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LT → French, English → Joséphine Baker → La petite Tonkinoise → English
  • Joséphine Baker
    Joséphine Baker – La petite Tonkinoise

    English translation

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English
Translation
#1#2

The little Tonkin girl

It's me who is his little,
His Anana, his Anana her Annamite
I am a vivid, I am charming
Like a little singing bird.
He calls me his littl' bourgeoise,
Hi Tonkiki, his Tonkiki, his Tonkin girl.
Others look at him with tender eyes,
But that's me he loves better.
 
In the evening we talk about a million things
Before going to bed.
I learn geography
of China, of Mandchouria,
Borders, rivers,
The Yellow river and the Blue river.
Even Love is, that is a a curious thing,
watered by the Middle Kingdom.
 
It's me who is his little,
His Anana, his Anana her Annamite
I am a vivid, I am charming
Like a little singing bird.
He calls me his littl' bourgeoise,
Hi Tonkiki, his Tonkiki, his Tonkin girl.
Others look at him with tender eyes,
But that's me he loves better.
 
French
Original lyrics

La petite Tonkinoise

Click to see the original lyrics (French)

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Translations of "La petite Tonkinoise"

English #1, #2
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Spanish
Comments
bataybatay    Sun, 16/12/2018 - 07:49

A slight bloomer in the 2nd stanza: the river Amour is not watered by the Middle Kingdom, it's the reverse that is (almost!) true.
Also second line of 1st stanza, it's 'his' Annam girl (not 'her').

JadisJadis    Sun, 16/12/2018 - 08:01

The text is written in colloquial French, not very correct, but like people speak it. In that context, "qu'arrose" should be understood as "qui arrose", I think, just like you would say : "- Qui c'est qu'est v'nu ? c'est Popaul qu'est v'nu" (for "Qui est venu ? c'est Paul qui est venu", "Who did show up ? T'was Paul who showed up").

bataybatay    Sun, 16/12/2018 - 08:08

Yes, obviously.. Then ?

JadisJadis    Sun, 16/12/2018 - 08:25

I would translate "waters the Middle Kingdom", or something like that.
Oh well, I hadn't seen that "l'Amour" had been translated by "Love". Of course it's a wordgame on "Amour", meaning both "Amur (River)" and "Love". There are many other details that could be discussed here...

bataybatay    Sun, 16/12/2018 - 08:27

That's correct, and precisely what I said in my first comment - I said almost true because the Amur river is in fact more Russian than Chinese

JadisJadis    Sun, 16/12/2018 - 08:29

Actually, I think that it marks the border, but this is not a geography course, it's approximative...

bataybatay    Sun, 16/12/2018 - 08:31

Just have a look at a map of Russian Far East

bataybatay    Sun, 16/12/2018 - 08:41

This is completely useless, and this will be my last comment.

JadisJadis    Sun, 16/12/2018 - 09:08

??? Restons calmes et buvons frais.

JadisJadis    Sun, 16/12/2018 - 08:02

And by the way, one should write "Annamite", not "Anammite"...

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