This site uses cookies.
Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site,
while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.
For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
This question was closed without grading. Reason: No acceptable answer
French to English translations [PRO] Anthropology / refugee application - Rwanda
French term or phrase:chiffle
This comes in a hand-written statement from someone seeking refugee status. If French is their mother tongue (doubtful), they are certainly not very literate in it. Here, five soldiers have turned up outside the family's house, and are pushing them all back into the house: "Ils nous disé de fermé la bouche et nous poussé avec des *chiffle* et poussé aussi ma mere et mon pere essayé de les empeché"
My research suggests some kind of whistle, which I guess might make sense as something soldiers may carry, but I wonder if anyone has any expertise in this region?
Thanks so much everyone. I have gone for "gifle" - it seems to make most sense all round - if anyone who first put it on the discussion forum would like to put it up as an answer, I'll gladly give you the points - Evgeny? Katsy? - but all contributions much appreciated.
My experience of French spoken elsewhere in Africa leads me to think it is a mis-spelling of 'gifle' from someone who has learnt to write basic French at school but otherwise lived in an oral culture. The way the phrase ends without following the verb 'empecher' is also a typical feature of spoken African French, as in: 'Je t'ai pas vu depuis'. Also, I never noticed any particularly old words occuring in spoken language (in contrast to Quebec and India for example)
It can only be "gifle". The term "chiffle" only exists in ancient dictionaries and probably was never used in "national French" (patois is another story) say after the death of Napoleon. French colonization of tropical Africa having started in the second half of the 19th century -- and bear in mind only standard French was taught there -- the objection that "some countries still use old French words or idioms" simply does not hold. It would be different in the West Indies though (Haiti in particular), where French presence dates back from earlier times.
Aaah, don't be so self deprecating - not that I can talk, your remark touches a sensitive nerve!! (all part of being British, one might say :-) ) I was pretty impressed that you actually researched the term while I just went on the phonetics. Have a great evening!
Yes, "slaps" would seem to make most sense - they were certainly beginning to get rough at this stage, and the "gi" and "chi" sounds could easily be confused - I have no experience of the accent of French spoken in Rwanda. many thanks all of you for your thoughts - very helpful indeed.
I have to say that given what happened in Rwanda, "whistles" - whether noises or equipment - does seem rather mild. But I am in no position to make firm affirmations, and understand Elizabeth's research!
Like Evgeny I would propose "gifles" (slaps) - as they were being pushed, maybe the pushes became/were slaps.... I would say that as the writer has put an é for -er/aient/, he/she would probably have put an é if he/she had meant 'sifflets'
It does seem to be synonymous with 'sifflet' (http://www.littre.org/definition/chiffle), and in the context possibly refers to general sounds of disapproval, boos, etc. rather than whistling. I would suggest "hissing noises".
Evgeny Artemov (X)
South Africa
avec des gifles?
19:09 Jul 2, 2014
.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
9 hrs confidence:
mockery. mock, slap
Explanation: I think the word is chifle and the verb is chifler in old french. It mean moquerie (mockery) or railler (mock). Some countries still use old french words or expressions. The only other word I could think of would be giffle (slap) instead of chiffle.
