Jun 14, 2002 20:05
22 yrs ago
Haitian-Creole term

tet zaboka sevi tanyen anba latya aswe m\\\\\\\' pap domi gyet gyet man man

Non-PRO Haitian-Creole to English Art/Literary
These are the lyrics to a Haitian song. I really would like to know what they mean, even though they may be foul language. Please, someone, answer my question. Thank you.

Proposed translations

-1
1 day 37 mins

Not the proper forum for such language

Declined
Will not translate. Moderator needs to supress such requests as it is done in other language pairs on Proz.com

My advice Roxy: Have a Creole individual explain the lyrics to you "offline."
Peer comment(s):

disagree roody barthelemy : I hope you don't take any offense to my disagreeing with you here. It's the lyrics to a Haitian song. its content and the use we make of it may make it improper for certain circumstances; not its translation. Please see my propose answer.
221 days
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Comment: "I need an answer! You did not help me!"
222 days

An avocado seed serves as my pillow, I will not sleep tonight! Yes, yes, mother!

This is the closest litteral translation of the original traditional version of this song, as known by most Haitians, if not all. Note that there are a lot of mistaken words and variations in the version you are asking here. Please compare your version with the original I am rewriting here (in caps) for you: "GRENN ZABOKA SÈVI ZÒRYE ANBA LATYA, ASWÈ A M PA P DÒMI, YAS, YAS, MANMAN!"

Your version speaks of "tèt zaboka", avocado head (no sense) and lists an obscene profanity "gyèt, gyèt manman" which are not in the orginal/traditional version of this Haitian song. This explains Allendy's comment, which I applaud and understand (as an educator) while disagreeing with (as a translator). But considering your position as the asker, you didn't choose to ask because you wanted to be obscene.
This thwarted version of the lyrics that reached you shows how much damages word distortion can cause and how dramatic one's own cultural rejection/ignorance can be. Over the time, the same lyrics has become, in the words of a young student, an obscene line of inaccuracies and profanity. I suggest you refer your student/s to the original version of this lyrics as refreshed by Wycleff Jean in one of his cds. Although the same sexual innuendo is suggested in the original Rara version, its content has not yet reached the borders of such obscenity...
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