Mot | Annotation |
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LA COMPLAINTE DU PHOQUE EN ALASKA
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THE LAMENT OF THE SEAL IN ALASKA |
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all of the lyrics with translations, which can also be printed. | |
MICHEL RIVARD
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See Wikipedia |
Cré-moé, cré-moé pas, | crois-moi, ne me crois pas = believe me, don't believe me ( as you like) |
quéqu' part | quelque part = somewhere |
en Alaska | in Alaska |
Y a | il y a = there is |
un phoque | a seal |
qui s'ennuie | getting bored, missing someone |
en maudit | like hell; a lot |
Sa blonde | his girlfriend |
est partie | left |
gagner sa vie | to earn her living |
Dans un cirque | in a circus |
aux États-Unis | in the United States |
Le phoque | the seal |
est tout seul, | is all alone |
il regarde le soleil | watching the sun |
Qui descend | going down |
doucement | slowly, quietly |
sur le glacier | above the glacier |
Il pense aux | he is thinking about |
États | States ( United states) |
En pleurant | crying |
tout bas | softly |
C'est comme ça | that's the way it is |
quand ta blonde | when your girlfriend |
t'a lâché | dumped you |
Ça vaut pas la peine | it's no use, it's not worth the trouble |
De laisser | to leave |
ceux qu'on aime | those you love |
Pour aller | to go |
faire tourner | twirl |
Des ballons | balls |
sur son nez | on the nose |
Ça fait | it makes |
rire les enfants | children laugh |
Ça dure jamais longtemps | it never lasts for long |
Ça fait plus rire personne |
it does'nt make anyone laugh it's not funny anymore |
Quand les enfants sont grands | when people grow up |
Quand le phoque | when the seal |
s'ennuie, | gets bored |
Il regarde | he checks |
son poil | his fur |
qui brille | that shines, glitters |
Comme les rues | like the streets |
de New-York | of New York |
après la pluie | after the rain |
Il rêve à | he is dreaming about |
Chicago, | Chicago |
À Marilyn Monroe | about Marilyn Monroe |
Il voudrait | he would like |
voir sa blonde | see his girlfriend |
faire un show | doing a show |
C'est rien qu'une histoire, | it's only a story |
je peux pas | I can't |
m'en faire accroire | believe it |
Mais des fois | but sometimes |
j'ai l'impression | I get the feeling |
Que c'est moé | Que c'est moé = Que c'est moi = that it's me |
Qui est assis | sitting down |
sur la glace | on the ice |
Les deux mains | with both hands |
dans la face | on my face |
Mon amour | my love |
est partie | is gone |
pis je m'ennuie | pis = puis; je m'ennuie = and I miss her, I am lonely |
Ça vaut pas la peine | it's no use, it's not worth the trouble |
De laisser | to leave |
ceux qu'on aime | those you love |
Pour aller | to go |
faire tourner | twirl |
Des ballons | balls |
sur son nez | on the nose |
Ça fait | it makes |
rire les enfants | children laugh |
Ça dure jamais longtemps | it never lasts long |
Ça fait plus rire personne |
it does'nt make anyone laugh it's not funny anymore anymore |
Quand les enfants sont grands | when people grow up |
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CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC NOTES | |
cré-moe, cré-moé pas |
In Québec, the sound ' oi ' is sometimes pronounced ' oé ', or ' é ' in words like moé, toé, crére (= moi, toi, croire) by some speakers. It is a popular pronunciation from the 17th century at a familiar level, and it has a nice, intimate, Old French connotation for the younger generation in Québec. This way of talking disappeared in France in the 18th century, but was maintained in Québec. |
en maudit = like hell; a lot |
The expression ' en maudit ' comes from the colloquial use of religious swear words in French in Québec This expression has different meanings: Je suis en maudit! (often pronounced = Ch't'en maudit! ) Ce voyage est long en maudit. Il l'aime en maudit = He loves her/him A LOT. A variation of ' en maudit ' is La soupe est bonne en maudit !/or/ La soupe est mauditement bonne ! = The soup is REALLY good, is DAMN good ! And you can also hear many different variations with the same meaning, but with stronger undertones, like: en hostie (host), en tabarnak (tabernacle), en calisse (chalice), en crisse (Christ), etc. This abundance of religion-based swear words in Québec was the reaction of people against the overbearing power of the catholic Church 70 years ago. You may find a book, in French only, on the subject of swear-words in Québec at this address. |
Sa blonde = his girlfriend |
the word ' blonde' is used for 'girlfriend' in colloquial French in Québec. That probably comes from the old 17th century meaning that is preserved in the traditional song "Auprès de ma blonde". That song was sung by French soldiers in the trenches during WWI. Today, in France, people tend to use ' sa brune ' ( a shift in color...) |
m'en faire accroire = believe it |
the expression ' m'en faire accroire ' comes from the Old 17th century French verb ' accroire '. It is not used anymore in France, only now in Québec, at a familiar level. |
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