01/06/2007 08:35 PM

How to Find Sheet Music, Tunes and MP3’s on Mama Lisa’s World

In addition to this blog, I also host Mama Lisa’s World. Mama Lisa’s World is a large collection of children’s songs and rhymes from countries all around the globe. Matt, a music teacher from Rhode Island, wrote a question to me, the other day, about Mama Lisa’s World: Hey Mama, I love the concept of your site. [...]

12/27/2006 08:20 PM

Occitan Christmas Carol - Paure Satan

Here’s an Occitan Christmas carol sung by Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français. (Occitan is a language spoken in parts of southern France, Spain and Italy. It was the language of the troubadours.) Paure Satan is about the Devil having a hard time because of Jesus’ birth. Below you’ll find the lyrics [...]

12/14/2006 02:48 PM

Occitan Christmas Custom

Hugues Bernet is a teacher in a school in France where the Occitan language and culture are taught. (Occitan is a language spoken in parts of southern France, Spain and Italy. It was the language of the troubadours.) Hugues wrote to me about a custom they follow in his school at Christmastime. It [...]

07/13/2006 12:46 PM

Rain, Rain, What do you say?

Rain must hold a special place deep in the human psyche. Expressions about rain have such interesting imagery. I can’t think of many words that evoke such vivid images. For instance, in English, if it’s pouring out, you can say, It’s raining cats and dogs. If there’s thunder, some people say God is [...]

04/22/2006 11:35 PM

The Four Horsemen of the Cold

By Monique Palomares St. George’s Day is on April 23rd. In France, Saint George’s Day is the first of the four “Horsemen” or “Horsemen of the Cold” (in French Les Cavaliers or Les Cavaliers du froid). What we call The Horsemen are 4 days at the end of April and beginning of May on which the [...]

04/09/2006 09:25 PM

A Troubadour Song about Spring from the 12th Century

The troubadours were poet musicians who lived between the 11th through the 13th centuries. They spoke Occitan, a romance language that can still be heard in parts of southern France, Italy and Spain. Monique of Mama Lisa’s World en français sent me a troubadour song about the Springtime. Here’s what she had to say [...]

04/09/2006 03:06 PM

A Word in the Occitan Language that Means “March-like Weather”

The weather here in New York has been on again, off again rain. There’s actually a verb in the Occitan language for this type of weather. (The Occitan language is a romance language that’s mainly spoken in southern France.) The verb in Occitan is marcejar. It means “March-like weather”, meaning sun, then [...]

03/15/2006 09:25 AM

Please Send An Endearing Term for Grandma and Grandpa in Your Language

Kathy wrote me… Dear Mamalisa, I was delighted to find your website and will be using it in the future. I am researching translations for the word “grandma” in various languages. I am most interested in the familiar, sweet terms children might call this individual. I am aware that in some cultures this would [...]

02/27/2006 10:29 PM

Burning Monsieur Carnaval for Mardi Gras in France

In France, Carnival is a big celebration held before the beginning of the Christian fasting season of Lent. French adults and kids who celebrate Carnival will dress up in costumes and have parties. And, as I discussed last week, at the end, they will burn an effigy of Monsieur Carnaval. Monsieur Carnaval... is responsible [...]

12/29/2005 08:51 PM

Occitan Saying about the End of the Year

Monique Palomares at Mama Lisa’s World en français sent me this Occitan saying about the end of the year. (Occitan was the language of the Troubadours.)... “Per santa Luça lo jorn creis d’un pè de puça, per Nadal d’un pè de gal, per l’An Nòu d’un pè de buòu.” “For St. Lucy, the day lengthens by [...]