Note 121 — Little Dictionary of Creole Proverbs.

Fonté (for effronté) has quite an extensive meaning in Creole. It may refer to the impudence of a badly-brought-up child, or to the over-familiarity on the part of an adult; but it may also refer to high spirit, pluck, independence of manner. A colored mother once told me I should be surprised to see how fonté her son had become since he had been going to school. She meant, of course, that the lad was growing “smart,” active, plucky.