La Section de la langue Jèrriaise

Salutâtions tout l’monde, comme i’ fait un fraid d’tchian et l’vent…. directément des régions polaithes…..et ch’est dêjà la saîson d’pipots. Jé n’voudrais pas être un gliaineux aniet!

Thank you to all those who attended last month’s meeting so soon after the New Year but we forged ahead with the selection, cataloguing and indexing of the literature records and re-elected and confirmed the Section’s Officers as those below.

Moves have already been made for La Fête Nouormande to be held in Jersey this year, so watch this space.

Our compositions for Les Nouvelles Chroniques this quarter are on the subject of History… an event, a story, turning point(s) or long term effects…which contribute to your own or our national/ethnic memory. When asked why should we study this subject, a Canadian History professor once replied with ‘have you ever seen anyone who has lost their memory?’ Closing date Feb. 14th.

We were again asked to clarify the use of the following …..Jersey, Jersiais and Jersiaise….. and Jèrri, Jèrriais and Jèrriaise, primarily for La Société and the Section.

If speaking/writing in French, the first three apply, with Jersey being the island and with Jersiais and Jersiaise being used with masculine and feminine words, eg. it is La Société Jersiaise and La Langue Jersiaise (also La Section de la…) etc.

If speaking/writing in Jèrriais, the name of the language, the latter three apply, with Jèrri being the name of the island, and with Jèrriais and Jèrriaise being used with masculine and feminine words, eg. La Sociêté Jèrriaise, La Section Jèrriaise, La Langue Jèrriaise….etc.

On the language front, an interesting word for a reef east of Seymour Tower (and off L’Êtacq) caught our attention, namely, La Marraine. In the Jersey Place Names, Vol.1. Marraine is given as ‘godmother’ possibly an unusual name for a reef, and in Dr. Frank’s dictionary Marraine or Mârraine is given as equal to the French and used for ‘godmother’. However, if one looks up the French meaning, there is a nautical meaning for Marraine, given as the ‘christener or namer’ Take your pick for our reefs!

Our next meeting will be held on Wed. 2nd Feb. in the AM Room at 8.00pm when we shall continue with the cataloguing and refine our compositional skills.