Patois in the Islands....Simple lessons

iuernsey needs to do all it can to preserve Patois (Guernsey French), according to the Guernsey French group.
In a drive to preserve Guernsey French, the States appointed Jan Marquis as a language officer earlier this year.
The amount of islanders speaking the dialect, also known as Guernesiaise has declined in the last few decades.
Tony Snell from island French group the "Gang from the West" said it can be difficult for Patois speakers to find fellow francophones to converse with.
Guernesiaise is a derivitive of Norman French, which evolved from Latin. (from BBC Guernsey)


We will be posting online a few simple lessons in Patois from both Islands...

Every week we will be putting a few phases on the site to help understand the Islands native language so here goes (from the BBC)

Jersey Patois

Basic phrases	Tch'est qu'est vot' nom? Man nom est......	What's your name? My name is.......
	Comme est qu'ous êtes? Comme est qu'tu'es? Comment va?	How are you? (formal) How are you? (informal) How are you? (colloquial)
	J'sis d'charme Pon trop mal Malheutheux Malheutheuse	I'm fine Not too bad Bad (for men) Bad (for women)

Guernsey Patios

Banjour, comme tchi que l'affaire va?
(banzhoor, kom tcheek laffair va?)
Good-day/hello, how are you?

En amas bien, merci.
(en ama byõ, mair-see.)
Very well, thank you.

Pas trop mal, merci, et dauve vous?
(pa tro mal mair-see, eh dohv voo?)
Not too bad, thank you. And you?

Vites-ous le Praesse, méquerdi?
(veetoo le Prasse, mekerdi?)
Did you see the Press on Wednesday?

Oui, i dit, "Le Guernésiais est-i difficile à llierre
(wee, ee dee, "leh jer-nez-yeah eh-tee di-fi-seel a yeahr?")
Yes, it said, "Is Guernsey-French difficult to read?"

Pas si tu l'llies dans l' Praesse.
(pah si-tul yeh dorl Prasse.)
Not if you read the Press.

V'là qui vaout!
(vla kee vow!)
That's good/Well done!

À la perchoine.
(a la pairshoyn.)
Good-bye/'til the next time.

You any good at patois post, something in patios, but please give an english meaning after so we can all learn

Have fun...

The children at our Girls Brigade are learning this at their school]#
i was delighted to hear them chatting in patios even if they did have to tell me what theywere saying after
just hope they told the truth lol

Weather

Jersey Patois


What's the weather like today?
Tchi temps qu'j'avons aniet?

It's fine weather.
I' fait bieau temps.

It's bad weather.
I' fait mauvais temps.

The weather seems settled.
Lé temps pathaît fait.

It's warm.
I' fait caud.

It's cold.
I' fait fraid.

It's fine sunny weather.
I' fait bieau solé.

It's fine, now.
I' fait bé, achteu.

How hot it is!
Fait-i' caud!

It's raining
I' tchait d'la plyie

It's drizzling
I' brousse

It's stormy
I' fait d'l'ôrage

a thunderclap
un coup d'ôrage

a bolt of lightning
un êpart d'feu

a downpour
un abat d'plyie

The weather's getting worse
Lé temps s'gâte


General

Guernsey Patois

Étes-ous bian, ogniet?
(ay-too byo, onyeh?)
Are you well today?

Oui, merci. Faus pas s'pllaindre.
(wee, mair-see. Fo pa spee-oynd.)
Yes, thank you. Mustn't complain.

Mais, fait-i, fré, ogniet!
(may fet-ee freh, onyeh)
But isn't it cold today.

Vère dja, mais pas tant comme hiaer.
(Vair dja, may pa tah kom ee-ahr)
Oh yes, but not as cold as yesterday.

Voul-ous enne coupaïe d'thee?
(voo-loo en koo-pye d tay?)
Do you want a cup of tea?

Oui, s'i'vous pllait.
(wee see voo pyay.)
Yes, please.

Pern-ous du lait?
(pern-oo du leh?)
Do you take milk?

Oui, mais pas du chucre.
(wee, may pa du shuk)
Yes, but not sugar.

Voul-ous enne p'tite goute?
(voo-loo en pteet goot?)
Do you want a little tipple?

Oui, s'i vous pllait. À vot' sàntaïe!
(wee, see voo pyay. Ah sah-tye)
Yes please. Your good health!

Patios should be taught in schools.

I agree Pete or it will die out.

yes i do agree pete that is such a shame, we are guernsey not english

i agree patois should be taught in schools.it is very important to keep the language and culture of the island alive.

I think if you have a good knowledge of french, you cant really go wrong with Patois! Its similar, though i appreciate its not exactly the same.

Its certainly an interesting language!

Jersey Patois

Money

un pénîn deux pénîns chîn pénîns dgiêx pénîns vîngt pénîns chînquante pénîns un louis chîn louis dgiêx louis vîngt louis chînquante louis Mèrcie bein des fais Guernsey Patois

one penny two pence five pence ten pence twenty pence fifty pence one pound five pounds ten pounds twenty pounds fifty pounds Thank you very much

Written in Patois
Phonetic spelling
In English

I' fait pus bal ogniet.
(I feh pu bal, onyeh)
It's nicer weather, today.

Vair, mais le temps est couvaert.
(Vair, may le toh eh koo-var)
Yes, but it's overcast.

I' s'en va ventair, d'moin.
(I soh va voh-tye, d'moy)
It's going to be windy, tomorrow.

Vair, i'l' aont dit sus le wireless.
(wee, eel an dee sul wireless)
Yes, they said so on the radio.

Voul-ous enne coupaïe d'coffee?
(voo-loo en koo-pye d kofee?)
Do you want a cup of coffee?

Oh oui dja, et j'ai grànd fôim.
(oh wee dja, eh zhay grah foy)
Oh, yes, and I'm very hungry!

Pernaïz d'la gâche ou enne galaette, si vous en voulaïz.
(Pairn-eye dla garsh oo en gah-lat see vooz oh vool-eye)
Take some cake or a (Guernsey) biscuit if you like.

Merci, j'oïme en amas les galaettes, mais j'oïme mux la gâche.
(Mair-see. Zhoym en amah lay gah-lat, may zhoym muh la garsh)
Thank you, I like biscuits a lot, but I prefer cake.

Voul-ous acore du coffee ou d'la gâche?
(Voo-loo ah-core du kofee oo dla garsh)
Do you want more coffee or cake?

Nen-nin merci, j'en ai iaeux assaïz.
(Norn-eye mair-see. Zhen-ay eye ahs-eye)
No, thank you. I have had enough.