It isn't a word that has a particularly cool sound, such as "odious" or "obtuse" but it is a word that I enjoy saying, and revere, particularly for its meaning as I understand it.
Lagniappe.
I say it the way I wish to say it. In Louisiana it is often pronounced "lannie -up".
Lagniappe means to do something extra, beyond someone's expectations, particulary in the service industry. BP; not lagniappe. Insurance companies: not lagniappe. Joe, the guy at LeBeau Market; lagniappe. The act of it is a type of gift. It may be as simple as the 13th pastry- an addition to a dozen ordered; a baker's dozen. It may be care provided that is larger than a transaction of dollars for service; an act that brings with it something lasting that its recepient will not forget. In its best use, a giving act that encourages this deed in others, and in doing so encourages the best of us. (okay, I have some swear words that are really my favorites but I wish for my children to believe their father, noble.) Lagniappe creates community.
.............................am i going to have to pay for these images someday?
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