linmé

Louisiana Creole

Alternative forms

  • linmin, etc.

Etymology

Inherited from Louisiana French aimer (“to love; to like”), with the initial /l/ resulting perhaps from a re-analysis of the final /l/ of French il (“he, it”), alle (“she”), or similar as part of the verb. The /l/ sound, which would normally go unpronounced in Louisiana French, would have reappeared as liaison before the vowel sound /ɛ̃-/ in French aime. This could have given the ostensible impression that /l/ is intrinsic to the verb.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /lɛ̃ˈme/
  • Rhymes: -me, -e

Verb

linmé (short form linm)

  1. (transitive) to love
    Mo linm twa. ― I love you.
    • 1998, Albert Valdman, Thomas A. Klingler, Margaret M. Marshall, Kevin J. Rottet, Dictionary of Louisiana Creole, page 281:
      Mo lenm mo piti-ye. [Mo linm mô piti-yé.]
      I love my children.
  2. (transitive) to like
    • 2020, Adrien Guillory-Chatman, Oliver Mayeux, Nathan Wendte, Herbert Wiltz, Ti Liv Kréyòl: A Learner's Guide to Louisiana Creole (2nd ed.), page 51:
      To sé linmé dèt bòs-la?
      Would you like to be the boss?

Usage notes

  • May also be treated as a one-stem verb.

Derived terms

  • linmé myé (“to prefer”)
  • amour, lamour (“love”)
  • amourè, lamourè (“boyfriend, lover”)

References

  • Guillory-Chatman, A., Mayeux, O., Wendte, N., Wiltz, H. (2020). Ti liv kréyòl: A learner's guide to Louisiana Creole (2nd ed.). TSÒHK.
  • Valdman, A., Klingler, T. A., Marshall, M. M., Rottet, K. J. (1998). Dictionary of Louisiana Creole. Indiana University Press. ISBN: 0-253-33451-9.
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