[Dixielandjazz] Jazz In New Orleans

[James O'Briant]

Dave Richoux wrote:

> The locals say it sort of like PICKY-YOON (rhymes with Moon) 
> http://www.forvo.com/word/picayune/  is close.
> the word means: Small or nit-picky (It was a Spanish coin 
> worth more than a nickel and less than a dime-- 6 1/4 cents 
> to be precise)

This is part of the same monetary system as "two bits."  Spanish
Dollars were often cut into eight pieces ("pieces of eight"), and
each piece was a "bit," valued at 12 1/2 cents. A quarter of a
dollar was four bits, a half a dollar was four bits, etc. 

A picayune was half a bit, or 6 1/4 cents.

Jim O'Briant
Gilroy, CA
Tubist and fount of useless trivia