Une Fièvre Et Un Élancement (Pourquoi?)
A Fervor And A Throbbing (Heart) Pain (Why?)
J’dédie cet espèce de poème à Toby Toups d’Abbéville en Louisane. Il a un désir d’apprendre comment parler le Cajun, la langue de sa famille. Aussi longtemps qu’il peut (puisse) se rappeler, il avait ce désir brûlant. J’le sohaite le mieux avec sa recherche.
I dedicate this type of poem to Toby Toups from Abbeville, Louisiana. He has a desire to learn how to speak in Cajun, the language of his family. As far back that he can remember he has had the burning desire. I wish him the best with his search.
PLEASE NOTE THAT AT TIMES COMPLETE SENTENCES ARE NOT MADE SO NO PUNCTUATION MARKS ARE PUT AT THE END OF BOTH THE CAJUN AND ENGLISH. AT TIMES YOU MAY HAVE TO FILL IN THE ELIDED THOUGHTS.
D’après-moi, vous-autres pourra comprendre le message contenu dans ce poème. (That expression “d’après-moi” was heard often in Cajun conversations. Depending on the inflection of the voice the hearer would get its meaning.) A simple “d’après-moi” would mean “according to my opinion”, but one said in in a more stretched out pronunciation could indicate something more forceful. (“D’après-moi, cher,” ils vont se faire du mal!) (Oh yes, according to me, dear, they will hurt themselves!) My parents would retort when I would say no to a request, “vas chasser le taureau dehors du jardin!.” “Non, j’vas pas aller!” “D’après-moi, mon enfant tu vas aller asteur, oui!” That meant you had better go right now and chase the bull out of the garden!
Here is another little tidbit in speaking Cajun French I wanted to share with all: when I said in Cajun “I was there yesterday,” I would say it this way, “j’étais là hier,” (I was there yesterday.) It sounded like “j’t'ai…” That elision was used in this expression: “I have given you something yesterday.” (J’t'ai donné quelque chose hier.) Voilà, il faut pas malcomprendre la langue des Cajuns.
Équand j’m'ai mis, sur le chemin de la vie, tout seul
When I got (put myself) on the road of life, all alone
Une entreprise bien grave, chargée avec décisions
An undertaking very grave, charged with decisions
Ôté d’en bas de l’umbrel parental d’amour, mis à moi-même
Taken away from under the parental protection (umbrella) of parental love, put to myself
En même temps, lié avec la corde d’famille, mais moins amarrée
Yet (at the same time) tied with the family cord, but less so
Une fièvre m’a frappée, oui un élancement dans mon coeur
A fervor (fever) struck me, yes a throbbing in my heart
Ennuyant des charades en Cajun, ma lanque héritée sans requête
Longing for some conversations in Cajun French, my language inherited without request (born into heritage)
J’ai commencer à voir si j’pourrais toujours tordre ma langue
I began to see if I could still twist my tongue (to speak Cajun).To make the words come out.
Pour faire sortir de bouche les beaux mots entendu que hier
To make the beautiful words come out, heard just yesterday (hier, means a time in the past, demain means a time in the future)
Mais, asteur, comme si sourde et muette, pas parlé ni attendu
(Cajuns use entendre and attendre for “to hear.”)
But, now, as if deaf and mute, not spoken nor heard (That is the Cajun language)
Un élancement s’a enlevé en coeur, une envie très brûlante
A heart throbbing arose itself in heart, a very burning desire
Oui un feu allumé, pas possible d’être éteint (éteindu) en moi
Yes a fire lit, not being able to be snuffed out in me
Il faut que j’cherche quelque chose à m’aider, comme une bonne brise
It became necessary to search for something to aid me, like a good breeze
Comme cette-là du soir qui rafraîchisse l’air, d’elle on dans grâce
Like that one of the night that refreshes the atmosphere, of it we give thanks
Ah bien, j’ai trouvé l’utile qui peut amoindrir ma fièvre
Ah well, I have found the means (tool) that can lessen (lower) my fervor (fever)
Commence à jongler, j’m'ai dis, à les causeries du passées
Begin to think, I told myself, about the chats of the past
Enfermées en esprit, mais pas perdu, les paroles usées les autrefois
Locked up in spirit (mind), but not lost, the words used times ago
Venez, venez, j’les appelle, un tit peu à la fois, d’esprit au langue
Come, come, I call them, a little bit at a time, from spirit (mind) to tongue
Décourages-toi pas, essayes encore et encore à les émettre
Do not discourage yourself, try over and over to say them (produce the words)
Mets pas la tête dans l’sable comme la vieille authruce, soi-disant
Do not put the head in the sand like the old ostrich, so they say
Tes courseurs vont pas t’attraper, eux qui sont après te tourmenter
Your chasers will not catch you, they that are tormenting you (the longing and desires)
L’esprit va éclabousser, envoyant au coeur les mots, avant d’en bouche
The spirit(mind) will burst open sending to the heart the words, before going to the mouth
Là, l’éclat au braises attise un feu, les mots tomberont sur langue
The kindle with embers, fuels the fire, the words will fall on the tongue
Peut-être au premier, tissées Anglais entre Cajun, talheure éclairsi
Maybe at first, interlaced with English in between with Cajun, in a short while cleared
Arrêtes donc pas, quand même, le feu, la fièvre, l’élancement
Please do not stop, however, the fire, the fervor (fever) and the throbbing of the heart
Y vont soutenir au moment et entretenir le progrès jusqu’au but
They will sustain at the moment and maintain the progress until the goal
Hélas, avec un tit brin plus d’actions quotidiennes, une réussite
Alas, with a little bit more of daily actions, a success
Aperçu, sera mon objectif, et lissés les efforts, aussi baissée sera ma fièvre
Realized, will be the objective, and polished the efforts, also lowered will be my fervor (fever)
Mais, le mercure toujours prêts pour se lever, jamais aller au bas
But, the mercury always ready to rise itself, never to go down
L’élancement du coeur assez en vie, sa flamme va jamais s’éteindre
The throbbing of the heart so much alive, its flamme will never die
Plusse en plusse, jusqu’a bien courrament les mots vont sortir
More and more, until well fluent the words will come out
Un jour à venir, les voisins diront, mais cher, son but est réalisé
A day to come (in the future), the neighbors will say, but dear, his goal is realized
Tous efforts pas gaspillés, joyeux et satisfait, avec temperature réglée
All efforts not wasted, joyful and satisfied, with temperature regulated
L’élancement un éperon pour encourager çulà, lâches pas ça
The throbbing of the heart, a spur, to encourage that one, do not let go of that
Quoi qu’est retrouvé, en valoir la peine, sans aucune doute, ah oui
What is regained (found again), is worth the pain, without any doubt, ah yes
Si, Cajun, on l’suppose, parles donc, en usant le devoir herité
If, Cajun, people assume it(that is to naturally know how to speak Cajun), in using the obligation inherited
Mais, tristement, pour un élan, cet heritage été suspendu, pu asteur
But, sadly, for a while, this heritage was suspended, but no more now
Gardez donc voir cette personne en renaissance, ô si complète
Please look and see that person in rebirth, ô so complete
Merci la fièvre avec un élancement, aujourd’hui joie qui soutient
Thanks for the fervor with a heart throbbing, today joy that sustains
Oui = yes
But I hear it pronounced “Way” often.
You pronounced it “Wee.”
Guess this is a difference in dialect depending if you are speaking in Catahoula or Golden Meadow? Or, am I off base here?
Todd: Often times “oui” is pronounced “way” by Cajuns. I would say, more often than “wee.” Thank you for the comment. Jim Leger
In Standard French “ouais” is used like the English “yea,” “yeah,” and “uh-huh.” It is pronounced like the English word “way.” Therefore, Cajuns use that form for “yes” no doubt more often than “oui,” which is pronounced like the English “wee.” Merci. Jim Léger
I have also heard D’après-moi used as to be unbelievable. My father often said D’après-moi when someone was telling a tall tale, as if he didn’t believe the story being told…
Ward: Thanks for the input. Yes I heard d’apres-moi used in that manner also. It all depends on the inflection of the voice. Merci. Jim Leger
Quel joli poème!
Hello! I used to be fairly fluent in French, when I was growing up that’s what everyone spoke in the house to keep secrets from the kids, but I caught on! Now I’m raising my own son and I want to be more proficient with the language so that I can continue to teach him! How do I use your site…is there a fee? Do I subscribe to have access to tutorials? I’m from New Iberia and my grandparents are still alive and well…making their own wine, catching nutria etc. but they’re so very hard of hearing that it would be almost impossible. I really hope to hear from you, thank you for all of this information on your site…makes me homesick, I think I’ll go call some family!
Merci! Berkeley Decuir Armstrong
Hello Mr. Leger, I am from Houston Texas.. But all of my family is from louisiana.
MY father never learned cajun, because his father said we are americans now, wich i do not understand , ( sadly..my grandfather isnt a that great of a man or father … and didnt care for his childeren at all.. therefore he only learned english.. out of many of generations, the last 2 dont speak it.. and that makes me very sad, i feel as if i was completely robbed of my race, blood, language…
i want to use your site to help me, but i find it a little difficult it seems like it is for intermediate learners, would you reccomend I move to louisiana to attend some sort of learning courses? because i dont know anyone that szpeaks it at all. andi cant find any sites that dont charge an arm an a leg.
My immediate family no longer lives in Louisiana, but I would very much like to teach my son the language of his ancestors, Cajun French. I’ve found a lack of resources for folks outside of Louisiana who want to learn French. Jim’s Cajun French Language Tutorials is an extremely valuable resource and I appreciate his efforts. Every post is a treasure since it’s difficult to find Cajun French written down. His recordings are essential for developing correct pronunciation.
For the last few months, I’ve been making up some Cajun French lessons for my son. I’ve been trying to collect them on my web site so others can make use of them too. I’ve also created a mailing list for people trying to study Cajun French at home, so we can exchange information, ideas, and lessons. If this interests you, then look up my site: angler.donavanhall.net/cajun101.
TO Dwight
There is a good beginner page that is free. Here is the adress.
http://ilcpan.giza.tulane.edu/cajun/cajun.html#
Plus tarde
David