If you’ve ever spent an appreciable amount of time in New Orleans (or even just watched a movie/show set here), you’ve probably noticed that people down here have a very particular style of speech, not to mention a quirky and lovable local vocabulary. And you’ve probably been hugely confused by it. The distinctive, Brooklyn-by-the-way-of-Mississippi-Delta way that many folks down here speak is one of the city’s many charms, so here’s a handy field guide.Where y’at?A general greeting, not necessarily “where are you?” geographically, but a more philosophical “where are you?” in life, and an inquiry into your general well-being and state of mind. Also, this phrase is crucial in defining a certain aspect of New Orleans culture and its people, known colloquially as “Yats,” and their/our distinctive brand of elocution is known as “yatspeak.”AwriteA way of saying “all right,” though this is often used as a greeting and not necessarily the answer to questions. Sometimes you can say “hi!” to a...
