Note 46 — Little Dictionary of Creole Proverbs.

Mr. Bigelow is certainly wrong in his definition of the origin of the word which he spells queté. It is a Creole adoption of the French guetter, “to watch:” and is used by the Creoles in the sense of “observe,” “perceive,” “see.” Other authorities spell it guêtte, as all verbs ending in “ter” in French make their Creole termination in “té.” This verb is one of many to which slightly different meanings from those belonging to the original French words, are attached by the Creoles. Thus çappe, from échapper, is used as an equivalent for sauver.