Re: "panyen pesi" in previous post. Doesn't that expression also mean "dumb"

Yes.

It is used in the expression equivalent to:

English expression: As dumb as a doorknob.

Creole expression: Sòt pase yon panyen pèsi.

Literally:                Dumber than a bunch of parley

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a bunch of...(in Creole)? As in "a bunch crooks". Would bunch be translated as "panyen"?

First of all, Haitian Creole panyen, grap, or bouke best describe a bouquet, a posy, or an assemblage of branches

Example:
yon panyen pèsi
A bunch of parsley

yon bouke flè
a flower bouquet

yon grap rezen
a bunch of grapes


A bunch of  (batch, collection) → yon bann, yon bann kalite or yon pakèt

Mwen wè yon bann kalite moun.
I saw a bunch of different people
She wrote a bunch of words that I did not understand.
Li ekri yon bann mo mwen pa't konprann.

They're a bunch of irresponsible people.
Yo se yon bann manfouben.

They're a bunch of crooks.
Yo se yon bann vòlè.

They're nothing but a bunch of phonies!
Se yon bann magouyè yo ye!

They are a bunch of crazy people.
Yo se yon bann moun fou.

This is a bunch of baloney.
Sa se yon bann tenten.

1 comment:

1. 
   kalJanuary 23, 2013 at 1:11 PM

   I have a list that I have collected. Feel free to post it for everybody to see. I want everybody to learn as much about as I am. Here is the list:
   The * respresent the word may or may not belong in this category.
   yon makòn
   yon rado
   yon makrèy
   yon gagòt
   yon galata
   yon grenn*
   yon tablati*
   yon kanaval
   yon kanal
   yon katredal
   yon kin
   yon kiriyèl
   yon kolonn
   yon lakoloni
   yon lapopilas
   yon larivyè
   yon lata
   yon mas
   yon mazenga
   yon mòlmèk
   yon nich
   yon peyi
   yon pil
   yon piyay
   yon pleyad
   yon rafal
   yon ras
   yon rasanble
   yon rat
   yon rejiman
   yon kay
   yon seri
   yon ta
   yon tonm
   yon lame
   yon lamadèl
   yon latriye
   yon tabènak
   yon gouf
   yon valiz
   yon valè
   yon volim
   yon voum
   yon nonm

Crazy (Creole), anything other than fou?

Yeap.
Crazy →  dechennen, anraje, debòde, fou, pèdi fèy, bonèt (pronoun) chavire, pèdi tèt (pronoun)

Examples: (see where pronoun is placed for the last two translations.

He's gone beserk.
Li fou.
Li dechennen.
Li deraye. (English: to derail)
Li anraje
Li pèdi yon fèy
Bonèt li chavire
Li pèdi tèt li.

We thought you went crazy when you took the streets all naked.
Nou panse ou te fou lè w te pran lari a toutouni.
Nou panse ou te pèdi tèt ou lè w te pran lari a toutouni.
Nou panse bonèt ou te chavire lè w te pran lari a toutouni.

Crazy in love → use "fou"
I'm crazy for you.
Mwen fou pou ou.

Ala de koze!

Ala de koze!
What a parody!
What a farce!

Same as:
Ala de tenten!
Ala de grimas!
What a joke!
What absurdity!

Ala de foli!
What foolishness!

Ala de pwoblèm!
Ala de tèt chaje!
What a headache!

Ala de kaka! (vulgar)
What absurdity!

Ala de wont!   or
Ala wont!
What a shame!

How shameless, how rude! (help in translating that) is it "kijan wont!"?

Generally, you would say:

How shameless and/or rude!
Ala moun sanwont!
What shameless people!

Ala moun san prestij!
What reckless and foolish people!

Ala moun san zedikasyon!
What uneducated people!

Ala moun malelve!
Ala moun malonèt!
How rude!

If you're specifically talking about a man, you would say:
Ala nèg sanwont!
Ala nèg san zedikasyon!
etc...

Or if you're specifically talking about a woman!
Ala fanm sanwont!
Ala fanm malelve!
etc...

You could replace moun, nèg, or fanm with a pronoun. 
Example:
Ala w sanwont!  (You have no shame!)
Ala li malelve! (He's so rude!)
Ala yo san zedikasyon! (How uneducated they are!) 

Is that right! this is outrageous.

Is that right! This is outrageous.

Ou kwè se vre! Sa makawon.
or
Se vre!  Sa dechennen.
or
Ou kwè se vre!  Bagay sa debòde!

Outrageous / crazy → mal, move, malouk, akaryat, makawon, dechennen, tèt anba, or anraje
Ask me anything

She's immature and infantile. (best Creole translation)

infantile → entatad (en-tah-tahd), annanfans (uh-nuh-fuhs)

She's immature (infantile).
Li entatad.
Li annanfans.

You are so childlish!
Ou s'on entatad!
Ou annanfans!

"entatad" and "annanfans" can also translate: half-witted, foolish, unintelligent, bird-brained, nutty, etc...

how to say "you're foolish!"

You're foolish..

Ou pa byen nan tèt.

Ou pèdi la rezon.

Ou fou

Ask me anything

Ou met prann computer a, egare mwen ye.

Ou met pran konpitè a.
You may take the computer.

Egare mwen ye.
How foolish (or dimwitted) I am.

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How do you says "that's crazy"?

I'm not sure how you want to use that phrase.
But it could have different meanings.
In the purest sense, it's translated as: Bagay sa a fou!

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This is baloney! (creole translation)

baloney, nonsense, rubbish, foolishness, crap → tentennad, radotay, ransay, chantay

This is baloney! → Sa se radotay!

All this is nonsense! → Tout sa se chantay!

This is crap! → Sa s'on tentennad!, Sa s'on radotay! (non-vulgar, but effective choice of words)

How do you say "crazy"?

Crazy - fou, dechennen

Examples:
This is crazy! - Sa dechennen!

This is senseless! - Sa dechennen!

This thing is cracked. - Bagay sa dechennen.


He's foolish. - Li fou.  or Li pèdi la rezon.

You're foolish. - Ou fou. or Ou pèdi la rezon

Ask me anything