Bon, b’en, ça fait un an qu’ont s’tch’en le core raide pi les oreilles molles en cause du @#$%^#@ COVID.
Au Canada y a des signs partous qui dises “Ca va bien aller.” J’souhaite b’en qu’ ça commence a aller mieux, mes ami(e)s.
En attendant voici la deuxième partie de la lettre C du glossaire de la Vallée Saint-Jean.
ce gêler les argots – literally: to freeze your hooves; very cold
c’est bonyenne! – it’s no good!
c’est braque! – it’s stupid!
c’est djiggie-dou – okay-dokey
c’est d’la rapass – a worthless person
c’est donc d’valeur – that’s too bad
c’est pas d’5¢ – literally; not a nickel’s worth; extreme, as in, “j’ai mal a tête, c’est pas d’5¢!”
c’est pas disabe – literally: it’s unspeakable; something that can’t be explained or understood
c’est les orielles qui d’batte apres ‘a tête – literally: it’s your ears banging against your head; you’re hearing things!
c’est pas des farces – no kidding
c’est pas la mer a bouére – literally: it’s not an ocean to drink; it’s not that bad
c’est pas les chars – literally: it’s not the train; it’s not that great
c’est pas lui qu’inventé les boutons a quat’e trous – literally: he didn’t invent four-holed buttons; he’s not as smart as you think
c’est pas un trou du tchu, ça farme pas tous seul – literally: it’s not an asshole, it doesn’t shut by itself; what to tell those who have not closed the door behind them
ceusse – those (feminin)
c’faire claquer ça – literally: to have it slapped; get scolded; spanked
c’faire pleumer – literally: to have your feathers plucked; to be scolded
c’faire coller – literally: to get glued; get cheated
chacoter – gossip
chayére a diner – literally: dinner pail; lunch pail
chaire de poule – literally: chicken skin; goosebumps
chamin du roi – literally: king’s road; main road
chamin du roué – literally: king’s road; main road
chamoillé – all messed up
changer d’toune – literally: change songs; change a story, opinion, or outlook
changer son fusil d’épaule – literally: change his (her) rifle to the other shoulder; change one’s mind
chanter comme un coq – literally: sing like a rooster; one who sings well
chanter la pomme – literally: sing the apple; sweet-talk
chaque chaudron a son couvert – literally: every pot has its cover; there is someone for everyone
charru – plow
chasse gallerie – kids making noise upstairs
chassis double – literally: double windows; eyeglasses, storm windows
chaud comme un lapin – literally: drunk (hot) as a rabbit; very drunk
chemailler – whine
chevreu – literally: deer; jittery or restless person
chialleux – whiner
chiarre – sautéed mixture of reheated potatoes, meat, and onions
chicôt – dead tree; very thin person
chien d’dents – garden weed
chien d’poche – literally: pocket dog; unwelcome tag-along
chier su’l’batchû – try very hard but to no avail (un team de joueaux essayait de haller d’quoi d’pésant. Un des joual forcait asser fôre, qu’y chiait su’l’batchû – le bout d’bois qu’y yeux passait en bas des fesses)
chique de tabac – wad of chewing tobacco
ch’min comme une bouteille – literally: road like a bottle; very icy road surface
choqué b’en noire – literally: angry very black; very angry
chuchutte – whisper
Don Levesque is a Grand Isle native who worked in community journalism for almost 35 years. He was the publisher and editor of the St. John Valley Times for 15 years prior to retiring in 2010. He wrote a weekly newspaper column, called Mon 5¢, in the Valley Times for more than 20 years. He has been inducted into the Maine Journalism Hall of Fame and the Maine Franco-American Hall of Fame.
