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"Jé di et dithai qué jé sis Wace dé l'île dé Jèrri" Our first poet wrote, "Yes, this is me: Wace from the island of Jersey" Wace composit ses longs romans en not' langage, tch'est du Nouormand. Wace's tales in verse outstrung were woven in our Norman tongue. Les Nouormands 'taient des hoummes du Nord tchi capuchaient à tigue dé corps. Normans were Norsemen. From the North forearmed for conquest they sailed forth. I' vailîtent en batchieaux d'dragon chèrgis d'lus haches et d'lus dgèrgon. Their dragon ships slid up the beach: they swung their axes, slung their speech. I' gângnîtent la tèrre d'Nouormandie épis i' vîntent gaffer Jèrri. Their Duchy conquered, in a while they came and nabbed our little isle. Roman et Norrouais: touos ches mots sont mêlés dans not' vièr lîngo. Romance was mingled with some Norse to blend our Jersey tongue, of course. Chutte langue dé rînmeux et d'dgèrryi nos fait danser, nos rempl'ye d'ordgi. Though bards and warriors may have died, we dance on still here, full of pride. Qu'nou lanche lé Jèrriais - qu'i' tressonne! Qu'nou tabouothinne! Qu'les dragons ronnent! Let drumbeats rise, let dragons roar! Sing out, set sail - let Jèrriais soar! Geraint Jennings 2012 |
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