couillon
standard French spelling
In Louisiana the word for a fool is couyon, the local spelling of French couillon. It is said with a laugh and means a silly person.
Meaning: fool, silly person (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| couillon | standard French spelling |
| couyon | Louisiana spelling |
Cajun speakers use couyon for someone who does something silly. It can be affectionate between friends or family.
Which one should you use?
In France couillon is a mild insult. In Louisiana it is usually gentler, though tone matters.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use un couyon for a man and une couyonne is sometimes used for a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
Louisiana couyon is said close to "koo-YOHN".
Did you know?
- The word couyon is among the best known Cajun French words and is often written that way on Louisiana souvenirs.
Examples in context
- Quel couyon!What a fool!
- Ne fais pas le couyon.Do not act silly.
- Mon frère est un vrai couyon.My brother is a real goof.
Example conversation
Pierre and his cousin Lucie tease each other at a crawfish boil in Lafayette.
- LuciePierre, tu as tout renversé!Pierre, you spilled everything!
- PierreOh là là, quel couyon je suis.Oh dear, what a fool I am.
- LucieViens, on va nettoyer ça.Come on, let us clean this up.
