Tuesday 20 July 2010

Des lions d'mé et tout chenna - Sea lions etc


Sea Lion Mona Lisa
Chèrgi preunmiéthement
par Wiggum03
Having posted PW Luce to mark the anniversary of his death and having been reminded of his description of animals on a Pacific Northwest totem pole, we were struck by the reference to "Un lion de mé avec des dents". We say lion d'mé for sea lion, and a seal is a loup-mathîn (although there's also the old expression vielle fil'ye - or else syraine, séraine and sirène, which also mean "mermaid").

Walruses are a puzzle. Old Jersey sailors must have called them something, but unless some literary reference turns up we won't know what they called them - so now we simply describe them as des loups-mathîns à d'fenses (seals with tusks). Although, if you look at PW Luce's poem, the "sea lions with teeth" could well be walruses as well.

Coumme tchi distîndgi les loups-mathîns d'auve les lions d'mé? Les lions d'mé ont d's ouothelles et peuvent marchi sus lus quat' râlîngues.

Un lian:

No comments: