Whats Wrong With Us Northerners Saying New Orleans?

[Ronald120]

lol @ New Orleans being "conservative". You have a lot to learn my "Northern" friend (check your history, Maryland is questionable regionally, but being from where I'm from, y'all do appear very Northern to me).

Anyways, a large part of what makes Noo-AWL-lens (how people from here say it, not that "N'awlins" sh**. It's cool and cute when Paul Prudhomme say it, but we really don't pronounce the name of the city as if it's one word) unique is 1)our mix of cultures, influences, histories, food, etc; 2) the liberal nature of this city DESPITE being surrounded by very conservative neighborhoods (other parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, etc.); and 3) our accents.

Calling us country is just.... wrong. Especially if you concluded that from how we talk. The New Orleans accent is as distinct as the character and charm of the city itself -- it contributes to it. Hell, we go to different parts of the country and our own state and call other people country.

We have a drawl, no doubt. But it isn't a slow ass country drawl. We got a different kind of drawl. It's more subtle and it's not as poignant as our Southern brethen. You really need to come down here and listen to people from here, just listen to the way we say certain words and compare it to how people in...say... Baton Rouge or even in Shreveport (hell, even in Mississippi or Texas) say it. Just completely different. We jack up words in ways you've never heard before.


For instance, you wanna know how you can tell someone is from New Orleans? I'mma give you an interesting clue: Think of any word with an "-oi-" cluster in it. Any word, such as boil, toilet, spoil, choices, voice -- any word like that. Now everybody else is gonna pronounce the word like you would typically hear, even the "country folk". However, someone from New Orleans is gonna pronounce "berl", "earl", "terlet", "sperl", etc. I'm telling you. The INSTANT you hear someone speak like that, you already know where they're from.



Consider this lesson 1 in Noo-AWL-lens 101. Class is in session.

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by Ronald120

lol @ New Orleans being "conservative". You have a lot to learn my "Northern" friend (check your history, Maryland is questionable regionally, but being from where I'm from, y'all do appear very Northern to me).

Anyways, a large part of what makes Noo-AWL-lens (how people from here say it, not that "N'awlins" sh**. It's cool and cute when Paul Prudhomme say it, but we really don't pronounce the name of the city as if it's one word) unique is 1)our mix of cultures, influences, histories, food, etc; 2) the liberal nature of this city DESPITE being surrounded by very conservative neighborhoods (other parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, etc.); and 3) our accents.

Calling us country is just.... wrong. Especially if you concluded that from how we talk. The New Orleans accent is as distinct as the character and charm of the city itself -- it contributes to it. Hell, we go to different parts of the country and our own state and call other people country.

We have a drawl, no doubt. But it isn't a slow ass country drawl. We got a different kind of drawl. It's more subtle and it's not as poignant as our Southern brethen. You really need to come down here and listen to people from here, just listen to the way we say certain words and compare it to how people in...say... Baton Rouge or even in Shreveport (hell, even in Mississippi or Texas) say it. Just completely different. We jack up words in ways you've never heard before.


For instance, you wanna know how you can tell someone is from New Orleans? I'mma give you an interesting clue: Think of any word with an "-oi-" cluster in it. Any word, such as boil, toilet, spoil, choices, voice -- any word like that. Now everybody else is gonna pronounce the word like you would typically hear, even the "country folk". However, someone from New Orleans is gonna pronounce "berl", "earl", "terlet", "sperl", etc. I'm telling you. The INSTANT you hear someone speak like that, you already know where they're from.



Consider this lesson 1 in Noo-AWL-lens 101. Class is in session.

Perhaps it is "Noo-Awl-lens" I always took it more as "N'awlins" and I don't think I've ever heard Chef Prudhomme say it. But I've heard it that way a lot, even while in New Orleans.

[Sam I Am]

MODERATOR: Cool it. And drop the reference to Jena every other word, it has nothing to do with how to pronounce New Orleans. Back on topic or move on, please.

[holloway1010]

I have a ton of family from New Orleans and I can assure you that most New Orleanians prefer it said like "New Or'lenz" like a contact lenz. However, New Or'leenz is typically acceptable. Also, N'awlins is NOT acceptable, it will do nothing but make people there mad.

[Sam I Am]

MODERTOR:

I'm closing this thread, it can be reopened if everyone gets their wits about them again. I'm not sure how this went so far off track - maybe we should just look up the pronunciation in Wikipedia or Wiktionary and let it go.