We continue our series of article in Jèrriais – Jersey’s own traditional native language. The ‘frouque’ in question is a digging fork, rather than a table fork. An English translation follows. This contribution comes from Laurence Curtis
Bouônjour et beinv’nue à ma deuxième frouqu’thée d’ Jèrriais.
Quand j’tais janne, j’allais tchiquefais pêtchi au but d’ la Caûchie Albert au Hâvre dé St Hélyi et nos pathents avaient însisté qu’ jé n’dûssions pon aller pêtchi sans ieux jusqu’à temps qué j’pûssions nagi au mains chînquante vèrgues.
Nou m’racontit eune histouaithe entouor trais hommes tchi pêtchaient dans un bâté sus l’Thames. Iun attrapit un hardi grand paîsson – un grand congre p’têt – et i’ fut halé ho’-l’bord. I’ s’enfannetit souos la surface pis s’èrhaûchit eune fais, deux fais et pit eune traisiême fais mais i’ n’ put pons nagi et ses anmîns n’ pûtent pon l’aîdgi – et i’ dispathut.
Et né v’là pouortchi qu’j’apprîns à nagi à la bangnérêsse au Havre des Pas – en gardant tréjous mes pids à haut pour êvader les fouaitheuse tchi, j’tais seux, m’attendaient pouor pîncher m’s ortés.
Achteu, j’rêalise qué l’s êvénements n’taient probaliément pon exactement comme j’avais creu. Jé n’sis pon seux qu’i’ y’a des congres assez grands dans l’Thames, et les fouaitheuses n’ étaient probabliément pon întéressies dans mes ortés – mais ch’tait eune bouonne histouaithe et ou reste auvec mé aniet.
Jé m’ramémouaithis entouor chutte histouaithe y’a tchiques s’maines quand tchitch’eune mé dit comme tchi qu’ou viyait la situâtion entouor lé Jèrriais aniet. Ou criyait qué j’viyons lé traîsième grand’ effort pouor sauver not’ langue. Pouor dé mé, j’crais ch’est p’têt vrai et qué j’sommes à un point touônnant, ou j’quémenchons à nagi – ou pon.
À eune aut’ rencontre, tchitch’un m’dithait qu’i’ criyait qu’un grand probliéme pouor mé ‘tait qué j’sis trop âgé! (Il’ explyitchit qu’ch’est un probliéme pouor aprrendre eune langue). Comme li et eune anminne m’exply’itchîtent, il’ apprîntent lé Jèrriais à la tabl’ye dé la tchuîsinne – auvec des jannes chèrvés où’est qu’i’ ramâssîtent des mots jusqu’à temps qu’i’ pûssent lé pâler.
J’crais qu’il a un mio raîson. Mais, j’crais qu’ la pus grand’ difféthence n’est pon mon chèrvé (pourtant!) mais qu’ achteu ch’est pus difficile dé ouie des convèrsâtions en Jèrriais, des chansons etc. et d’ prendre part.
Mon accent et p’têt un mio douteux, ch’n’est pon lé chien du Val dé La Mar, dé St Martîn ou même dé la Trinn’té et ma grammaithe et mes vèrbes né sont pon mus (sans pâler d’mes accents quand j’êcris!) mais j’êprouve. Et ch’tait hardi bouôn d’prendre part dans eune promenade en Ville en Jèrriais pouor presqué deux heuthes au mais d’Octobre.
Et achteu, pouor eune “mînse en jour”. Ch’est possibl’ye qu’ ou ouîtes ou liûtes mén articl’ye en Mar éyou qué j’mentionnis eune idée pour aîdgi du monde à ouie du Jèrriais. En travaillant auvec d’ autres êtudgiants dé L’Office du Jèrriais, j’dêveloppînmes eune idée où’est qué j’pouvons faithe sèrvi un “QR Code”, un téléphone dé pouchette et l’ ithangnie pouor ouie tchitch’un liéthe eune page d’înformâtion en Jèrriais.
Tout l’monde criyit qué ch’tait eune bouonne idée. J’criyons qué p’têt j’pouôrrêmes quémenchi auvec les “Wayfarer” sîngnes à St Hélyi tch’ avaient dêjà un p’tit sîngne en Jèrriais.
J’prépathis un simpl’ye brouillon du système pouor tester l’idée, j’tapînmes lé texte, jé halînmes des portraits et j’quémenchînmes à r’corder – mais y’a un p’tit probliéme pouor not’ projet. Ch’n’est pon cliai tchi qu’est l’aûgni des sîngnes et tchi qu’i’ peut donner pèrmission pour les stiqueurs, car i’ fûtent payis par eune fond tchi n’existe pon d’aut’. J’criyons qu’ l’Hôtel dé Ville peuvent nos aîdgi et j’ les avons contactés.
Entre’chîn j’ai ajouôté deux’-trais liens sus l’site d’ithangnie où’est qu’ou pouvez trouver d’s aut’ sites pouor ouie du Jèrriais.
S’ou voulez vaie comment qué ch’nna fonctionne, scannez l’ “QR Code” en d’ssous – ou, ou pouvez visiter l’ site Oyez.je ou, ou pouvez trouver des dêtails sus la page “Jèrriais sus les c’mîns” auvec des dêtails pouor contacter s’ou voudrêtes âidgi ou s’ou voudrêtes aver eune organnisâtion încliue.
À la préchaine
Laurence
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Hello and welcome to my second forkful of Jèrriais.
When I was young I would sometimes go fishing at the harbour at the end of the Alber Pier and our parents insisted that we could not fish without them until we could prove that we could swim at least 50 yards.
I was told a story of three men fishing from a boat on the Thames. One of them caught a large fish – a big conger perhaps – and was pulled overboard. He sank below the surface, rose once, twice and then a third time but he could not swim and his friends could not help him – and he disappeared.
And that is why I learnt to swim at the swimming pool at Havre de Pas, always keeping my feet up to avoid the crabs that I was sure were waiting to pinch my toes.
Now I realise some things were probably not have quite as I thought. I am not sure there really were such large conger in the Thames and the crabs probably had no interest in our toes but it was a good story and it stays with me to today.
I was reminded of this story some weeks ago when someone told me how they saw the situation for Jèrriais today. They felt we are seeing the third big attempt to save our language. Me, I think they could be right and that we are at a turning point where we either start to swim – or not.
At a different meeting someone told me they thought a big problem for me was I was too old! As he and a friend explained, they had learnt Jèrriais at the kitchen table – with young brains picking up the words until they could speak it.
I think he is right in part. But I believe that the biggest difference is not the age of my brain (yet!) but that now it is harder to hear Jèrriais spoken or sung or take part in a conversation.
My accent may be dubious, not from Val de la Mar, St Martin or even Trinity and my grammar and my verbs are no better (not to mention my accents when writing) but I am trying. And it was great to attend a walk in town in Jèrriais for nearly 2 hours in October.
And now for an update. It is possible that you heard or read my article in March where I mentioned an idea to help people hear Jèrriais. Working with other students from L’Office de Jèrriais we developed an idea where one could use a QR code, a mobile phone and the internet the user to listen to someone rading a page of information in Jèrriais.
Everyone thought it was a great idea. We thought we could start with the “Wayfarer” signs in St Helier which already have a small panel in Jèrriais.
I developed a simple draft system to tst the idea, we typed the text, took photos and started to record – but there was a little problem for our little project. It is not clear who is the owner of the signs and can give permission for the stickers, as they were paid for by a fund that no longer exists. We now think the Town Hall can help us and and have contacted them for help.
In the meantime I have added some links on the website where you can find sites where you can hear Jèrriais. If you would like to see how this works scan the QR code below – or you can visit the site Oyez.je where you can find details on “Jèrriais sus l’cmins” as well as contact details if you would like to help or have an organisation included
EUNE FROUQU’THÉE D’JÈRRIAIS – (A FORKFUL OF JÈRRIAIS)
We continue our series of article in Jèrriais – Jersey’s own traditional native language. The ‘frouque’ in question is a digging fork, rather than a table fork. An English translation follows. This contribution comes from Laurence Curtis
Bouônjour et beinv’nue à ma deuxième frouqu’thée d’ Jèrriais.
Quand j’tais janne, j’allais tchiquefais pêtchi au but d’ la Caûchie Albert au Hâvre dé St Hélyi et nos pathents avaient însisté qu’ jé n’dûssions pon aller pêtchi sans ieux jusqu’à temps qué j’pûssions nagi au mains chînquante vèrgues.
Nou m’racontit eune histouaithe entouor trais hommes tchi pêtchaient dans un bâté sus l’Thames. Iun attrapit un hardi grand paîsson – un grand congre p’têt – et i’ fut halé ho’-l’bord. I’ s’enfannetit souos la surface pis s’èrhaûchit eune fais, deux fais et pit eune traisiême fais mais i’ n’ put pons nagi et ses anmîns n’ pûtent pon l’aîdgi – et i’ dispathut.
Et né v’là pouortchi qu’j’apprîns à nagi à la bangnérêsse au Havre des Pas – en gardant tréjous mes pids à haut pour êvader les fouaitheuse tchi, j’tais seux, m’attendaient pouor pîncher m’s ortés.
Achteu, j’rêalise qué l’s êvénements n’taient probaliément pon exactement comme j’avais creu. Jé n’sis pon seux qu’i’ y’a des congres assez grands dans l’Thames, et les fouaitheuses n’ étaient probabliément pon întéressies dans mes ortés – mais ch’tait eune bouonne histouaithe et ou reste auvec mé aniet.
Jé m’ramémouaithis entouor chutte histouaithe y’a tchiques s’maines quand tchitch’eune mé dit comme tchi qu’ou viyait la situâtion entouor lé Jèrriais aniet. Ou criyait qué j’viyons lé traîsième grand’ effort pouor sauver not’ langue. Pouor dé mé, j’crais ch’est p’têt vrai et qué j’sommes à un point touônnant, ou j’quémenchons à nagi – ou pon.
À eune aut’ rencontre, tchitch’un m’dithait qu’i’ criyait qu’un grand probliéme pouor mé ‘tait qué j’sis trop âgé! (Il’ explyitchit qu’ch’est un probliéme pouor aprrendre eune langue). Comme li et eune anminne m’exply’itchîtent, il’ apprîntent lé Jèrriais à la tabl’ye dé la tchuîsinne – auvec des jannes chèrvés où’est qu’i’ ramâssîtent des mots jusqu’à temps qu’i’ pûssent lé pâler.
J’crais qu’il a un mio raîson. Mais, j’crais qu’ la pus grand’ difféthence n’est pon mon chèrvé (pourtant!) mais qu’ achteu ch’est pus difficile dé ouie des convèrsâtions en Jèrriais, des chansons etc. et d’ prendre part.
Mon accent et p’têt un mio douteux, ch’n’est pon lé chien du Val dé La Mar, dé St Martîn ou même dé la Trinn’té et ma grammaithe et mes vèrbes né sont pon mus (sans pâler d’mes accents quand j’êcris!) mais j’êprouve. Et ch’tait hardi bouôn d’prendre part dans eune promenade en Ville en Jèrriais pouor presqué deux heuthes au mais d’Octobre.
Et achteu, pouor eune “mînse en jour”. Ch’est possibl’ye qu’ ou ouîtes ou liûtes mén articl’ye en Mar éyou qué j’mentionnis eune idée pour aîdgi du monde à ouie du Jèrriais. En travaillant auvec d’ autres êtudgiants dé L’Office du Jèrriais, j’dêveloppînmes eune idée où’est qué j’pouvons faithe sèrvi un “QR Code”, un téléphone dé pouchette et l’ ithangnie pouor ouie tchitch’un liéthe eune page d’înformâtion en Jèrriais.
Tout l’monde criyit qué ch’tait eune bouonne idée. J’criyons qué p’têt j’pouôrrêmes quémenchi auvec les “Wayfarer” sîngnes à St Hélyi tch’ avaient dêjà un p’tit sîngne en Jèrriais.
J’prépathis un simpl’ye brouillon du système pouor tester l’idée, j’tapînmes lé texte, jé halînmes des portraits et j’quémenchînmes à r’corder – mais y’a un p’tit probliéme pouor not’ projet. Ch’n’est pon cliai tchi qu’est l’aûgni des sîngnes et tchi qu’i’ peut donner pèrmission pour les stiqueurs, car i’ fûtent payis par eune fond tchi n’existe pon d’aut’. J’criyons qu’ l’Hôtel dé Ville peuvent nos aîdgi et j’ les avons contactés.
Entre’chîn j’ai ajouôté deux’-trais liens sus l’site d’ithangnie où’est qu’ou pouvez trouver d’s aut’ sites pouor ouie du Jèrriais.
S’ou voulez vaie comment qué ch’nna fonctionne, pouvez visiter l’ site Oyez.je ou, ou pouvez trouver des dêtails sus la page “Jèrriais sus les c’mîns” auvec des dêtails pouor contacter s’ou voudrêtes âidgi ou s’ou voudrêtes aver eune organnisâtion încliue.
À la préchaine
Laurence
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Hello and welcome to my second forkful of Jèrriais.
When I was young I would sometimes go fishing at the harbour at the end of the Alber Pier and our parents insisted that we could not fish without them until we could prove that we could swim at least 50 yards.
I was told a story of three men fishing from a boat on the Thames. One of them caught a large fish – a big conger perhaps – and was pulled overboard. He sank below the surface, rose once, twice and then a third time but he could not swim and his friends could not help him – and he disappeared.
And that is why I learnt to swim at the swimming pool at Havre de Pas, always keeping my feet up to avoid the crabs that I was sure were waiting to pinch my toes.
Now I realise some things were probably not have quite as I thought. I am not sure there really were such large conger in the Thames and the crabs probably had no interest in our toes but it was a good story and it stays with me to today.
I was reminded of this story some weeks ago when someone told me how they saw the situation for Jèrriais today. They felt we are seeing the third big attempt to save our language. Me, I think they could be right and that we are at a turning point where we either start to swim – or not.
At a different meeting someone told me they thought a big problem for me was I was too old! As he and a friend explained, they had learnt Jèrriais at the kitchen table – with young brains picking up the words until they could speak it.
I think he is right in part. But I believe that the biggest difference is not the age of my brain (yet!) but that now it is harder to hear Jèrriais spoken or sung or take part in a conversation.
My accent may be dubious, not from Val de la Mar, St Martin or even Trinity and my grammar and my verbs are no better (not to mention my accents when writing) but I am trying. And it was great to attend a walk in town in Jèrriais for nearly 2 hours in October.
And now for an update. It is possible that you heard or read my article in March where I mentioned an idea to help people hear Jèrriais. Working with other students from L’Office de Jèrriais we developed an idea where one could use a QR code, a mobile phone and the internet the user to listen to someone rading a page of information in Jèrriais.
Everyone thought it was a great idea. We thought we could start with the “Wayfarer” signs in St Helier which already have a small panel in Jèrriais.
I developed a simple draft system to test the idea, we typed the text, took photos and started to record – but there was a little problem for our little project. It is not clear who is the owner of the signs and can give permission for the stickers, as they were paid for by a fund that no longer exists. We now think the Town Hall can help us and and have contacted them for help.
In the meantime I have added some links on the website where you can find sites where you can hear Jèrriais. If you would like to see how this works you can visit the site Oyez.je where you can find details on “Jèrriais sus l’cmins” as well as contact details if you would like to help or have an organisation included
