Date: Thu, 2 Jun 1994 01:43:31 -0400

From: Clayton Gillespie CLAYKE[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]DELPHI.COM

Subject: Cajun say-so



Clayton, is Tippidot a variant of Thibodaux? I know of the latter as a town

on the Bayou Lafourche and as a common family name (sometimes spelled

Thibodeaux).



Mike Picone



Mike, I have ridden through the town from which my grandparents come, but by

looking at my atlas it is not Thibodaux. Their origin is definitely west

of Baton Rouge and probably north. It is a small town, perhaps you know it,

rice farms, company store, zydeco on friday nights. "Tippidot" is my own

approximate spelling and I'm not even sure that it is supposed to be regional;

it is simply how I remember them representing their ethnic identity: "Oh yes,

we're Tippidot Cajun." Tippidot is not a family name either; everyone on that

side is a Lindsay, Abbot, Torbert, or Mouton (no sheep jokes, please).



Your spelling is probably better than mine, and I should know better since

I've met a Thibeaux or two. It wouldn't surprise me if there is another

smaller town with a name similar to Thibodaux since where my grandparents

currently live is between Nacogdoches and Natchitoches (ooh shai-yah).



Good luck.



- Clayton Gillespie

Electra Software & Consulting

clayke[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]delphi.com