Language help needed.

[saxikath]

So, in Ragtime, I have to sing a line in Kreyol (Haitian Creole). (Yes, that's right, not only am I playing an immigrant, I'm playing a Haitian immigrant. Go figure. I'm also playing an Irish maid, a worker on Henry Ford's assembly line, and a striking Lawrence millworker. And possibly other people too, yet to be determined.) The line is:

Gran mesi Washington
Ki ba nou l'Amerik.

I think "gran mesi" is "many thanks," but I'm not sure. And I can't quite get "ki ba nou l'Amerik" -- "nou" is "us" or "we," and "ki" seems to be "which" or "what." "Ba" may mean "for," but I can't make sense out of the phrase that way. "Great thanks, Washington, which for us America"?

Anyone know Kreyol or know someone who can parse this for me?

Comments

[bookishfellow.livejournal.com]

The Haitian Creole Dictionary may help. "bay" apparently is the verb to give. "Gran" is great. I don't find "mesi," but the verb to thank is "remèsye." "Ki" is indeed which. So I'd say the translation would be Great thanks [to] Washington, who gives [gave] us America.

[saxikath]

I had looked at that site, and your translation was about as close as I got as well.

[ceo]

My sister was in Haiti in the Peace Corps and spoke Creole fluently at the time, though that was almost 20 years ago. I've sent this to her.

[davehogg.livejournal.com]

Great Thanks, Washington
Who Gave Us America

maybe?

And you are always striking, even as a millworker. ;-)