Lagniappe

A lagniappe (/ˈlænjæp/ LAN-yap) is a small gift given to a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase (such as a 13th doughnut when buying a dozen), or more broadly, "something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure."

The word entered English from the Louisiana French adapting a Quechua word brought in to New Orleans by the Spanish Creoles. It derived from the South American Spanish phrase la yapa or ñapa (referring to a free extra item, usually a very cheap one). La is the definite article in Spanish as well as in French (la ñapa or la gniappe = the ñapa/gniappe). The term has been traced back to the Quechua word yapay ('to increase; to add'). In Andean markets it is still customary to ask for a yapa (translates as "a little extra") when making a purchase. The seller usually responds by throwing in a little extra.

Although this is an old custom, it is still widely practiced in Louisiana. Street vendors, especially vegetable vendors, are expected to throw in a few green chili peppers or a small bunch of cilantro with a purchase. The word is chiefly used in the Gulf Coast region of the United States, but the concept is practiced in many places, such as the Spanish-speaking world, Southeast Asia, North Africa, rural France, Australia, and Holland.

Lagniappe (yearbook)

Lagniappe is Louisiana Tech's official student yearbook. The Lagniappe, which literally means "something extra" was first published in 1905 and has been published every year since except for 1913–1921 and 1926. The yearbook's annual release date is around the last week of the regular school year in the middle of May. The Lagniappe was recognized in May 2011 as "First Class" by the Associated Collegiate Press and as one of the top 2 percent of high school and collegiate yearbooks by Balfour Publishing's "The Yearbook's Yearbook". Mary May Brown, the recently retired faculty adviser of the Lagniappe for 23 years was named the Collegiate Publications Adviser of the Year by the Louisiana Press Women in 2011.

References

Lagniappe (album)

Lagniappe is a compilation album put together by Omaha record label Saddle Creek, after the events of Hurricane Katrina. It is a benefit album, and all profits from its sale are donated to the Red Cross' relief efforts in New Orleans.

The album is composed of mostly impromptu recordings, thrown together for this explicit purpose. The Saddle Creek web site explains it as follows:

Old favorites, new faces, and friends of Saddle Creek recorded these 13 tracks in bedrooms, basements, kitchens, living rooms, and even in a couple of studios. The album was put together in one week. It's a menagerie of mostly new songs, a few tracks that should have made it onto albums but for whatever reason didn't, a couple of B-sides, a demo song - whatever people could contribute.

Most of the currently active bands on the label contributed a track, including Saddle Creek's most popular bands (The Faint, Bright Eyes) and also some newer additions to the label (Two Gallants, for example).

Track listing