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

• sirmonté MO 60 ( v.refl. )
  1. To overcome; surmonter.
     Mo vigni mo sirmonte. I managed to overcome my trials. (MO 60) See examples
• siro CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Syrup; sirop.
     Lontan pase, ye te fe labyèr osit. Y achte en siro, leu mèm siro sa ye sèrv pou fe dipen. Ena leu leuven andan-la. Long ago, we made beer too. I used to buy syrup, the same syrup they use to make bread. There is yeast in it. (CA) ♦ Dénis' li dou passé sirop, li bell' passé la Reine. Denise is sweeter than syrup and prettier than the queen. (T11) •gato siro n.phr. Syrup cake; gâteau au sirop, cf. gato See examples
  2. Molasses; mélasse. (PC)
  3. Womanizer; coureur de femmes.
     En kousayœr, en siro, en nonm dou ki lèm le fonm...Se pa en konplimon. T ape mèt li DOWN kon to di se en siro. A skirt chaser, a womanizer, a man who likes the ladies... That’s not a compliment. You’re putting him down if you call him a [siro]. (BT) See examples
• siro CA, NE, PC ( n. )
  1. Elder, elderberry tree; sureau. (Sambucus canadensis L.).
     En tafarinfronse epi le fey siro, to pron sa. A lot of French flour and elder leaves, you take that. (NE) ♦ Pou la fyev on frison mase flè siro on jou Fet de Dche pi bouyi sa don dolo pi bwa ti vè trwa jwa pa jou. For the fever with chills collect elderberry leaves on Corpus Christi Day and boil them in water and then drink a glass of it three times a day. (LA) •laflè siro n.phr. Elderberry blossom; fleur de sureau, cf. flœr •pye laflè siro n.phr. (PC). Elder, elderberry tree; sureau. See examples
  2. Blackberry bush, bramble; ronce, mûrier sauvage. (CA)
• sirpran CA, ST ( v.tr. ) sriprann PC siprann PC
  1. To surprise; surprendre.
     Li sirpran mo. Mo te pa gete pou li. He surprised me. I wasn’t looking for him. (CA); Li te gar si sriprann. He looked so surprised. (PC) ♦ Mo té tan sirpri ké mo trouné blan kom mo chimige bontin . I was so surprised that I turned as white as my Sunday shirt. (T6); ‘soupri [soupri]' (DU); sirpran (JR) See examples
• sis BT, CA, NE, PC, ST ( num.card. ) si BT, PC siz BT, PC
  1. Six; six.
     Nou te gen marche apeuprè si mil tou le jou pou vin lekòl. We had to walk about six miles to school every day. (PC); Mo gen mo boufe e en latab avèk sis chèj dan mo sal a manje. I’ve got my sideboard and a table with six chairs in my dining room. (CA); Ina senk siz an ke ye arète sèrvi vyeu chmen-d-fèr ke te la. It’s been five or six years since they stopped using the railroad that was there. (BT) ♦ Couri dans poulailler, prend six dézefs sales . Pas prend dézefs propres, mo piti ça va porté toi malhére. Go into the henhouse, take six dirty eggs. Don’t take clean eggs, my child, they will bring you bad luck. (FO T19) •siz-è adv.phr. (PC). Six o’clock; six heures. Nou manje tou le jou a siz-è. We eat every day at six o’clock. (PC) See examples
• sis-flèr CA ( n. )
  1. Hummingbird; colibri.
• sisi PC ( n. )
  1. Homosexual; homosexuel.
     Li se en sisi wi. He is a homosexual. (PC) See examples
• sispand No sources ( v.tr. ) sispandi CA
  1. To suspend, hang; pendre, suspendre.
     Mo achte de portre pou sispandi apre lamiray. I bought some pictures to hang on the wall. (CA) ♦ Yé branches té porté des zommes avec ein corde autour yé cou; haut dans l’air yé té sispende. Their branches bore men with ropes around their neck; they were suspended high up in the air. (T34) See examples
• sisé CA, PC ( v.tr. )
  1. To suck; sucer.
     CATNIP se pou fe dite pou ti bebe. Si ye gen kolik , to fe dute pou ye, to met sa dan ye boutey e lès ye sise sa. Catnip is for making tea for small babies. If they have colic, you make a tea for them, and put it in their bottle and let them suck on that. (PC); En lablèt a rantre dan to poulaye tchwe to poul-ye e sise ye disan. A mink will go into the henhouse to kill your chickens and suck their blood. (CA) ♦ Li l’apé sucé ptit bout la comme si c’était ein bébé qui t’apé tété dans ein biberon. She was sucking on the tip of it [her long tail] as if it were a baby nursing from a bottle. (T40) See examples
• sitin PC ( n. ) sitèm PC sitinrn PC sitinm PC sistèrn ST
  1. Cistern; citerne.
     Lapli tonmbe e ranpli sitèn-la e dolo. Rain fell and filled the cistern with water. (PC); Sistèm-la te kote lakiv. Li trape dolo pou lave lenj. The cistern was next to the wash tub. It caught water to wash my clothes. (ST) ♦ La roulaison fini... yé vende di sique, la mlasse et jisqu’à fond citerne. The sugar harvest is over, they sell sugar, molasses all the way to the bottom of the tank. (T27) See examples
• sitran CA, PC ( n. ) sitron CA, PC
  1. Lemon; citron.
     Le e manje en sitran. He’s eating a lemon. (PC) •bwa sitron n.phr. (CA). Lemon tree; citronnier, •pye sitron n.phr. (PC). Lemon tree; citronnier. See examples
• sivil No sources ( adj. )
  1. Civil; civil.
     ♦ Ma allé vite trouvé Lynch, le jige de draites civiles. I went at once to find Lynch, the judge of Civil Rights. (T34) •gèr sivil n.phr. The Civil War; la Guerre de Sécession, cf. gèr See examples
• sivilizé No sources ( v.tr. )
  1. To civilize; civiliser.
     Tous les jours li ‘couté la même chanson, ‘Mo nège, on veut civiliser l’endedans de tes calçons!’ Every day he heard the same song, ‘My pal, we want to civilize the insides of your underpants.’ (DC) See examples
• siyo BT ( n. )
  1. Nape; nuque.
     Siyo pi kouri uchka vou mè vot men, plu ba, la. Sa se le siyo du kou. Sa MEET avèk lo rentye. The nape can go all the way to where you’ve got your hand, lower down there. That is the nape. It meets the backbone. (BT) See examples
• siyé NE, PC, ST ( v.tr. ) souyé PC sey PC swiyé CA
  1. To wipe; essuyer.
     Nou gen tan ki nètwa divan—siye le tab e pase bale, siye l planche. We have a lot who clean up in front, who wipe the tables, sweep and mop the floors. (PC) See examples
  2. To dry, wipe dry; essuyer.
     Vou lave le ave lavet-la, e la vou tòrd lavet-la, e souye lasyet-la. You wash (the plate) with the dishrag, and then you wring out the dishrag, and you wipe the plate dry. (PC); No sèr en lavèt pou lave lavesèl e pou swiye lavesèl. We use a dishrag to wash the dishes and to wipe dry the dishes. (CA) See examples
• siyé PC ( v.tr. ) sié CA
  1. To saw; scier. L
     e siye dibwa. He is sawing wood. (PC); To sèr lasi pou sie dibwa. You use a saw to saw wood. (CA) See examples
• sizlé PC, ST ( v.tr. )
  1. To carve, cut into pieces, hack up; ciseler, découper.
• sizo CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Scissors; ciseaux.
     Mo koupe ave sizo. I cut it with a pair of scissors. (PC); Mo pran en sizo e koup euzot par morso apeupre gro kòm sa. I take scissors and cut them in little pieces about so big. (CA) ♦ Enn jwa li onpoule to pronn de sizo e to koupe le klòch pou retire dolo-la. Once it has developed a blister you take scissors and cut the blister. (BI) See examples
• siñ NE ( n. ) sinn CA, PC
  1. Sign, indication; signe, indice.
     ♦ Ce signe liver pa loin. That is a sign that winter is not far off. (ME) •fé sign v.phr. To motion, gesture; faire signe. ♦ Colombe fait li signe, et di li tende. The Dove made a sign to him and told him to wait. (T18) •fe sin lakrwa v.phr. (CA; PC); fe l krwa (PC); fe sign lakrwa (ST). To make the sign of the Cross; faire le signe de la croix. Ye fe ye sin lakrwa. They made the sign of the Cross. (PC); Anon fe sign lakrwa. Let’s make the sign of the Cross. (ST) ♦ Pas per tonnerre, piti, to conain Bon Djé bon, pas per, fais signe la croix, et mandé li pardon. Don’t be afraid of the thunder, child, you know that God is good, fear not, make the sign of the Cross and ask for forgiveness. (T27) See examples
• siñal No sources ( n. )
  1. Signal, sign; signal, signe.
     ♦ En jou Jan wa en navir ki te pase. Li fe ye signal e ye rete pou li. One day John saw a ship going by. He made them a signal and they stopped for him. (JR) See examples
• siñin PC ( v., v.tr., v.intr. ) siyin CA, PC
  1. To sign; signer.
     Ka mèm inave lagèr, lape te signen, me sa toujou kontraye. Even after the peace had been signed, they kept fighting. (PC)To enlist, sign up (for the army); s’inscrire (dans l’armée). Apre lagè li vini isi. Li signen ankò. After the war he came here, and he signed up again. (PC) See examples
• skalawag No sources ( n. )
  1. Scalawag; canaille.
     ♦ Longstreet qui té chef Scalawag, li chef bandit au Mexique. Longstreet, who was the chief scalawag, was the head bandit in Mexico. (T38) See examples
• skandal No sources ( n. )
  1. Scandal; scandale.
     ♦ Cété pou vengé li dé cé compair Lapin té compromette Mamzelle Léonine, so fie; cété ein vrai scandale. It was to take vengeance on Compair Lapin, who had compromised Miss Léonine’s character; that was a real scandal. (FO 1887) See examples
• skapilèr CA, ST ( n. ) skapyoulè PC kaspilèr BT kaspilè PC kapilèt CA skapilèt CA
  1. Scapular; scapulaire.
     To wa tou katolik gen en skapyoulè. Se en ti bout d koton ki gen poltre de sen andan la. You see all Catholics have a scapular. It’s a little piece of cotton which has pictures of two saints in there. (PC); En kaspilèr. To donn sa kan oun moun te kœnfœrm. Chak piti to gen enn de meday. A scapular. You give that when someone is being confirmed. Every child has one of the medals. (BT); Kan no fe no premyèr kòmiyon, ye tache en syèrj desi nou. Sete kòm en skapilèt: When we made our first communion, they attached a candle to us. It was like a scapular. (CA) See examples
• skarlatinn No sources ( adj., n.phr. ) fyév skarlatinn No sources
  1. Scarlet fever; fièvre scarlatine, cf. fyèv
• skif PC ( n. )
  1. Skiff; esquif.
     To gen en skif o en chalon. You’ve got a skiff or a flatboat. (PC) ♦ Pendant ti garçon la té apé joué avec coquille et di sabe yé oua ein nesquif avec plein nomme rivé. While the little boy was playing with shells and sand they saw a skiff full of men arrive. (FO T20) See examples
• skrép PC ( v.tr. ) skrèp PC
  1. To scrape, thin out (cotton, com); éclaircir (le coton, le maïs).
     Kan to plant koton to plann lagrenn-ye tou dilon. La kon ye lev ye lev epe. La, ifo skrep, la kan to skrep te e klèsi li. When you plant cotton you plant it all along. Then when it grows, it grows in thick, and you scrape it to thin it out. (PC) See examples
  2. To scrape, off-bar, lay bare the roots of; déchausser les racines d’une plante.
     Le sèl kichò mwen mo kònè pou koton pou ote tatè sète skrep. The only term I know for removing dirt from around the base of the cotton stalk is [skrep]. (PC) See examples
• slipa CA, PC, ST ( n. )
  1. Slipper; pantoufle.
     Kan mo ot mo soulye-ye, mo mèt mo slipa-ye. Mo mèt mo pye a mo nèz. When I take off my shoes, I put on my slippers. I relax my feet. (CA) See examples
• slou ST ( n. )
  1. Water hole; fondrière.
     Nou te koutmen marche dan buch a travèr slou. We used to walk on logs across the water hole. (ST) See examples
• smart CA, PC, NE ( n., adj. ) smat BT, PC smat CA, MO 60
  1. Smart; intelligent.
     E garson a MISS CHANDLER, boys, se kèk chòz , nonm-sa-la. Mo jame wa en nonm smat konm sa. And Miss Chandler’s son, he’s something else, that man. I’ve never seen a man that smart. (BT) ♦ Vous oua mo plis smart qué vous. You see that I am smarter than you. (FO T4)A smart person; personne intelligente. ♦ Cé Françoése qui dicté moin dernier phrase là; Françoése cé in smart, allé. It is Frances who dictated that last sentence to me; she is a smart one, all right. (T34) See examples
• smèn CA, MO 60, NE, PC ( n. ) lasmènn CA, ST sinmènn PC sèmènn PC sméinn PC smènn BT, PC sémin CA
  1. Week; semaine.
     Li rèste si senmenn dan lopital. He was in the hospital for six weeks. (PC); Sa tou depan kèl aj li gen; si se byen konm en mwa, deu smenn, trwa smenn se en ptidnesan. It all depends how old he is, if he is like a month old, or two weeks, he is a newborn. (BT); Pou Karèm, no gen de trwa semèn lamisyon. For Lent, we have two or three weeks for retreats. (CA) ♦ La sémaine après yé té gagnin in tas jeine nommes la. The following week there were a lot of young men there. (FO T19) •lasmenn ki vyen adv.phr. (PC). Next week; la semaine qui vient, la semaine prochaine. Lasmenn ki vyen an, nou gen pou DRIVE dan Batan Rouj. Next week we’re going to Baton Rouge. (PC) •lasmèn pase adv.phr. (NE). Last week; la semaine passée. Mo ite ongaje par Bòb Onjèl lasmèn pase, mè lasmèn-sila li lache mo. I was hired by Bob Angelle last week, but this week he let me go. (NE) •tou lasmenn adv.phr. (PC). All week long; toute la semaine. Nou travay tou lasmenn, an sanmdi nou gen fè. We work all week, and then we have a big party on Saturday. (PC) •tou le sèmenn adv.phr. (PC). Every week; toutes les semaines. Mo RIDE char-la tou le sèmenn. I ride the train every week. (PC) See examples
• snèl ST ( n. ) désnèl CA
  1. Hawthorn; aubépine, cenelle.
  2. Winterberry, deciduous holly; baie qui ressemble à l’aubépine. (Ilex decidua Walt.)
     No te ale dan fore pou ramase de snèl. Se en ti fru rouj. Ye dou. Ye gen bon gou. We used to go into the forest to pick winterberries. It’s a little red fruit. They’re sweet. They taste good. (ST) See examples
• snélyé No sources ( n. )
  1. Hawthorn; aubépine, cenellier. •snelye pwazon
     n.phr. Poison hawthorn; cenellier vénéneux. ♦ [Pou] rimatis, pronn larasin snelye pwazon, pronn premye ekòrch e ote li. For rhumatism, take the root of the poison hawthorn. Take the first layer off of it. (BI) •sinelye dou n.phr. Sweet (nontoxic) hawthorn; cenellier doux (non-vénéneux). ♦ Pou de emòrvid, ...Vou pronn de ekòrch de sinelye dou. For hemorrhoids, you take some bark from the sweet hawthorn. (BI) See examples
• so gen, MO 60 ( adj. ) son CA, NE
  1. His, her, its; son.
     So latcheu chmiz t ape sòrti ondeor de so kilot. His shirttail was coming out of his pants. (NE); Mo garson achte en bel lalyans pou so kalin. My son bought a beautiful wedding ring for his girlfriend. (ST) ♦ Tan li rivé dans so cabanne, tou zafair té paré ou bouceri. When he arrived at home, everything was ready for the ‘boucherie’. (T6) •so...-ye det.poss. (NE). His, her, its; ses. Konpèr Lapen te deja envite tou so moun-ye. Brer Rabbit had already invited his whole family. (NE) ♦ Bouki tayé so milés yé. Bouki whipped his mules. (T9) See examples
• so No sources ( n. )
  1. Leap, jump; saut.
     ♦ A chak so Kòpè Lous te fe li te vini pli pre on pli pre e jis kon Konpè Ratbwa tape pase don en trou bayè la, Konpè Lous ponye so latchye ek so kro ye. With each leap that Brer Bear made, he came closer and closer, and just when Brer Possum was going through a hole in the fence, Brer Bear seized his tail with his fangs. [ ‘sot ’] (DU) See examples
• so-kèn CA, NE, PC ( pron., det.poss. ) sò-chèn NE sa-kèn (f.) NE sé-kèn (pl.) NE so-kènn CA, PC, ST sochèn PC so-chènn PC
  1. His (own), hers, her own, its (own); le sien, la sienne, les sien(ne)s.
     Li te lwe latèr. Li te fe sò-kenn epi kenn a ye. He rented the land. He cultivated his own and theirs as well. (PC) ♦ Jarden-ye te meyè ke so-tchenn. The gardens were better than his own. (JR); ‘so kenne' (T4; T8); ‘so quène’ (T40)His, her, its (own); son, sa, ses (propre(s)). Pou Nwèl, Oras te gen so-kenn fizi. For Christmas, Horace got his own shotgun. (ST) ♦ Bopèr-la te pa osi onèt konm li t ole fe krwa, kan sa rive kote sotchenn entere-ye. The father-in-law was not as honest as he wanted people to believe, when it came to his own interests. (JR) See examples
• soda CA, NE, ST ( n. )
  1. Soda; soude.
     Mo konè kon nou te koutum gen le rum, mòm te fe en lak èk soda epi dimyèl. I remember that when we used to have a cold, Mom would make a potion with soda and honey. (NE); Soda avèk di miyèl. Soda and honey. (ST) ♦ Pou mal de gòj met di myel, di sel e pi di soda don dolo epi gagalize avek sa. For a sore throat, put honey, salt and soda in water and gargle with that. (LA) See examples
• soda-gato No sources ( n. )
  1. Baking soda; bicarbonate de soude.
     ♦ [Pou] lapikòt, li pronn lamonyak. Li melonj li avek soda gato e li poud li avec sa. For chicken pox, he takes ammonia. He mixes it with baking soda and he sprinkles the sick person with that. cf. biski soda (BI) See examples
• sofa CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Sofa, couch; canapé.
     Kou asi an sofa. Go sit down on the sofa. (PC); Li te asit desi sofa-la. He was sitting on the sofa. (CA) ♦ Asteur, pranne moin et metté moin su sofa-là. Now, take me and put me on the sofa. (ME) See examples
• soko CA ( n. )
  1. Muscadine grape; muscat. (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.).
     Mo fe diven mo-mèm evèk de mir, de rezen e de soko e d lamèriz. Se kèkeu-choj ke bon. I make wine myself, with blueberries, grapes, muscadine grapes and cherries. That is something that is good. (CA) ♦ Maît' Réna’d qui jamain béte t'apé mouri faim. Li oua dans ein nabbe des socos qui té gain l’air mir. Yé té tout noirs. Brer Fox who was never stupid was dying of hunger. He saw in a tree some muscadine grapes that looked ripe. They were all black. (BD) •diven soko n.phr. (CA). Muscadine wine; vin de muscat. See examples
• soldja PC ( n. ) solda PC
  1. Soldier; soldat.
     CONFEDERATE te gen tan soldja k te kache kèkplas. The Confederates had so many soldiers hidden away somewhere. (PC) ♦ Lé roi couri avec so soldat pou rété vié nomme la. The king went with his soldiers to arrest the old man. (FO T15) See examples
• solitèr No sources ( adj. )
  1. cf. vèr solitèr
• solivo CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Small joist, rafter; soliveau.
     Solivo sipòrt grègnen. Se de mòso dibwa. Rafters hold up the attic. It’s pieces of wood. (CA) ♦ Avan Compair Dahomey té gagné tem trapé eine, tou Boukis yé té croché en l'air apé solivo. Before Brer Dahomey had time to catch one of them, all of the Boukis were in the air hanging from the rafters. (T6) See examples
• soléy CA, NE, PC, ST ( n. ) solé PC soléy PC solèy PC
  1. Sun; soleil.
     O soley-la sòti joli, l e briye. The sun is pretty, it is shining. (PC); To lenj blan, to me li o soley pou blanchi li. Your white clothes, you put them in the sun to bleach them. (CA); Se dwa-zèt jour parskè mo wa reyon soley. It must be daylight because I see rays of sunlight. (ST) ♦ Soleil apé baissé, li tourné vini. The sun was setting, (so) he turned around and came back. (T6) •soley ba n.phr. (CA; PC). Sundown, sunset; coucher du soleil. Li chante juska soley ba. He sang until sundown. (PC) ♦ Soleil bas, Compair Bouki couri planté so catin aura so pi. At sundown, Brer Bouki went to plant his tarbaby near the well. (T2) •soley kouche n.phr. (CA; PC); soley kouche, solèy kouchan (PC). Sunset, sundown; coucher du soleil. No te gen toumen anvon soley kouche. We had to be back before sunset. (PC); Apre soley kouche, sa te fe nwar. After the sun set, it was dark. (CA) ♦ Solé coucé, Compair Lapin ouâ Compair Bouki apé vini dan ti chantié. After sundown, Brer Rabbit saw Brer Bouki coming into the little work zone. (T3) •soley leve n.phr. (CA; PC). Sunrise, dawn; aube, lever du soleil. Gran maten ? Se en ti bren avan soley lève. Early morning? That’s a tiny bit before sunrise. (PC) ♦ Yé tous les trois parti dans champs avant soleil levé. They all went out into the field before sunrise. (FO T4) See examples
  2. Sunburn, sunstroke; coup de soleil.
     Nave de tretœr pou soley, SUN STROKE. There were folk healers who specialized in treating sunstroke. (NE) • kou-t-soley n. Sunburn, sunstroke; coup de soleil, cf. kou See examples
• somir CA ( n. )
  1. Brine, especially pickled brine from pork meat; genre de saumure.
     On fe pli lasomir. Euzot manj pa sa. Doktœr di se pa bon pou ye manje. Se tro gra. We don’t make brine any more. They don’t eat it. The doctors say it’s not good for them to eat it. It’s too fat. (CA) See examples
• soméy CA ( n. ) sanméy PC sonméy PC
  1. Sleep, sleepiness; sommeil.
     ♦ Li tombin avec tant du bruit qué sommeil quitté mo paupière. It fell with such noise that sleep left my eyelids. (T39) •(gen) somey v.phr. (CA); gen sanmey (PC). To be tired, sleepy; avoir sommeil, être fatigué. Mo pa gen sanmey. I’m not tired. (PC); Mo te gen si tèlman somey mo i pou lave mo lafigir de ou trwa fwa. I was so sleepy I had to wash my face two or three times. (CA) See examples
• soméyé CA, ST ( v.intr. )
  1. To doze, (take a) nap; sommeiller, faire un somme.
     Li las. L ap someye. He’s tired. He’s dozing. (CA); Mo t ape someye. I was napping. (ST) See examples
• son CA, PC ( n. )
  1. Sound; son.
     Me e tanndè en son dan me zorey. I hear a sound in my ears. (PC); Ça fait, Hibou continue, «Cou cou tralala!» jusqu’à so la voix-là vini faible. Li chantait un et faisait son cinq ou six fois. So Hibou went on «Coo coo tralala» until his voice became weak. He would sing and make his sound five or six times. (AN T12) See examples
• sonm PC ( adj., adv. ) sanm CA
  1. Dark; sombre.
     Li fe sanm jodi. Se kòm si n ap ale gen en loragan. It’s dark out today. It’s as if we’re going to have a hurricane. (CA)Faintly, dimly; légèrement. Lalin le e klere sonm sonm. The moon is shining faintly. (PC) See examples
• soné No sources ( v., v.intr., v.tr. ) sonè PC sonn PC sònin CA, ST soné NE sonnin CA
  1. To ring; sonner.
     Ye lapanndul-la sonè dèz è van jou. The clock struck two o’clock in the morning. (PC) ♦ En ti manman apre sa, li tann laklòch-la sònen. A moment later he heard the bell ringing. (JA) See examples
  2. To rattle (of a rattlesnake); sonner (d’un serpent à sonnettes).
     Li te e kouri kòm sa, li wa mo, li sonnen. He (the snake) was going along like so, he saw me and he rattled. (PC)To ring; sonner. Ye sònen laklòch pou lekol komanse. They rang the bell for school to begin. (ST) ♦ »Kan m ‘a sonnen laklòch, ‘‘ li esplike nonm-la, «t’a kouri travaye. ‘‘ ‘When I ring the bell,’ he explained to the man, ‘you will go work.’ (JR) See examples