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Thread: Multilingual lyric help please?

  1. #1
    Seaman, Mezzoforte
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    Multilingual lyric help please?

    Hi all, I'm looking to add some international flavour to a tune I am working on and wonder if anyone here can help with some translations. I am not looking for word-for-word Babel Fish type translations, but more "real" dialect, along with phonetic spelling where possible. The lines are as follows:

    -Pass on the light
    -turn it on
    -light it up

    Any and all languages are appreciated.

    Best regards, Brian.
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    Brian Shillito
    Blackfish Sound Studio
    Vancouver B.C.

  2. #2
    Administrator rojo's Avatar
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    Erm, I assume you've already got French?
    ''Music, I feel, should be emotional first and intellectual second.'' - Maurice Ravel
    ''The greatest education in the world is watching the masters at work.'' - Michael Jackson

  3. #3
    Seaman, Mezzoforte
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    Uh oh... I've only been here a few hours and I'm already in poo (can I say "poo" here?) !

    Let's see, uh I was away that day... no no that's not it... the dog ate my text book... no I used that one last time... Oh I know, my school was so poor they couldn't afford a French teacher!

    My God man, I'm from Vancouver, the only French we get out here is on our labels!

    Boy am I glad I don't have a web cam on... mon "face" c'est rouge!

    Seriously though rojo, if I were to take a stab I'd say:

    Passe le lumiere - but I'd be missing the "on" and in context I'm looking for something that has been received and then "passed on" (I.E. to someone else)

    The other two, I can't guess. In context:

    Turn it on (as in turn on the charm)

    Light it up (as in light up the room)


    Sorry, I know mon Francais c'est pitiful. High school was over thirty years ago...

    ... the memory is the first thing to go!

    Thanks, Brian.

  4. #4
    Administrator rojo's Avatar
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    Heehee, not to worry, Brian.

    I thought you might have some contacts elsewhere in Canada or something.

    How about-

    Passe la lumière. Or possibly Partage (share) la lumière.

    Mets du charme.

    Allume-le.

    But those aren't very good translations. Translating expressions is always rather inexact.
    ''Music, I feel, should be emotional first and intellectual second.'' - Maurice Ravel
    ''The greatest education in the world is watching the masters at work.'' - Michael Jackson

  5. #5
    Seaman, Mezzoforte
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    Hi rojo, merci merci!

    Passe la lumière et allume-le, are tres musical!

    Best regards, Brian.

  6. #6
    Vice Admiral Virtuoso methodistgirl's Avatar
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    Why not spanish? Via Con Dios! No I'm not from south of the border.
    I've lived in Kentucky my whole life. I just thought of that saying that
    means May God Bless. That's all the spanish I know!
    judy tooley

  7. #7
    Seaman, Mezzoforte
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    Hi Judy, thanks for responding! Absolutely, Spanish is one language I hope to get. I know there are lots of bi-lingual posters here and I welcome all translations. Italian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, African Dialects, Eastern, etc. The more, the merrier!

    Best regards, Brian

  8. #8
    Captain of Water Music Art Rock's Avatar
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    -Pass on the light: Geef het licht door
    -turn it on: zet het aan
    -light it up: verlicht het maar

    That's Dutch in case you wondered....

  9. #9
    Seaman, Mezzoforte
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    Excellent! Thanks Art. Could you please advise:

    Phonetically...

    "licht" sounds like "liched" or "licked"?
    "zet, het" sound like "bet"?
    "aan" sounds like "on"?
    "maar" sounds like "bar" or "bare"?

    Absolutely great stuff!

    Thanks again, Brian.

  10. #10
    Vice Admiral Virtuoso methodistgirl's Avatar
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    I'm glad I could help.
    judy tooley

  11. #11
    Captain of Water Music Art Rock's Avatar
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    Licht - hm, the Dutch ch does not sound like anything in any other language.... very guttural; the i sounds like licked.

    zet, het sound like bet - correct

    aan, long [a], sounds like far but longer

    maar, sounds like far, but longer

  12. #12
    Seaman, Mezzoforte
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    Thanks again Art, "zet het aan" will fit like a glove!

    Beautiful website you have there by the way, truly stunning photography, thanks for sharing...

    Brian.

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