Some amusing words in French language...humor

 

I thought of sharing some observations which I found amusing and somewhat humorous related to the French language, especially certain words. Undoubtedly, there are some stand-up comedy clips on foreign accents (such as Russian/ German/ French) and or British comical clips on play with words or their sounds which can be found. I was particularly amused by few sounds of certain words.

I think that the French always like to think one step ahead, for example, when you hear the sound of the specific word, you can know that sound signals what would come next, so essentially, the sound is almost like in a  different time zone ahead (like the US and India, where India is ahead by almost half a day)..

See the list of following French words in particular. I have listed the English meaning (in parenthesis) and then explained that when spoken, they sound like some Hindi words that actually mean something or an event ahead of time....

1. Je (I): So what the French actually meant when they say "Je", which sounds like alphabet J which is literally the NEXT alphabet after "I".

2. hier (yesterday): What they mean yesterday, is in fact now (like here and now) as hier sounds like here.

3. bougie (candle): The pronunciation of bougie literally sounds like "बुझी" in Hindi, which in Hindi means "extinguished", which is we all know what comes after candle is burned, as after that its extinguished...

4. chanter (sing): The word chanter when spoken, sounds like the Hindi word "शांति" which is what comes after one is singing, as music can bring peace or it could happen after the person has sung as then there is peace or silence after song ends..:)

5. mange (eat): The sound of "mange" is similar to the Hindi word "माँझे" which means to clean, as we say in Hindi "बर्तन माँझे" which translates to utensil is being cleaned. It's funny how the action which should be after one eats (cleaning dishes), but the French make sure you are ahead of it..:)

6. blesser (hurt): This word sounds like English word "bless" which is what one needs AFTER one is hurt 

7. lâche (coward): this word sounds like Hindi word "लाश" which actually means a dead person/corpse. No wonder one who is coward is considered dead anyways (at least symbolically) as he cannot be alive to the beauty of the world or take a stand against injustice or fight so not better than dead... 

 8. guerrier (warrior): The word guerrier literally sounds like the Hindi word "गिरिये", which means commanding someone to fall down. which is what is the fate of any warrior as he will command the enemy to fall down or cause their fall down.

9. ennemie (enemy): This French word sounds like English words "In me", and we know that someone who is an enemy, eventually finds its way into the person's mind and psyche, meaning the enemy occupies the person's mind and interior and consumes him, and so "in me" is what would eventually happen for those who are enemies

10. Chemin (path): The sound of chemin is same as Hindi word "शमा", which actually means light or flame. And we know that the path is what leads one to light or we walk towards light.

11.  échec (failure): This word sounds like Urdu word "इश्क़".  So what the French mean as "failure" comes across as "ishq" when heard, and the one who has truly failed (failure) can then be the right candidate for ishq and be turned towards ishq (ishq-e-haqiqi here)..:)

12. naissance (birth): The sound of this word literally sounds like English word "nuisance" and for many (if not all), after birth, it's not easy as a newborn can become a nuisance for some parents (in terms of their care). Or for some with philosophical bent of mind, they know being born on Earth (mrityulok as per Vedic texts), one is going to not have it easy and be annoyed in life a lot)

  

    So, now it's apparent, why I earlier said that the French were ahead of their time and when they speak these words, you know the original word would mean a step forward in time than its sound:)

        But in other aspects, I actually found some words, that are right on target, with perfectly aligned meaning, which is actually beautiful. Check these words:

cygne (swan): the word cygne sounds like Hindi word "सीने" which means chest, or can also refer to heart, which fits perfect as the swan is the symbol of true love of the heart.

prière (prayer): this word has sound of Hindi word "प्रिय" which makes sense as prayer is considered a pure thing and its Hindi sound means "beloved", perhaps referring to prayer to God.

doigts (fingers), mains (hands)" Doigts and mains have the sound of Hindi words "दुआ" and "माँ", respectively. Interestingly, we know the dua made by a mother using the fingers on the hand (and the hand), so the sounds are so perfectly matched :)

père (father): the word's pronunciation is same as Hindi word "पर", which means "not mine", or another's.   mère (mother): The sound of this French word actually sounds like Hindi word "मेरे" which means mine/close. Moreover, this is one of the words whose sound is similar to another French word (mer) which means "sea" after translating. So, the French seem to be very connected to their mother figures, as indeed a mother's love is vast like the sea, and it is common for some children to feel closeness to the mother (hence the meaning of मेरे) and not the father :).

 I smiled at this interesting play of words and sounds and meanings....

Divine Sufi Kalams woven in divine poetry

 

Very recently, I heard some Sufi songs on YouTube (posted by DervishBeats channel), and I was glued to its music and poetry. Interestingly, the words of the poetry resonated so much and were so sublime, that I had to find the name of the poet, and he was an Indian poet, Jigar Moradabadi. Interestingly, I had listened few shayaris or kalams by that poet here and there (including the very famous lines of "yeh ishq nahin aasaan, aag ka dariya hai aur doob ke jana hai" familiar to many as its often common in some Bollywood movies).

I had known of few beautiful lines (see below) and found out they were actually written by Jigar Moradabadi..

"दिल गया रौनक़-ए-हयात गई

ग़म गया सारी कायनात गई"- Jigar Moradabadi

I am posting (link and lyrics/poetry) of few songs I heard, and they are so captivating, with even the music very soothing (with heavy use of Middle eastern instruments)..The lines I found particularly close, are highlighted..The first song link is a masterpiece of Sufi poetry (by Peer Naseeruddin Naseer), the second by another poet (Zaheen), while the others are poetries of Jigar Moradabadi, woven in music, like a qawwali...

The channel has so many more songs to explore...

1.

Meri Zindagi To Firaaq Hai | In Separation, The Soul Finds Its Beloved | Devotional Sufi Kalam

"मिरी ज़िंदगी तो फ़िराक़ है वो अज़ल से दिल में मकीं सही

वो निगाह-ए-शौक़ से दूर हैं रग-ए-जाँ से लाख क़रीं सही

 

हमें जान देनी है एक दिन वो किसी तरह वो कहीं सही

हमें आप खींचे दार पर जो नहीं कोई तो हमीं सही

 

ग़म-ए-ज़िंदगी से फ़रार क्या ये सुकून क्यूँ ये क़रार क्या

ग़म-ए-ज़िंदगी भी है ज़िंदगी जो नहीं ख़ुशी तो नहीं सही

 

सर-ए-तूर हो सर-ए-हश्र हो हमें इंतिज़ार क़ुबूल है

वो कभी मिलें वो कहीं मिलें वो कभी सही वो कहीं सही

 

न हो उन पे जो मिरा बस नहीं कि ये 'आशिक़ी है हवस नहीं

मैं उन्हीं का था मैं उन्हीं का हूँ वो मिरे नहीं तो नहीं सही

 

मुझे बैठने की जगह मिले मिरी आरज़ू का भरम रहे

तिरी अंजुमन में अगर नहीं तिरी अंजुमन के क़रीं सही

 

तिरे वास्ते है ये वक़्फ़-ए-सर रहे ता-अबद तिरा संग-ए-दर

कोई सज्दा-रेज़ न हो सके तो न हो मिरी ही जबीं सही

 

मिरी ज़िंदगी का नक़ीब है नहीं दूर मुझ से क़रीब है

मुझे उस का ग़म तो नसीब है वो अगर नहीं तो नहीं सही

 

जो हो फ़ैसला वो सुनाइए उसे हश्र पर न उठाइए

जो करेंगे आप सितम वहाँ वो अभी सही वो यहीं सही

 

उसे देखने की जो लौ लगी तो 'नसीर' देख ही लेंगे हम

वो हज़ार आँख से दूर हो वो हज़ार पर्दा-नशीं सही"

-पीर नसीरुद्दीन नसीर

https://sufinama.org/kalaam/mirii-zindagii-to-firaaq-hai-vo-azal-se-dil-men-makiin-sahii-pir-naseeruddin-naseer-kalaam-20?lang=hi

2.

Ishq ka Anjaam Kya hai - محّبت کیا ہے | A Soulful Heart Touching Kalam | Qawwali

“mohabbat ġham hai to ārām kyā hai

hameñ ārām se phir kaam kyā hai

 

samajh meñ dil kī bāteñ kuchh na aa.eñ

na jaane 'ishq kā paiġhām kyā hai

 

mohabbat hī mohabbat hai zamāna

mohabbat ḳhaas hai to 'aam kyā hai

 

nigāhoñ meñ hai mastī kī haqīqat

tirī āñkhoñ ke aage jaam kyā hai

 

safar meñ zindagī kī manzileñ haiñ

nahīñ to subah kyā hai shaam kyā hai

 

har achchhe naam se un ko pukārā

ḳhudā mā'lūm un kā naam kyā hai

 

'zaheen' un ke chale jaane se pahle

na jaane 'ishq kā anjām kyā hai”

-ZAHEEN SHAH TAJI

 

3.

Ik Aag Si - اِک آگ سی | Sufi Kalam — A Devotional Journey Through Fire

"आँखों में बस के दिल में समा कर चले गए

ख़्वाबीदा ज़िंदगी थी जगा कर चले गए

 

हुस्न-ए-अज़ल की शान दिखा कर चले गए

इक वाक़िआ' सा याद दिला कर चले गए

 

चेहरे तक आस्तीन वो ला कर चले गए

क्या राज़ था कि जिस को छुपा कर चले गए

 

रग रग में इस तरह वो समा कर चले गए

जैसे मुझी को मुझ से चुरा कर चले गए

 

मेरी हयात-ए-इश्क़ को दे कर जुनून-ए-शौक़

मुझ को तमाम होश बना कर चले गए

 

समझा के पस्तियाँ मिरे औज-ए-कमाल की

अपनी बुलंदियाँ वो दिखा कर चले गए

 

अपने फ़रोग़-ए-हुस्न की दिखला के वुसअ'तें

मेरे हुदूद-ए-शौक़ बढ़ा कर चले गए

 

हर शय को मेरी ख़ातिर-ए-नाशाद के लिए

आईना-ए-जमाल बना कर चले गए

 

आए थे दिल की प्यास बुझाने के वास्ते

इक आग सी वो और लगा कर चले गए

 

आए थे चश्म-ए-शौक़ की हसरत निकालने

सर-ता-क़दम निगाह बना कर चले गए

 

अब कारोबार-ए-इश्क़ से फ़ुर्सत मुझे कहाँ

कौनैन का वो दर्द बढ़ा कर चले गए

 

शुक्र-ए-करम के साथ ये शिकवा भी हो क़ुबूल

अपना सा क्यूँ न मुझ को बना कर चले गए

 

लब थरथरा के रह गए लेकिन वो ऐ 'जिगर'

जाते हुए निगाह मिला कर चले गए"

-जिगर मुरादाबादी

 

4.

Ek Lafz-e-Mohabbat | The Burning of Ishq | A Soulful Devotional Sufi Kalam

"इक लफ़्ज़-ए-मोहब्बत का अदना ये फ़साना है
सिमटे तो दिल-ए-आशिक़ फैले तो ज़माना है

ये किस का तसव्वुर है ये किस का फ़साना है
जो अश्क है आँखों में तस्बीह का दाना है

दिल संग-ए-मलामत का हर-चंद निशाना है
दिल फिर भी मिरा दिल है दिल ही तो ज़माना है

हम इश्क़ के मारों का इतना ही फ़साना है
रोने को नहीं कोई हँसने को ज़माना है

वो और वफ़ा-दुश्मन मानेंगे न माना है
सब दिल की शरारत है आँखों का बहाना है

शाएर हूँ मैं शाएर हूँ मेरा ही ज़माना है
फ़ितरत मिरा आईना क़ुदरत मेरा शाना है

जो उन पे गुज़रती है किस ने उसे जाना है
अपनी ही मुसीबत है अपना ही फ़साना है

क्या हुस्न ने समझा है क्या इश्क़ ने जाना है
हम ख़ाक-नशीनों की ठोकर में ज़माना है

आग़ाज़-ए-मोहब्बत है आना है न जाना है
अश्कों की हुकूमत है आहों का ज़माना है

आँखों में नमी सी है चुप चुप से वो बैठे हैं
नाज़ुक सी निगाहों में नाज़ुक सा फ़साना है

हम दर्द-ब-दिल नालाँ वो दस्त-ब-दिल हैराँ
ऐ इश्क़ तो क्या ज़ालिम तेरा ही ज़माना है

या वो थे ख़फ़ा हम से या हम हैं ख़फ़ा उन से
कल उन का ज़माना था आज अपना ज़माना है

ऐ इश्क़-ए-जुनूँ-पेशा हाँ इश्क़-ए-जुनूँ-पेशा
आज एक सितमगर को हँस हँस के रुलाना है

थोड़ी सी इजाज़त भी ऐ बज़्म-गह-ए-हस्ती
आ निकले हैं दम-भर को रोना है रुलाना है

ये इश्क़ नहीं आसाँ इतना ही समझ लीजे
इक आग का दरिया है और डूब के जाना है

ख़ुद हुस्न-ओ-शबाब उन का क्या कम है रक़ीब अपना
जब देखिए अब वो हैं आईना है शाना है

तस्वीर के दो रुख़ हैं जाँ और ग़म-ए-जानाँ
इक नक़्श छुपाना है इक नक़्श दिखाना है

ये हुस्न-ओ-जमाल उन का ये इश्क़-ओ-शबाब अपना
जीने की तमन्ना है मरने का ज़माना है

मुझ को इसी धुन में है हर लहज़ा बसर करना
अब आए वो अब आए लाज़िम उन्हें आना है

ख़ुद्दारी-ओ-महरूमी महरूमी-ओ-ख़ुद्दारी
अब दिल को ख़ुदा रक्खे अब दिल का ज़माना है

अश्कों के तबस्सुम में आहों के तरन्नुम में
मासूम मोहब्बत का मासूम फ़साना है

आँसू तो बहुत से हैं आँखों में 'जिगर' लेकिन
बंध जाए सो मोती है रह जाए सो दाना है"

 -जिगर मुरादाबादी

The Tune of Tenderness- one of my poems that received honorary mention (NCPLS) in 2016

 

I stumbled across one of my poems (in English) that I wrote almost ten years ago, and it got into honorary mention (just after the top 3 finalists) in the prestigious Nassau County Poet Laureate Society (NCPLS) in the year 2016.  (Poetry Contest Winners | Nassau County Poet Laureate Society)

That was one of the poems which was inspired directly from music (or rather a musician) so-to-speak and when I composed it (in a coffeeshop in Stony Brook, New York), I had the faintest idea that it would get accolades or get accepted. Unfortunately, I did not have any printed version or book version of that year (perhaps it may not have been released), where the poetry could be found, hence I thought now is the best time to post it and share it on my blog, especially as its already published. 

I remember when I read it during the award ceremony (when the certificate was given to the winners and the honorary candidates), I did reveal the source or the muse of my poem. I thought it's apt to share it here too. But first of all, here is the poem:

Tune of Tenderness

 

I see the way you comfort

The trembling cello.

You rock it delicately,

Gently,

Soothing its

Tense strings.

The motion-

One of calmness,

Motherliness,

Loveliness.

 

The cello,

Like the fearful child,

Disperses her fears,

Pain and hurts,

In the tunes-

The tune of tenderness

 

And I am assured-

When I come to you,

I will not be disappointed.

-Shilpi Goenka

So, as its obvious, the focus of my poem was a man playing the cello, and truth be told, I was listening to the music of the popular band -2Cellos which has two amazing musicians from Croatia, namely, Luka Šulić and Stjepan Hauser. I was trying to find out which particular video I listened to which evoked that emotion which I channeled in words, however, I could not locate the exact video, but I think it must have been one of these videos only (12 years ago). 

2CELLOS - Gabriel's Oboe (The Mission)

Gypsy Airs (Concert for Japan) - LUKA SULIC

2CELLOS - Benedictus (by Karl Jenkins) [LIVE at Arena Zagreb]

(88) 2CELLOS - Fields of Gold [LIVE at Arena Pula] - YouTube 

Both the musicians are so gifted and humorous too, although Luka is less funny but more on a serious note, perhaps that may have been the muse for me. I think his beauty and grace and passion inspired the emotion which I transformed into simple words, which eventually did find familiarity with the judge(s) who selected it.

                                                                           Shot of the musician Luka playing his cello...