tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post4073600777429386717..comments2024-03-23T15:48:15.416-05:00Comments on Bayou Teche Dispatches: Debunking the Alleged Origin of the Word "Coonass"Shane K. Bernardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00454946054965548589noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-21220671212473116022024-01-06T07:36:46.693-06:002024-01-06T07:36:46.693-06:00When I was 6 or 7 , I was visiting my Dad in La. W...When I was 6 or 7 , I was visiting my Dad in La. We went to Picadilli cafeteria for lunch. I saw a coonass bumper sticker and asked "what's a coonass". My Dad said that When Cajuns came here they were hated so they were insulted by other whites by calling them the coons ass. Coon being derogatory for Black. So a black persons ass. I am from Louisiana and that's the only story I know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-86194812790889912872023-11-13T11:47:43.721-06:002023-11-13T11:47:43.721-06:00Hello after reading the article and people’s comme...Hello after reading the article and people’s comments I honestly believe the word probably originated when the acadians were deported. As more and more acadians were brought to an area in Louisiana the Acadians would probably greet each other when meeting old familiar faces by the term I know you, translated in improper French as je vous coonass!!!<br />(I am part Acadian and have spent much time with my great great aunt who conjugated most verbs improperly and that is the way she actually said the term “know” - COONASS <br />Alaine SwiftAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-91882926598935748762023-06-05T20:47:04.122-05:002023-06-05T20:47:04.122-05:00My daddy was a proud, self-proclaimed "Coonas...My daddy was a proud, self-proclaimed "Coonass". That's good enough for me. ❤️Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-8732485709554251222023-02-08T05:47:16.902-06:002023-02-08T05:47:16.902-06:00I live in France and speak fluent French. It's...I live in France and speak fluent French. It's unlikely any French person would have called any Cajun soldiers "connasse" because it's a strictly feminine noun, with misogynist connotations. It would never be spontaneously used to insult a man. TShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12868380981709299152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-16851935551000744602022-08-21T16:21:23.538-05:002022-08-21T16:21:23.538-05:00I have a feeling that the real explanation is a co...I have a feeling that the real explanation is a convergence of quite a few different origins. Similar things happen all the time, in language (for example, see the etymology of the word “nerd”). A perfect storm of meanings and sound-alike words, mashed together over time, become a new word. If I was to only go by the information in this article, and the amazing information coming from the comment section, this appears to be the case. Etymologies are often messy.<br /><br />The word “Cajun” derives from “Acadian”. As in “I am Acadian”, which, if spoken in a deep French accent, sounds a little bit like “I am a Cajun”. An interesting case of word morphology AND owning the slur.<br /><br />So here we have raccoon hunters, dirty connasse whores, swamp connoisseurs, racial animus from North La and Texas, and people that historically on their own slurs. And while it may not constitute proof that researchers prefer (hard evidence, like a dated photograph), we seem to have enough circumstantial, colloquial, word-of-mouth evidence to make an educated presumption: Etymology? All of the above! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-6201513288121394522021-10-05T10:07:30.170-05:002021-10-05T10:07:30.170-05:00Try spelling it this way: connasse And make sure ...Try spelling it this way: connasse And make sure the page is set to translate from French to English.<br /><br />I just did it and got a very different reply (which I won't mention here!).<br /><br />Incidentally, Google Translate will tell you that the Latin word for "chocolate" is "scelerisque" -- which is completely wrong. I even ran this by some Latin aficionados, who pointed out that "scelerisque" not only does not mean "chocolate," it actually means "and the crime" (sceleris = "a crime" or "the crime" + "que" = and). Go figure.Shane K. Bernardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00454946054965548589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-37307643524002564942021-10-05T04:22:16.677-05:002021-10-05T04:22:16.677-05:00Odd.... when I type conasse into Google translator...Odd.... when I type conasse into Google translator French to English, it translates as "bully"!Arthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09816587860133548265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-45408266201704814892020-02-20T21:01:15.440-06:002020-02-20T21:01:15.440-06:00Here's how Google translates it. Who is proud ...Here's how Google translates it. Who is proud of being called such a thing? <br />https://translate.google.com/#view=home&op=translate&sl=fr&tl=en&text=connasse<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-48719971207590760912020-01-18T13:39:48.781-06:002020-01-18T13:39:48.781-06:00I have a large framed print of the State of Louisi...I have a large framed print of the State of Louisiana Coonass Act for sale if anyone is interested!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00730783532681107745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-41856499678309314112020-01-10T16:06:18.722-06:002020-01-10T16:06:18.722-06:00I believe the true meaning of the word from the ti...I believe the true meaning of the word from the time of the Civil War in New Orleans. It referred to a prostitute without a doctor's note of general health. This was ordered by Colonel "Spoons" Butler who was the Commander of the Yankee garrison toward the end of the War. The order was issued due to the VD problem in the troops.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16492518077738228791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-40618314492280340592019-09-05T10:14:44.203-05:002019-09-05T10:14:44.203-05:00Well, the problem it seems is the Louisiana Legisl...Well, the problem it seems is the Louisiana Legislators are a bunch of conasses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-57171174310031135072019-08-02T18:28:37.390-05:002019-08-02T18:28:37.390-05:00My husband was born and raised a Cajun. His dad an...My husband was born and raised a Cajun. His dad and all of his dads side of the family had to learn to speak English. We have home videos of the holidays when they all got together and you can understand a word unless you speak true Cajun French(Louisiana French). I love sitting and listening to them, knowing that the language is a most a dead language we recently decided to begin teaching ourselves and our children the Cajun Language. As far as the Coonass, it simply depended on who you are talking to or whom your talking to. Context really matters! My husbands family never took the term as a derogatory term. But there have been times that it has been used in this manner! Enjoyed this post and look forward to sharing it with my husband! Cajun Yankee Mommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10342351179824780959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-16665405474052414812018-08-16T20:58:33.318-05:002018-08-16T20:58:33.318-05:00The image in question may not be on the National A...The image in question may not be on the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) website. I myself did not obtain the image per a website, but, rather, from the actual hard-copy photographic print preserved in NARA's physical holdings in or near Washington, D.C.Shane K. Bernardhttp://bayoutechedispatches.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-9393174118776627542018-08-10T19:52:47.337-05:002018-08-10T19:52:47.337-05:00I cannot find that photo on the National Archives ...I cannot find that photo on the National Archives and Records Administration web site. Would you please post the link?<br />Thank you!40POTUShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10002811439981527292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-27912809350590477572017-11-14T17:33:00.032-06:002017-11-14T17:33:00.032-06:00My 102 year old Great Great Grandmother told me th...My 102 year old Great Great Grandmother told me the term started in WW1 when the Confederate Soldiers were trying to find someone that KNOWS THE MARSHES...Le connaisseur du marsh...and mispronounced it...YES, IT IS A PROUD BADGE OF HONOR TO BE A CONNAISSEUR...mispronounced as Coonass by people that couldn't speak French but needed an expert to keep them alive.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02994983596789843838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-29039960339542053822017-06-05T18:10:36.201-05:002017-06-05T18:10:36.201-05:00I was told this by my mother during the late 60...I was told this by my mother during the late 60's,<br />During history class a fellow student raises his hand and states, 'people in Northern Louisiana hate us'<br />We asked why?<br />Teachers said,'go home and ask your parents'<br />This is what my mother said.<br />When we voted for civil rights. <br />Northern Louisiana voted against it.<br />South Louisiana (especially south of Alexandria) voted for it. <br />That's when Northern Louisiana started calling people from Southern Louisiana coon-asses for selling out the white race. As a child that had a profound effect on me. That somebody who doesn't even know me hates me. So to this day I cannot hate someone I do not know.<br />Late 70's I worked in the oilfield with a man from Monroe. I asked about do they still hate us? He said 'yes'.<br />As recently as 97, I was thrown out of a gas station in Shreveport for being from Morgan City. <br />10 years ago a co-woker's boyfriend and I were discussing my Coonassness. Him being from Shreveport and 20 years younger had never heard of this before. <br />We live in Dallas Tx.. He was going home for the weekend and was going to ask around. <br />He came back with a confused look. <br />He said. 'The younger people of Shreveport knew nothing of this. But the white people close to my age of 56 and older HATE people south of Alexandria.(THIS IS WHAT REALLY CONFUSED HIM) And that they were OK with him being black but they really hate people from south of Alexandria'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-59328755642324031632017-01-28T01:34:03.563-06:002017-01-28T01:34:03.563-06:00Bingo! You hit the nail on the head. We are prou...Bingo! You hit the nail on the head. We are proud of it no matter the origin. Those thinking it's an insult or that we should be insulted by it are not my people. My 2 remaining uncles still speak Cajun French and never have been offended by the term so to me the origin is irrelevant. I'm proud to be a half ass Coonass (my mom is a Yankee and my Dad was 100% Cajun) and there's no denying that many others are as well. Angee Sylvesternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-8880742052886934132016-12-01T20:57:48.952-06:002016-12-01T20:57:48.952-06:00My uncle insisted on being referred to as coonass,...My uncle insisted on being referred to as coonass, not cajun.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-83024829994771981262016-12-01T06:51:57.371-06:002016-12-01T06:51:57.371-06:00It is easy to see how coonass became what it is..n...It is easy to see how coonass became what it is..no matter it's origin. If it did,in fact, refer to a dirty prostitute then being called such by the French would have been quite a laugh by the self sufficient, rough and ready Acadians...France was usually the one in the position of being treated like an ill used prostitute ( in both wars).In reference to an actual raccoon, very few other creatures have been so detested and admired at the same time We have a history of using them for food, clothing, and companionship (they're smarter than house cats and don't get stuck up trees). Most coonass I know would be unaffected by PCing such a term simply because they aren't going to bother going around people who have to figure out if it's an offensive term or not. If you really want to offend a Cajun it's more dangerous to insult his dog or his boat than call him names.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06337517239559216133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-21741406449951700802016-08-16T19:34:20.802-05:002016-08-16T19:34:20.802-05:00I'm a proud coonass! And I am also very proud ...I'm a proud coonass! And I am also very proud of my ancestry. Most Cajuns usually have a great sense of humor and don't mind calling themselves this nickname. <br />Rita Monette, Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11008739873911008728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-72798599192294261992016-07-29T09:30:04.931-05:002016-07-29T09:30:04.931-05:00Just a small point of grammar. Connasse is feminin...Just a small point of grammar. Connasse is feminine in French. The term for a male is connard or simply conAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-59844541406546462742016-07-19T17:55:30.938-05:002016-07-19T17:55:30.938-05:00The term is a reference to the racoon hats that th...The term is a reference to the racoon hats that the cajun trappers used to wear.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17530107462140608822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-64481997261662323562016-03-27T20:26:27.605-05:002016-03-27T20:26:27.605-05:00Carl, Thanks for this info: I'll keep an eye ...Carl, Thanks for this info: I'll keep an eye open for a P-38 of that name! Shane K. Bernardhttp://cajunculture.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-87564486673382502202016-03-27T18:43:34.070-05:002016-03-27T18:43:34.070-05:00Shane I remember an old man in Lafayette named Flo...Shane I remember an old man in Lafayette named Floyd Randolph who was stationed in the Pacific Theater with the P-38 outfit that took out Yammaoto saying he recalled a plane with the name Ragin' Cajun. He is gone now but I now wonder if perhaps the plane he remembers was the Cajun Coonass. He was not a pilot but a member of the ground crew. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06754537975959054604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660857958535448139.post-68563901507134492462016-02-07T16:24:37.365-06:002016-02-07T16:24:37.365-06:00I thought it was derived from the old French slang...I thought it was derived from the old French slang Kunasse for "the lower working class". Obviously I should have vetted that information more.Thnk4urslfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03171865681683224397noreply@blogger.com