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Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Would you possibly know if my last name(RACHAL) pronounced phonetically like in Kreyol Ayisyen originally came from Ayiti? I spoke with a doctor from Dominikani who told me he had run across my last name among some Haitian Creole people there. Anyway, my last name (RACHAL) has no coat of arms and did not originate in Louisiana nor Canada. Over 90% of the people in LA that have my last name are Black. Mesi anpil

Rachal is most likely a French last name. This last name dates back to the late 1600s in France.  There are a few Rachals in South Africa, and Saudi Arabia too.
Rachal is also used as a first name for mostly boys in other European countries.

In order for this last name to originate from Haiti it would have to come from either the Tainos (the indians and first inhabitants of the islands of Haiti and the D.R before 1500), the spanish conquerors, the French colons, or the West Africans slaves.
...And if it did not come from the Tainos, its origin is not Haitian.

I think the best place to start unearthing this family tree is at the Archives Nationales of France.

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Lamayòt

lamayòt → a scary surprise inside a box.  During carnival time, a person (usually a masked man) walks around with a box, and children pay to see what's in that box.  Sort of a jack in a "big" box, but it never goes "pop!".
Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

how do say red snapper in creole

red snapper → sad, pwason sad
the red snapper → sad la, pwason sad la
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Can you recommend any online resources for Haitians to learn English? Mesi!

There are a lot of online resources out there.  There are a lot of free online courses, free worksheets, free audio materials on the web.  You should google ESL, ESOL, or ESL for Creole speakers and do a little bit of research so you'll find what's right for you.   I have not taken an ESL course online and I don't know anyone who has taken an online course recently - so I couldn't personally recommend any one course in particular.
Mèsi.  M'espere sa va mache pou ou.
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how do say iam so sad and depressed

Mwen espere se yon ti chagren tanporè :)

Is it temporary blues?
I am so sad and depressed.
Mwen gen anpil tristès ak chagren.
Mwen tris e afese.
Mwen tris e m santi m kagou.
ak
Mwen gen yon ti depression ak latristès.

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

God is good

Wi, Bondye bon ... tout tan.
Yes, God is good ... all the time.

see links:
God is good
God bless you
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"Bonnanj mwen chavire" Is bonnanj good spirit? and why say CHAVIRE?

bonnanj, here, could mean "good sense".
bonnanj - spirit
chavireknocked over, turned upside down (like a car)

Bonnanj mwen chavire (expression)
My good sense is gone.
My sanity is gone.

Some synonymous Creole expressions are:
Bonnanj mwen pati
Lòlòj mwen chavire
Mwen pèdi tout bon sans
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lyric and music of the song "Depi lontan nan Bethleem" English song " Long time ago a Bethleem. Do you have it?

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

I see the word FOUT can be used a s a verb when you say "Li Fout mwen deyò"

men wi.
Fout, as a verb, can translate a lot of verbs.

Fout (or flanke) to expel, to give (in a badass, hostile way)

1. Li fout mwen deyò.
    She kicked me out.

2. Fout ou deyò.
   Get out
   more specifically
   Get the hell out.

3. Li fout mwen yon kalòt.
    He gave me a slap.
    He slapped me.

4. Li te vin goumen avè'm.  E mwen fout li yon bèl so.
    He came to fight with me.  And I gave him a great tumble.
    He came to fight with me.  And I knocked him to the ground

5. Mwen fout li yon bèl jouman.
   I gave him a nice insult.
  I cursed at him.

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"kote ki gen chenn pa gen kou", how do you use this expression?

This expression is about unfortunate circumstances ...like an opportunity missed because of lack of resources
example:
Johnny has very rich parents who are willing to pay for his college education.  But Johnny doesn't want to go to college.
Katie's an exceptionally intelligent girl who wishes she could go to college, but her parents are too poor to afford it.
About this circumstance you can say:
Kote k gen chenn pa gen kou, e kote k gen kou pa gen chenn.
Where there's a necklace there's no neck, and where's there's a neck there's no necklace

Sometimes, Haitians just use the first half of that expression.  They will say Kote k gen kou pa gen chenn.  This sounds very much like where there's a will there's not a way and where there's a way there's no will.
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What equally beautiful word rhymes with FLANM? Thanks

Creole words?
I know a few that might rhyme, but I don't know if they're "beautiful" words :)
Perhaps I can have some fun and put it in context for you.
Here we go:

Ou se yon flanm
nan kè tout fanm
ki gen bèl nanm.
kisa w ta ban'm
lè tout bon san'm
mande pou chanm?

That's all I have ; )

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rit ...

Let's talk about rhythm ☺
It's all I can do if you drop me a three letter word like this: r-i-t :-/

Ki rit chante sa?
What's the rhythm of this song?
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I realy need to learn Haitian creole what is the best way to go about doing this

How do you learn best?  classroom? online? one to one? hands-on?
The best way to go about it is by whatever works BEST FOR YOU.
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kijan sa tradwi: she showed me around

She showed me around.
Li te fè m vizite

She showed me around the whole neighborhood, and introduced me to her friends.
Li te fè m vizite tout vwazinay la, e fè konesans ak zanmi l yo.
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Wet your toothbrush with water. Put a small amount of tooth paste on your brush (about the size of your finger nail)." And "Spit the tooth paste out. Never swallow it. It can make you sick!

Wet your toothbrush with water. Put a small amount of tooth paste on your brush (about the size of your finger nail)." And "Spit the tooth paste out once you're done brushing your teeth. Never swallow it. It can make you sick!
Mouye bwòs dan ou avèk dlo.  Mete yon ti kras pat dantifris sou bwòs ou a (gwosè zong dwèt ou konsa). "E" Krache tout pat dantifris la lè w fin bwose dan w.  Pa janm vale l.  Li kapab fè w malad!
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