Wednesday 13 February 2013

Des papaûtés - Trifles

St Clement Church, stained glass window 01Viyant qu'Jèrri touônnit Calvinniste à la R'formâtion, et qu'lé Méthodisme trouvit dé si fortes réchinnes ichîn, nou n'est pon ravi qu'les Jèrriais n'taient pon entchéthinnés d'Papes. Tout coumme bein des Catholiques lus r'fugîtent en Jèrri duthant des pèrsétchutions en France et la libèrté d'èrligion siez nous a atchilyi un tas dé difféthentes églyises et chapelles dé toutes les bénites méthes. V'là tchi n'veurt pon dithe qu'i' n'y'ait pon tchiques papaûtés lîndgistiques dans not' langue.

Jersey has been a place of refuge and religious liberty for many sects and denominations, but the Calvinist and Methodist tradition has meant that Popes haven't been revered figures in popular culture. So in Jèrriais there are some Pope-related expressions that are not, to say the least, respectful.

  • lé Pape = the Pope
  • la papaûté = papacy
  • des papaûtés = trifles; religious fripperies
  • j't'enviêthai siez l'Pape! = (if you don't behave) I'll send you to the Pope! (said to a naughty child)
  • j'l'envyis siez l'Pape = I told him to go to blazes
  • i' s'en va siez l'Pape = it's going to the dogs
  • eune fil'ye tchi tent'tait l'Pape = a girl who'd tempt the Pope
  • lé Pape n'y r'connaîtrait sa femme = it's a right old mess (the Pope wouldn't recognise his own wife in it)
  • jé n'm'y r'connais pas pus qu'la femme du Pape = I haven't the foggiest (I can't make anything out of it, no more than the Pope's wife)

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