Friday, August 10, 2012

Is, I believe it is "manman-ou pi gran pase gran-n ou" an insult or something bad? I know it means the mother is older than the grandmother, but that can't be right... thanks.

Well, you're right about the translation.
Manman'w pi gran pase grann ou means that your slip is showing.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

4 comments:

  1. UnknownAugust 10, 2012 at 9:36 AM

    Oh man these just crack me up sometimes.

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  2. MandalyAugust 10, 2012 at 10:13 AM

    Ah wi!
    Pafwa Kreyòl la se bèl komedi :)

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  3. UnknownAugust 10, 2012 at 10:23 AM

    I know we have things that are just as weird in English, I just wonder what the root of sayings like this are.

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    Replies
    1. MandalyAugust 10, 2012 at 11:01 AM

      This makes allusion to dominance, control or authority.
      The older grandmother represents the skirt. She should be dominant, in control, and 'on top'.
      The younger mother represents the underskirt/slip. She should be kept in check, 'underneath and unseen'.

      Manman'w pi gran pase grann ou. (your mother is older than your grandmother.) is just hinting that things are out of order, you need to check yourself, a natural law/order is broken somehow...

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