I had to post this… After my post yesterday about Pig Latin in different languages, I started looking for Pig Latin videos and came across this musical one… it’s sort of catchy… well, it probably would be it you were fluent in Pig Latin!
So let’s have a little fun today… below is the original Pig Latin Musical Video, followed by the lyrics translated from Pig Latin into English, and then, if you’re really hooked, you can watch the video with the Pig Latin lyrics on the screen. It is sort of mesmerizing.
But first, here are the rules of Pig Latin…
Take the first letter off the beginning of each word and add it to the end of the word. Then put “ay” after that. So, the word “tomorrow” becomes “omorrow-tay”. If the first two letters of the word are two consonants making one sound, (like “st”, “sp”, “tr”, etc.) both letters get moved to the end of the word. Thus, “star” becomes “ar-stay”.
Enjoy the show!
Translated Lyrics…
Do you speak pig latin?
if you speak pig latin then you’re cool like me!
I love to mess with people cause I am dumb
I speak pig latin every day and you should too! x 2
I believe everybody has brains
I also believe only half get used
I may say that I am dumb, I am
but don’t think I don’t use my own brains, cause I do
are you ready to test your mind with Mr. Safety
REVERSE
RIDDLE*
Do you speak pig latin?
*If you can’t figure out the riddle (in the second part of the lyrics)… it’s not in the lyrics above… it’s a riddle… If you can’t figure it out yourself, you can pause the second video (below) at 1 minute 29 seconds for the answer.
Jeringonza is played in Spain and throughout Latin America. It’s also found in Portuguese speaking Brazil and even in Italy. It’s a secret language for kids – just like the English word game Pig Latin.
(I’m going to make all the changes to the words in bold below to help you learn how to create the secret languages.)
In Pig Latin, you create a secret language – that adults don’t understand unless they played the games themselves. You do it by taking the first letter off the beginning of each word and add it to the end of the word. Then put “ay” after that. So, the word “tomorrow” becomes “omorrow-tay“. If the first two letters of the word are two consonants making one sound, (like “st”, “sp”, “tr”, etc.) both letters get moved to the end of the word. Thus, “star” becomes “ar-stay“.
There are different ways to play Jeringonza depending on the country. The most common way is to add a “P” after each vowel in a word, and then after the “P” you repeat the vowel again. So “Chile” would become “Chi-pi-le-pe“.
In Puerto Rico, you add “chi” before each syllable of the word. So the word “gato” (cat) becomes chi-ga-chi-to. Say it out loud. It’s very rhythmic!
In Brazil, the game is called Língua do Pê (P language). It’s rules are like the “P” rules for Spanish above – you add a “P” after each vowel in a word, and then after the “P” you repeat the vowel again. So “carro” (car) becomes “car-pa-ro-po“.
In Italy, the game is called Alfabeto Farfallino (Farfallino Alphabet) – because you add “F” to words making them sound like the word “farfallino”. Actually, the rules are again like the “P” rules for Spanish above – but with an “F” instead: The most common way is to add a “F” after each vowel in a word, and then after the “F” you repeat the vowel again. So, “luna” becomes “lu-fu-na-fa“.
Have fun having secret conversations!
Please, feel free to share your word games with us in the comments below.
Here’s a Thanksgiving poem I wrote in honor of turkeys all over the U.S. in autumn. It’s geared towards older kids.
You can click on the mp3 below to hear my husband and me recite it…
You’re Not Supposed to Say That!
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!” said the turkey.
“What?!” went the rooster.
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
“You’re not supposed to say
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
Said the rooster.
“Oh yes I am!”
Said the turkey.
“No you’re not!”
Said the rooster.
“What am I supposed to say?”
Asked the turkey.
The rooster replied,
“Gobble, gobble, gobble!”
“BOOM”
Went the farmer’s gun
And the rooster fell down dead.
“Don’t tell me what I’m
Supposed to say!”
Said the turkey,
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
Today and tomorrow, November 1st and 2nd, are the Day of the Dead. It’s celebrated in Mexico. Family and friends get together to remember those who have died. People also make alters to the dead and visit the graves of their loved ones.
We went to a Mexican restaurant this evening and saw an alter.
There were skulls on it made of sugar, and favorite foods and drinks of loved ones who have passed away. A woman who works there told me about some of the desserts that were on the alter. One was made of sweet potatoes and another of guava fruit…
They gave us a special hot chocolate drink and sweet tamales for dessert, specially for the holiday.
The lady who works there told us how in small towns in Mexico they decorate their houses with flowers in the doorways and petals strewn about the floor. Marigolds are particularly important. It sounds pretty.
The day is all about celebrating those loved ones who have passed on. It’s nice to have a day each year specifically for that.
Check out some other posts about the Day of the Dead…
We took a walk today in Walt Whitman’s woods in West Hills, on Long Island, east of New York City. I highly recommend taking an autumnal hike or stroll if you can. Then you may feel the truth in Whitman’s line, "As to me I know of nothing else but miracles". There’s much beauty out there. Here are some photos I took in Walt’s woods, followed by his poem "Miracles", and then recordings of two people reading the poem.
Miracles by Walt Whitman
Why, who makes much of a miracle? As to me I know of nothing else but miracles, Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan, Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky, Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of the water, Or stand under trees in the woods, Or talk by day with any one I love, or sleep in the bed at night with any one I love, Or sit at table at dinner with the rest, Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car, Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive of a summer forenoon, Or animals feeding in the fields, Or birds, or the wonderfulness of insects in the air, Or the wonderfulness of the sundown, or of stars shining so quiet and bright, Or the exquisite delicate thin curve of the new moon in spring; These with the rest, one and all, are to me miracles, The whole referring, yet each distinct and in its place.
To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle, Every cubic inch of space is a miracle, Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same, Every foot of the interior swarms with the same. To me the sea is a continual miracle, The fishes that swim-the rocks-the motion of the waves-the ships with men in them, What stranger miracles are there?
Here’s some Halloween artwork my daughter and her friends did this week. I thought you might enjoy seeing it to help get you in the mood for Halloween!
It’s fascinating to me how different foods can bring back memories. I think that’s why I loved the book and movie “Like Water for Chocolate” so much.
Bananas will always remind me of specific times and people:
In Infancy: I distinctly remember the smell of banana baby food – it reminds me of being a very little child. Then when I was an older kid, I remember buying a jar of banana baby food with friends and eating it… a flood of memories came back – or more like the feeling of babyhood came back to me… I was there momentarily. Interestingly, I expected the banana baby food to taste great – I must have loved it as a baby – but it was gross!
In Childhood in General: When I was growing up, my mother fried sliced bananas in butter for breakfast sometimes and put them on the side with fried eggs – it was a major childhood treat. This is now one of my comfort foods I make on occasions to feel warm and loved! (My own children haven’t taken to the fried bananas too much.)
The Tween Years: I remember making chocolate coated bananas with those kits you’d buy in the store with my mother. The chocolate was artificial, but if was fun nevertheless!
The Teenage Years: When I was a teenager, my grandparents would stay with us in the summer for about a month every year. I remember my grandfather eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches. This will always remind me of him.
Late teens: In college I studied in France for a few months, in Chinese restaurants in France they serve a banana flambé dessert that’s just out of this world! Funny that I think of a Chinese restaurant dessert in connection to France! (Obviously, I have lots of other food memories in France. But I’m limiting this conversation to bananas!)
And no, I’m not a skinny person! Someone who has this many food memories is not bound to be skinny! ;)
Feel free to share any food memories you have in the comments below. I welcome hearing about how other people enjoy bananas (feel free to include recipes).
To fry bananas, you literally slice them and fry them in butter in a frying pan on low to medium heat until lightly brown on both sides. They get caramelized. Then serve.
I thought my mother’s version was a Spanish or Puerto Rican recipe from her friend, but when I looked around the internet, I saw that it’s very American. There seem to be different recipes for fried bananas around the world. The flambé version in France probably includes liquor.
Soon I’ll post some correspondence between Gloria and me about the German cuisine we remember growing up with – it may be interesting for any of you children and grandchildren of German immigrants.
My daughter and her friends Marisa and Melisa taught me this Halloween song, which seems to be traditional American. It’s called Ghost of John. Below are the lyrics and two renditions, one by Marisa and one by Melisa, plus a drawing by Melisa.
Have you seen the Ghost of John?
Long white bones and the rest all gone,
Ooh, ooh!
Wouldn’t it be chilly with no skin on?
While the girls would sing the song they would all stand in the mirror, looking for the ghost of John. Of course, someone would see part of the ghost… like his ear, in the mirror. Then they would all scream. Finally, they ended the game because they were freaking each other out. I guess that’s what Halloween is all about… ghosts!
Many thanks to Marisa and Melisa for singing Ghost of John for us and to Melisa for the drawing!
I woke up this morning with a cup of coffee and by listening to “Good Morning to You” in English, French and some African languages on my computer. What a wonderful way to wake up!
The recording was done by recording a phone call over the internet. Thanks to Nyango Melissa for calling and singing this morning! She made my day! Now you can enjoy her singing too! Just click the mp3 link below and read along with the lyrics. Enjoy!
Good Morning to You
(In English, French, Hausa, Mbonge & Swahili)
Good morning to you,
Good morning to you,
In English, I speak
In English, I speak
Good morning to you,
Good morning to you,
In English, in English I speak.
Bonjour Mesdames,
Bonjour Messieurs,
En français, je parle
En français, je parle
Bonjour mesdames, bonjour messieurs
In French, in French I speak.
Salam alekum
Alekum sala
In Hausa, I speak
In Hausa, I speak
Salam alekum
alekum sala
In Hausa, in Hausa I speak.
O-we-li-ni-e
O we li ni e
In Mbonge, I speak
In Mbonge, I speak
O we li ni e
O we li ni e
In Mbonge, in Mbonge I speak.
Hujambo bwana,
Hujambo bibi
In Swahili, I speak
In Swahili, I speak
Hujambo bwana
Hujambo bibi
In Swahili, in Swahili I speak!
It’s the 2nd time we were able to easily use this technology of recording a phone call. If anyone else would like to sing a traditional (non-copyrighted) song for us, or recite a rhyme, please email me at lisa@mamalisa.com for directions.
Nyango has sent us many songs from Cameroon over the past couple of years. It’s great for everyone to finally hear her voice! She recorded 6 songs today. You can find them on the Cameroon Pages at the link just above. They’re the ones with the MP3’s.
Minnesota African Women’s Association has products available that were stitched by their sewing group. They’re available for purchase online at Etsy. They have beautiful pillows, dolls dressed in traditional and contemporary African fashions, tote bags, hats and more!
Nyango M. Nambangi sent us this Cameroonian song from Africa. What’s even better is that we have a recording to go with it!
Nyango wrote: “Here’s a song our mother taught us and her Middle School students. The tune is very British, in my opinion, but I have not been able to find the lyrics or tune or any reference to it anywhere. The end actually gets the listeners laughing!”
Ha, ha, ha!
Laughing is contagious.
Ha, ha, ha!
And sometimes advantageous.
Ha, ha, ha!
And very careful be
And laugh with caution now.
Ha, ha!
Ha, ha, ha!
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha, ha, ha!
ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha, ha ha!
This recording is extra special to us because it was done by recording a phone call! It’s the first time we were able to easily use this technology of having someone call and recording them. Also, Nyango have sent us many songs from Cameroon over the past couple of years. It’s great for everyone to finally hear her voice!
If anyone would like to sing a traditional (non-copyrighted) song for us, please email me at lisa@mamalisa.com for directions.
Minnesota African Women’s Association has products available that were stitched by their sewing group. They’re available for purchase online at Etsy. They have beautiful pillows, dolls dressed in traditional and contemporary African fashions, tote bags, hats and more!
Here’s yet another version below from Matt Vaughan and his friend Pam. They explain how to make it spookier for Halloween!
Here are the chords from Matt…
Am – Dm Am / Am Dm Am – ://
There was an old woman all skin and bones
Ooo oo-oo-oooo
She lived down by the old graveyard
Ooo oo-oo-oooo
One night she thought she’d take a walk
Ooo oo-oo-oooo
She walked down by the old graveyard
Ooo oo-oo-oooo
She saw the bones a-laying around
Ooo oo-oo-oooo
She went to the closet to get a broom
Ooo oo-oo-oooo
She opened the door and…
BOO!
We received a Greek kids clapping song called Palamakia that we could use a little help with. Below is the Greek text, a transliteration and a rough translation. We’d like to know if the English translation is okay or if it needs to be changed at all…
Greek Text
Παλαμάκια
Παλαμάκια παίξετε
κι ο μπαμπάς του έρχεται
και του φέρνει κάτι τι
κουλουράκια στο χαρτί
Παλαμάκια παίξετε
κι η μανούλα έρχεται
να το πάρει αγκαλιά
το μικρούλι της παιδιά.
Παλαμάκια, παλαμάκια
παίζουν όλα τα παιδάκια
Παλαμάκια και χορό
νταχ ντιρντι και
νταχ ντιρντο
Transliteration
Palamakia
Palamakia Peksete
Kai o babas tou erhete
Kai tou ferni kati ti
Koulourakia sto harti
Palamakia Peksete
Kai i manoula erhete
Kai ta perni agalia
Ta mikroulia tis pethia
Palamakia Palamakia
Pezoun ola ta pethakia
Palamakia kai horo
Tihdidi kai Tihdido
Rough English Translation by Penelope Karagouni (with some editing by me)
Clap
Clap your hands
His dad is coming
To bring him something,
Cookies in a paper-wrapper.
Clap your hands
Mommy is coming
To get the little one
To hug the children!
Clap, clap,
All the children clap
Clapping and dancing
Dah didrdi and dah dirdo.*
*Dah didrdi and dah dirdo’ are sounds only with no meaning.
You can hear part of the rhyme in the 2nd part of the YouTube Video below…
If anyone can help with the translation, or let us know if it’s okay, please let me know in the comments below or by emailing me.
I was recently asked for a Goodbye Song in French. While looking for a song I found out that some French school teachers use the French version of Auld Lang Syne, “Ce n’est qu’un au revoir”, as a Goodbye Song. It’s a Scout song that’s also called “Le chant des adieux”. When teachers use it as a Goodbye song, they sing the 1st two verses. Here they are in French with an English translation….
Faut-il nous quitter sans espoir
Sans espoir de retour ?
Faut-il nous quitter sans espoir
De nous revoir un jour ?
Refrain
Ce n’est qu’un au revoir, mes frères,
Ce n’est qu’un au revoir.
Oui, nous nous reverrons, mes frères,
Ce n’est qu’un au revoir.
Here’s a literal English translation by Monique Palomares…
Must we leave each other without a hope
To see each other again some day
Must we leave each other without a hope
A hope of return
It’s only a goodbye, my brothers
It’s only a goodbye,
Yes, we’ll see each other again, my brothers
It’s only a goodbye.
Here you can hear the whole song…
Another Goodbye Song we have here today was written and sung by Alain Le Lait. It’s in French and English. Sit back and enjoy the song by clicking the MP3 below. You can read along with the lyrics in French and English…
Au revoir, good bye,
Now it is time for me to go away.
Au revoir, good bye,
But I wish I could stay with you all day.
Thanks for your smiles
And for singing along
I hope to see you again before too long.
Au revoir, good bye,
Il se fait tard et je dois m’en aller
Au revoir, good bye,
Mais j’aimerais rester toute la journée
Pour vos sourires et vos bien jolies voix
Je vous remercie et a une autre fois.
Au revoir, good bye,
Au revoir, good bye,
Au revoir, good bye.
(English Translation of French Verse)
Good bye, good bye
It’s getting late and I must go
Good bye, good bye
But I’d like to stay with you all day
For all your smiles and your pretty voices
I thank you and I’ll see you another time.
Alain Le Lait is a French native who grew up near Paris, France. He moved to the United States in the 1970s and now lives in Colorado. Alain writes and performs easy to learn children’s songs in French, Spanish and English. Check out his site www.Yadeeda.com to hear samples of his music and to buy his CD’s or mp3’s.
Merci Alain & Monique!
Feel free to share any French Hello or Goodbye songs you know in the comments below.
Oscar Teliz told me his grandmother used to say in Spanish, “No hay mal que dure cien anos, ni cuerpo que lo soporte” which is an obscure saying meaning, “No bad occurrence will last forever, and if it did, you wouldn’t be able to stand it anyway.”
My grandma always said, “What will be, will be.” In other words, “Don’t worry about it! The future will take care of itself.”
Feel free to share your grandmother’s sayings or words of wisdom with us in the comments below!
I’m a bit dismayed at how difficult it can be to find a puppy. I mentioned in a previous blog post how we’re looking for a hypoallergenic dog that’s good with kids. That’s not such an easy task! Hypoallergenic dogs are generally purebreds. Many purebred dogs have genetic health problems. So we’ve been trying to narrow down our search to dogs that don’t have too many health problems… or if it can be determined if they’re healthy based on the health of their parents and genetic testing. Bichon frises seem to fit the bill, but we wanted a slightly larger dog – about 30 to 40 pounds.
We’ve narrowed our search down to Lagottos (which are very hard to find) and either 2nd generation Goldendoodles or Labradoodles. But now we’re having a hard time finding a puppy in these breeds. If anyone knows of any good breeders where we can find these types of puppies, please email me at lisa@mamalisa.com .
My wife and I are also familiar with many of the German songs. This morning while looking for them, I found the finger rhyme, and your question about the Pennsylvania German variation. This is the song my father used to sing to us – seven children. Pennsylvania German has many varieties of spelling, and perhaps you can sharpen up the spelling. (My wife, Mary, and I worked at the pronunciation and spelling of the Pennsylvania German Finger Song. Mary grew up speaking Pennsylvania German.) Here it goes…
Des ist die Daume
Des ist die Daume
Der schittelt die Plaume
Der laest sie ouf
Der traught sie Haem
Und des glae Bopplemaul
Bopplet alles mit’n ahnna da Haem.
This is the thumb.
This [one] shakes the plums,
This [one] picks them up,
This [one] brings them home,
And this little tattletale tells everyone at home.
It was always spoken, not sung.
Thanks for your work in collecting old songs.
Luke Martin
(Pennsylvania)
If anyone would like to give other variations of the spelling, feel free to in the comments below. Many thanks to Luke Martin for sending this version of the rhyme to us!
Hi, my grandma (born in Eisleben in 1875, emigrating to the Midwest in 1902, married her second husband (my grandfather) in St. Paul, lived most of her life in Wisconsin with her third husband), recited a rhyme when dandling a baby on her extended foot, either with legs crossed at the hips (or just straight out, but the dad's were best at that). The rest of the...
