A Provençal Sampler Trivia Quiz

Answer: Water

L'aïgo is feminine and despite its appearance the o ending is feminine in Provençal. 'l'aïgo boulido" is a kind of brothy soup with garlic hence the confusion if you've ever come across it. It actually means boiled water rather than boiled garlic. Aï is donkey. The donkey or l'âne in French is used in lots of colorful expressions in Provence.

Answer: Expression of surprise

This means "Bon Dieu" in French, still a commonly heard expression in the South of France. Many dialects across the country have the equivalent. Another expression heard in Marseille, is "Oh fan"
Which is short for "Oh enfant..." meaning Christ.

Answer: The youngest child in the family

Literally means the one who "goes" in the nest still, or the baby of the family. As Provençal is earthy and close to its roots, you'll find cagare or cagade or similar expressions throughout the area. You'll hear the term "une cagade" used for all sorts of administrative hassles, or traffic messes.

By the way, here's some free eytomology, the word puny in English comes from an old French word puis né the one who was born last.

Answer: hat

You'll notice Provençal expressions surviving in French are for everyday objects. This makes for a richer language in Mistral's work in Provençal, and Marcel Pagnol's work in French.
"l'as paga lou capèu?" cinq souu camèou » How much did you pay for that hat ? 5 sous you camel. Something you say to someone dressed to the nines.

Answer: To squish (or crush)

Thought you'd like this one, close to our squish, "écraser" in French. Une esquisse is a sketch. As I learned French before living in France, I learned all these terms used in the South as they seemed to give French what it lacked for me!

Answer: crazy person or something that doesn't work or a fairy

The term "fado" in Provençal literally means a fairy and if you're bewitched, you're acting strange. Now the term is fada for a man, fadade for a woman. Pagnol uses this if you watch for it in French. It's especially used in Marseille. Fade in French is bland. Faible is weak in French. So if you've heard of the fata morgana, la fée morgane, that's the same origin for the word.

Answer: a seagull

"A la malautié dou gabian..la testo malauto e lou be san"
He's got the seagull's disease, he's sick in his head, but his beak's healthy, in other words, he's a hypochondriac, his illness is just in his head. "Lou Boumian" is the gypsy or bohemian. He's a figure in the traditional crèche with the santons or the Pastorale.
In Provence the making of santons is still kept up from parent to child. These figures of traditional crafts or trades in Provence are included in the nativity scene, and they are handed down from generation to generation. The Boumian plays a role in the play.

Answer: small child or small in general

The pitchoun is the little kid, the little one, la pitchounette is the little girl in the feminine. The latter is the name of my little car. The game of "boules" is the number one pastime in Provence in fair weather. The banter that goes on with it is part of the fun. You'll see this in any Pagnol book or film.

By the way, one of my main sources is "Lou Pitchoun Tresor" a dictionary of Provençal and French.

Answer: tooth (kid's version)

You still hear this occasionally as older folks gaze at your children's little baby teeth. "tu as de belles ratounes là!"

Answer: pants (trousers)

Braio: still used in the some areas in several forms. "oun estrasse-braille" is a person who wears out his clothes. A particulary colourful expression that I've heard quite a lot is the old folks using the term "caga-braille" for baggy trousers the young folks wear. This evokes the image of a baby who needs to be changed. In Provence, people love to joke about the appearance of others. I suppose old folks watching a skateboard competition would use the term I just told you about! But it appears that hitching up your trousers and flipping in the air is part of the show!

Answer: To move or shake

This is used in several expressions, mainly to get the move on.

Answer: A fly

Mouissaou is a mosquito. Peis-can is one version of a shark, sounds closer to the "pesce cane" of Italian. This literally means "dog fish".

Answer: You're dressed like a vagrant or very poorly dressed.

This expression is still used. Its origins are apparently from Piedmont in Italy as at one point they were employed as dog catchers and were on the bottom of the social scale. Ciapa cane means catch the dog in their dialect. Despite its derogatory origins, the Piedmontese who immigrated to Provence enriched the area, as basically the people are of the same origins.

There are many words from the traditional trades they occupied in Provençal still too. I myself witnessed the snail merchant crying out her "à l'aïgo son, li limassons" in the middle of the second largest city in France. I'm pretty sure that many older Provençaux would see the hairstyles on the people on television now and use the term chiapacan.

The provençaux would make excellent fashion police.

Answer: Rat, or familiar word for "hey guys"

Well, it's one of the words for rat, but also is used still and I've heard it often, for "Oh garri!" meaning come on, get a move on, or "hey how are you buddy?" One of those terms of endearment that men love to use. Rato is the word for mouse. War is guerro. Garden is jardin.

Answer: Good evening or good night

Hope you've enjoyed this quiz.