Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Help me to understand this kind of expression: "Fini l fini, ..."

Ah, it's one of those Creole expressions where Haitians seem to emphasize a word by saying it twice.
This particular one would mean:  Once a task is completed, ...
So you will a similar wording arrangement:  VERB - SUBJECT - VERB
Or you'll often see this arrangement for past tense: VERB - SUBJECT - TE VERB


1. Fini l fini ...
    Once he's done...


2. Fini ou fini manje, al fin fè devwa w.
    Once you're done eating, go finish your homework


3. Antre jij la te antre, tout moun te kanpe.
    Once the judge entered, everyone stood up.


4. Parèt pwofesè a parèt, tout elèv va fè silans.
    Once the teacher shows up, all the students will quiet down.


5. Rive m te rive, mwen te al dòmi tou dwat.
    One I arrived, I went straight to bed.


6. Wè li wè nèg la sèlman, li gentan tonbe damou.
    Once she just saw the guy, she already fell in love.
    She only took a look at the guy, and she already was in love.


7.  Gade manman l te gade l sèlman, li te sispann kriye.
    Once his/her mom looked at her only, he/she stopped crying.
    His/Her mom just took one look at him/her and he/she stopped crying.



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