). All day long; toute la journée, a longueur de journée. Mo travay tou la journen, e mo las. I worked all day long, and I’m tired. (PC); Li chike taba tou la jounen. Sa fe so machwa mal. He chews tobacco all day long. It hurts his jaw. (CA) ♦ Ki sa kape ponn tou la joune e le swa li don so trou? What is it that hangs all day but at night is in its hole? (DU) See examples
• journo No sources ( n. )
  1. Newspaper; journal.
     ♦Ma pas connin comment yé pélé Low Hell en Français à moins qué ça soit Pays Bas la yé dont journaux parlé quéque fois. I didn’t know what they called Low Hell in French, unless it is those Netherlands that they talk about in the newspapers sometimes. (T40) See examples
• jouèr CA, NE ( n. )
  1. Player; joueur.
     Li en jouèr vyolon. He’s a violin player. (CA) •jouèr laplòt n.phr. (NE). Baseball player; joueur de baseball. Se en bon jouèr laplòt. He’s a good baseball player. (CA) See examples
• jozé CA, ST ( n. )
  1. Dressy little jacket open in front and gathered on the bottom; petite veste ouverte devant et froncée en bas.
     Lontan pase vyey fonm-ye te mèt en joze kan ye te byen chanje. Joze te gen volan tou-l-tour. Long ago, women wore a dressy jacket when they get dressed up. The jacket had a flounce all around. (CA) ♦Ma gaignin pou fini mo josé pou la noce. I have to finish my dressy jacket for the wedding. (WO) See examples
  2. Blouse; corsage. (ST);
     Kan nou te ale lekòl nou te abiye andan en lajup avèk en joze. When we went to school, we were dressed in a skirt with a blouse. (ST) See examples
• juin No sources ( n. ) jué PC jin CA, PC, ST
  1. June; juin.
     To pran konm da Arkansa ye plan koton dan mwa ki vyen, dan jen. You take Arkansas for example, they plant cotton next month, in June. (PC); M ap ale marye li. Li sra mo mari dan jen. I’m going to marry him. He’ll be my husband in June. (CA) ♦ ’jein [zyen]' (BI) See examples
• juj PC ( n. ) jij CA, MO 60
  1. Judge; juge.
     Et Cocodrie gain entas prestige, proche comme si li ‘tait ein juge. And Alligator had a lot of prestige, almost as if he were a judge. (DC); Jij-la deside, li rann so desizyon e li pardonen li. The judge decided, and he rendered his decision and he pardoned him. (CA) ♦ Jij-la rann so desizyon. The judge gave his verdict. (JR) •juj de pe n.phr. (PC); jij de pe (CA; PC; ST); ju de pe (PC); jij d pe (CA). Justice of the peace; juge de paix. Ye a kou marye e jij de pe men. They're going to get married by a justice of the peace. (PC); Ye va tère jij d pe jodi. Li mouri avèk en kansèr. They’re going to bury the justice of the peace today. He died with cancer. (CA) See examples
• jujman CA ( n. ) jijmon NE jujmon NE
  1. Judgment; jugement.
     Li fe en fo jujmon. He made an error in judgement. (NE); Li gen bon jujman. Li konen sa l ape fe e sa l ape di. He’s got good judgment. He knows what he’s doing and what he’s saying. (CA) See examples
• jujé CA, PC ( v.tr. ) jijé ST
  1. To judge; juger.
     Mo va juge bien. Mo oulé juge li bien. Mettez-li côté bûche-là. I’ll judge well. I’ll judge him well. Put him beside the log. (AN T11); A lamòr, no Sègnèr Jezi Kri sa la pou juje nouzòt. At death, our Lord Jesus Christ will be there to judge us. (CA); Moun dwat pa jije dot moun ichka ye marche dan ye souye. People shouldn’t judge other people until they’ve walked in their shoes. (ST) ♦ Nonm rich-la te gen en vye esklav on so plas ki te ben onnet e saj. Tou neg-ye te konnen fe li jije ye traka. The rich man had an old slave on his plantation who was very honest and wise. All of the blacks used to have him judge their disagreements. (JR) See examples
  2. To referee, umpire; servir d’arbitre, arbitrer.
     Juje laplòt. To referee a baseball game. (PC); Li jije ke mo te SAFE e mo te pa OUT . He decided I was safe and I wasn’t out. (CA) See examples
• julyèt ST ( n. ) julyét PC jilyét PC jilyèt CA, PC julièt CA
  1. July; juillet.
     CLIFF di mwen ye miri mwa-sa-la , mwa d julyet. Cliff told me they would ripen this month, in July. (PC); Se le kat de julièt. L ape tire en ta de peta. It’s the fourth of July. They’re shooting a lot of firecrackers. (CA) ♦ Mo gain vagnan ti koson dan pak; si to vini oua nou zot pou bal 4 juliete, mo famme di kom ça la farcit li avé douri. I have a nice pig in the sty ; if you come to see us on the Fourth of July, my wife said she will stuff it with rice. (T12) See examples
• jumo CA ( n. ) jimo PC
  1. (Male) twin; jumeau.
     No te pa konen li te gen en jumo. We didn’t know he had a twin. (CA) ♦ Jean Sotte réponde li té apé biché l'écorche chéne pou fait la tisane pou so popa qui té malade, li té accouché la veille, so popa té fait dé jumeaux. Foolish John replied that he was chopping off the oak bark in order to make an herbal tea for his father who was sick, he was in bed since the day before, his father had given birth to twins. (FO T18) See examples
• jumon BT, CA ( n. ) zoumon ST
  1. Mare;jument.
     Kan ina en mal, alon di, ki l an galòp, me la, sila ka jumon an galòp, to dan l traka avèk en chval. When there is a male horse and let’s say he is rutting, and if you come across a mare in heat, you’re in trouble with your horse. (BT); Li monte on so jumon e li parti galope. He got on his mare and he galloped off. (CA) ♦ Donn li bwa en kirelye di le jumon trwa fwa par jour. Give him a spoonful of mare’s milk to drink three times a day. ['jument’] (BI) See examples
• jumèl CA ( n. ) jumèil PC
  1. (Female) twin; jumelle.
     Li gen en jumèl. Tou le de ne mèm jour. She’s got a twin. They were both born the same day. (CA) ♦ «Dimin, vou connin, ce ain gran jou, ce jou niversaire vou nessance é kenne momzèl Chant-d’Oisel; fo mo fé vou honair, à vou é à vou jumel. » Tomorrow, you know, is a big day, it is the anniversary of your birth and that of Miss Birdsong; I have to pay honors to you and your twin. (ME) See examples
• jup No sources ( n. ) lajup ST lajip CA jip PC
  1. Petticoat, slip, underskirt; combinaison (sous-vêtement), jupon.
  2. Skirt; jupe.
     No te jamen mèt en jipon san mèt no lajip anba e no te mèt en lajip pardesi. We would never put on a full slip without wearing a half slip, and we would put our skirt on top. (CA); Kan nou te ale lekòl nou te abiye andan en lajup avèk en joze. When we went to school, we were dressed in a skirt with a blouse. (ST) See examples
• juri CA ( n. )
  1. Jury; jury.
     Enave en prose avèk en juri e moun-la di sete li ki te fe krim-la. There was a trial with a jury and people said it was he who did the crime. (CA) See examples
• jurmon CA ( n. )
  1. Swear word, dirty word, bad word; juron, gros mot, grossièreté.
     Li t ape sèrvi vilen parol. Sete en jurmon. Li te kolèr. He was using bad words. It was a curse word. He was angry. (CA) See examples
• juré PC ( v., v.intr., v.tr. ) jiré CA, PC jur PC jour PC jouré PC
  1. To swear, curse; jurer.
     Jire, se jire sa mo di la. What I was saying was cuss words. (PC); Li gen piroke andan lakay e li te jich ape jire. He has a parrot in the house and it was just swearing. (CA) ♦ Li sote, li fe de kri, li jire a la fen. He jumped, he shouted, and he cussed at the end. (JR)To curse, swear at; jurer à. Dèpi mo mari mouri ena en nonm ki vini antour mon mo joure li SON OF A BITCH! Since my husband died there is a man who has been coming around me, I cuss at him, son of a bitch! (PC) ♦ Can yé oua compair Lapin la, yé ri, yé jouré li. When they saw Compair Lapin there, they laughed, they cursed him. (FO 1887) See examples
• juska CA, PC ( prep., conj., adv. ) oushka CA, PC ishka PC, ST shka PC ska PC ouska PC hishka NE jishka CA, NE jushk BT shéka BT jiska MO 60, ST jushka CA
  1. Until; jusqu’à.
     Mo va rèste hichka la smèn ki vyen. I’m going to stay until next week. (NE); Kan no te dan Kanada, no te ale dan en bèl lotèl. No rèste le swa juchka landeumen maten. When we were in Canada we went to a beautiful hotel. We stayed the night until the next morning. (CA); Vou bras sa jiska kouchkouch byen sèk. You stir it until the couche-couche is real dry. (MO 60); Li gen pou atann jiska demen pou ale an vil. He has to wait until tomorrow to go to town. (ST) ♦ Ye boui dolo-la jiska li te bouyonnen. They boiled the water until it was frothing. (JR) •jichka kote prep. (CA; NE); jich kote (NE); ouchka kote (CA). Up to, as far as; jusqu’à. Mo kouri jichka kote batis-la. I went as far as that building. (NE); Mo manje tro. Mo plen ouchka kote mo gargan. I ate too much. I’m stuffed to the gills. (CA) •juska tan prep. ichka tan (CA; PC; ST); juchka-l-tan (CA). By the time; jusqu’au temps où. Ichka tan vye boug-sa-la vini dan bout isit nou gen tan pran li. By the time that guy comes down here, we’ll have had time to gather [prunes]. (PC) •juska tan conj. ouchka tan (CA; PC; ST). Until; jusqu’à ce que. Nounoun fe konm en toupi, li vire, ka li garde li pa wa Nounoun ouchka tan li mante. Nounoune spun like a top, when he looked around he did not see Nounoune until he had gone up. (PC)Until; jusqu’à ce que. Sa kouri kom-sa jichka ye joue en nòt dons. That went on like that until they played another dance. (NE); Diji-la, se siro e disik. Ye kwi sa ouchka sa vini konm en plarin. The juice is syrup and sugar. They cook that until it becomes like a praline. (PC) ♦ Ma lainmain yé toujou , jisqu ' à mo dans cercuéil. I’ll love them always, until I'm in my coffin. (T27)Even; même. To peu mèt jichka le pat itou ondon gonbo. You can even put crabs’ legs in the gumbo. (NE); Cheka so chyen te p ole wa li on zyeu. Even his dog didn’t want to look him in the eyes. (BT) ♦ Kan Compair Cabri rivé dan péhi cilà, tou moune té pair li. Jika Compair Tigue ki tramblè kan li kontré avé li. When Brer Goat arrived in this country, everyone was afraid of him. Even Brer Tiger trembled when he met him. (T8) See examples
• just No sources ( adj. ) jus PC, ST
  1. Just, fair; juste.
     Èsklavaj se pa jus. Slavery is not fair. (PC); Nòm-la ki galope en lagrosri an Chemen Lak, li jus avèk moun. The man who runs the grocery store on the Lake Road, he’s fair with people. (ST) •en just innocent; innocent. ♦ Ma pas l'ainmain ouar moun mourant, sirtout quand yé mouri en jiste. I don’t like to see people dying, especially when they are dying innocent. (T37) See examples
• just BT, CA, PC, ST ( adv. ) jish gen jush BT, NE, PC jis NE, PC djish NE, PC djus PC is PC ish PC ush PC zus PC ji CA jus CA
  1. Just, only, simply; juste, seulement, ne ... que.
     Nou te sèt frè. Ina uch de ki rès, mo avek èn dan vil. We were seven brothers. There are only two of us left, myself and one in New Orleans. (PC); Mo jich sizonen bèf-la e mèt li dan lapwal avèk en ti peu MARGARINE anlèr li. I just season the beef and put it in the frying pan with a bit of margarine on it. (CA); Jich garde ti boug la-ba ape fe en makak deyòr li-mèm . Just look at that little guy making a clown of himself. (ST) ♦ Quand li voir lamain Blanche apé saignin, li jiste soufflé en ho là , la main guéri. When she saw Blanche’s hand was bleeding, she just breathed on it and it healed. (T30) •jis pa adv.phr. (CA); jus pa (ST). Almost; presque. Li te ve pa mo koupe mo chève. Li jis pa twe man. He didn’t want me to cut my hair. He almost killed me. (CA); Li te byen malad. Li jus pa mouri. He was very sick. He almost died. (ST) •ich pou adv.phr. (PC). If not for, if it weren’t for; si ce n’était pour, sans. Ich pou piti-la sa se pa arive. If it weren’t for the child, this wouldn’t have happened. (PC) See examples
  2. To have just; venir de.
     Mo sè ich kite, li te pa ka reste paskè so mari malad. My sister just left, she couldn’t stay because her husband is sick. (PC) See examples
• justeman BT, ST ( adv. ) justéman CA, PC jistémon NE jishtémon NE jusfaman PC jistéman PC zistéman PC
  1. Precisely, exactly; justement, précisément.
     Mo gaspiye jichtemon trwa pyas. I wasted exactly three dollars. (NE); Li justeman byen fe arete. Mo gen en komisyon pou li. He did exactly the right thing by stopping. I have an errand for him. (CA); Li done mwen en kado. Sete justeuman sa mo te bèzwen. He gave me a gift. It was just what I needed. (ST) ♦ Enn etranje vini mannde madam pou louvraj on so plas. Li te jisman bezwon en nonm pou travye pou li, e li prann li pou fe so rekòt. A stranger came to ask a woman for work on her plantation. In fact, she needed a man to work for her, and she took him on to do her harvest. (JR) See examples
  2. Just, only; seulement, simplement.
     Si to lèv li twa-menm ou si to achèt li, sa fe pa boukou d diferans. La diferans se justeuman pou kite li vini apipre diz-wi mwa avan to dont li. It doesn’t make any difference whether you raise [a horse] yourself or buy it. The difference is only that you have to let it get to around 18 months old before you tame it. (BT) See examples
• jwa NE ( n. )
  1. Joy; joie.
     Vous connais, ti nèg-ça-là c’tait le roi dans so pays. Li gain la terre, li gain la joie et li parlait couri-mo-gain-vini. You know, that little black man was the king of his own land. He owned land, he had joy, and he spoke Creole. (DC); Chariot te on jwa. Charlotte was happy. (NE) See examples
• Jwif CA, PC ( adj., n. )
  1. Jew, Jewish, Jewish person; juif, Juif.
     En jwif. Li gen langaj jwif. A Jewish man will speak the Jewish language. (PC) ♦ Navé ein jouife ki té boucou lémé grinbek et ki vand li à ein Teksien. There was a Jewish man who liked money a lot and who sold him to a Texan. (T13) See examples
• jwint No sources ( adj. )
  1. Joined, clasped; joint.
     ♦ Enhau so bra li tchombo so latéte, so lamain yé jointe, é li mouri enfin. He held his head in his arms, his hands were folded, and he finally died. (TN) See examples
• jwintir CA ( n. ) jwinti PC jwanti PC zinti PC janté PC
  1. Wrist; poignet.
     Mo tonbe desi mo lamen e sa fe mo jwentir mal. I fell on my hands and it hurt my wrists. (CA) See examples
  2. Ankle; cheville.
     Mo foule mo jwenti. I sprained my ankle. (PC) See examples
  3. Joint (of the body); jointure (du corps). (CA)