Jo e lo gascon  I and the gascon



My grand mother used to speak gascon. I often heard people talking Gascon when I was a little boy in the fifties...uncles,aunts, rather old people. Nowadays, only few people speak Gascon unless they they have decided to learn it again..This is what I did, but just a little for the moment. How happy I am  when learning Gascon to recognize words and sentences I heard in my childhood. Learning English in such a way would have been so easier for me.

    Now even people who can's speak Gascon fluently know a few sentences. They say them in the middle of a conversation.I just want to tell you these sentences.So you can make your Gascon friends smile or maybe laugh.They will appreciate, no doubt about it.
    To help you to pronounce the words properly, I didn't use phonetics but the way you pronounce some English letters or words.Try to join them quickly when you speak.

        Gascon  sentences or words.


    To greet  Adiu (pronounce = ah + d (in the alphabet) + oo from loo. Strong stress on "d" Join the sounds quickly
=Good morning or afternoon, any time of the day -speaking to one person you know well
                    Adishatz (Pronounce a from jack or ah+ d(in the alphabet)+ chats, stress on the last syllable(chats) "Sh" de "shats" is better pronounced like in sharp , as in English in fact.
=Good morning or afternoon any time of the day -speaking to a person you respect or several people
                 Com va  (coom+ baa) = how are you ?
 Weather forecast
                   que va plauer = it's going to rain .Pronounce K + baa + plough
                   que hè calor = it's very hot . Pronounce K + hea de head + ca from café + loo (stress on  loo)
Gascon oaths
                hilh de puta = son of a bitch  pronounce "hill day put "
                Diu Vivant (dew bib-anne) = Living God
                hilh deu diable= son of the devil =(hill do  d +  "a "fom jack  + bl from " blue"dropping "ue")(join d + a + bl)
                macarèu(mac + ah + re like ray + oo from food) Stress on re =gentle oath, not really rude.Impossible to translate.
miscellanies
                 que va mau!  (k+ baa+mou  from mouse) = the situation is bad or I'm not feeling well
                 que i a monde (K+  ya  from yard + moon +de  from derv or dermatologist )=There are a lot of people!

                 que soi crevat (k+ soo from soon +   + cre from crevice ) +bat : Stress on soo and bat =
                        I 'm fagged out !
                  que soi hart )=K + soo de soon + quick e + heart .Roll the "r" if you can
                        I have had enough (food)
                    on vas ? (oon from moon +Bus(Oxford accent) or with a de jack =where are you going ?
                 jo que m'em vau (ju  from june + K + mem from memory + bow (greeting)=I'm going
                 espia !(s+ p(alphabet)+a(article when unstressed) (stress on p) = look!
                 beu un cop (be from bed +oo de good + oon de moon +cop)= have a drink !
                 qué vam béver un cop ( K+ bam from bamboo+ be from bed + oo de good + oon de moon +cop)Stress on be and cop                 = let's have a drink
                 qu'ei pèc (k + a(alphabet) or "ay"+ peck)=  he is nuts
                 qu'ei beroi ,beroia (k+ a(alphabet) +be in bed + roy (r+oy in boy)+ a (article when unstressed) for the feminine)= he or she is beautiful
                   quina ora ei ? (keen + aura + a in alphabet)=What's the time ?
                   qu'ei aço?, (k+ ay + ah + so .Stress on so)=  What's that ?
                   qué vos ? (k+boss) = what do you want ?
                   aquera hemna   ah+K +ra in rat  + hem+ na in Etna. Stress on hem .Pronounce the H=this woman
                   aqueste gojata (ah+K +stay+go in good +ja in jar +ta like in regatta=this girl
                   aqueste gojat(a in jack +quay +stay+go in good +ja in jar +t like in rat = this boy
                   Mon Diu de jo(moon dew day+ ju in june without the sound d): My God
                    minja e cara (mean + ge in impinge or hinge+ e like in energy +car= eat and be quiet (I often heard it when a child)


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