Friday, November 16, 2012

Bonjou ankò! Kisa "pa" fè nan fraz sa a? "S'on boul chifon sal, repousan, koulè sak pou siye pye devan pa pòt legliz." -'Pase m yon kou foli" pg 11. Osi, kisa tit liv sa a vle di egzakteman?

Bonswa kouman ou ye?

papòt (or pa pòt) → doorstep, door's entrance, doorway, threshold
"S'on boul chifon sal, repousan, koulè sak pou siye pye devan papòt legliz la."
"It's a dirty repulsive rag, the color of sack cloth to wipe our steps at the church entrance". (something like that)

"Pase m yon kou foli" 
Slap me with a strike of madness (literally)
Make me Crazy (possible meaning)

This sounds like someone who had cursed another with a curse (of madness).
The meaning may be lost in the English translation, but here's a legend that might help you understand the true meaning of this phrase.
There's a legend in Haiti which says you should not let a mad person hit or strike you.  If this happens, you will also become mad.

"Pase m yon kou foli" also has a connotation of love and passion.
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

4 comments:

  1. M anfòm, m sòt vizite New York pou yon maraton NGO Ayiti. Osi, m achte "Nan Savann Dezole," men li poko rive.

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    1. Trè byen! Sanble ou te byen amize ou. Mwen kontan tande sa.
      Mwen espere ou p'ap jwenn "Nan Savann Dezole" twò difisil pou li :)

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  2. Confusing vocabulary: "odfòm," "kedepi," and "gigote"

    "Chapo odfòm. Vès kedepi. Parapli nwa. (elatriye, pg 21)"

    "Manman m fè fèt, gigote gwo lakontantman lè m rantre nan peyi a. (pg 17)"

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    1. Chapo odfòm is a type of round straw hat with narrow brim and no "frills" on the brim.

      parapli nwa → a black umbrella

      gigote (from French "gigoter") → to move, to agitate, to wriggle, to squirm.
      It's written as "jigote" in Creole.

      Manman m fè fèt, gigote lakontantman lè m rantre nan peyi a.
      My mother had a celebration, motivating happiness/gladness when I came/returned to the country.

      I am not familiar with the word "kedèpi". The author seems to talk about a style of jacket or coat by saying vès kedèpi. vès is Creole for vest

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