Explication :
This poetic expression is a common way of saying goodbye when you don't know when you'll see each other again next time.
The Creole expressions
Born in the first half of the 17th century, the Creole language is a mosaic of extraordinary richness. To the Amerindian legacies were added the dialects of the French colonists, the Blacks of West Africa and, later of the Coolies of India or China. Creole expressions, some of which have existed for centuries, have enriched the language and have fully integrated the local culture, way of life and linguistics. Click on the title to read the translation and explanation.
Ba moun an komisyon
Give a package to deliver
Explication :
Komisyon means "message or report". The word komisyon is used in Creole to refer to someone reporting to someone.
"An ba té ba ou komisyon pou Marcel" means: I didn't ask you to go and tell everything / report to Marcel.
Moul à mas
Mask mold
Explication :
Is said of a person so ugly that one can think that his face was used as a mold to make a horrible carnival mask.
Sa ki ta'w ta'w, sa ki pa ta'w pa ta'w
What's yours is yours, what's not yours is not yours
Explication :
Don't touch what isn't yours.
Sé sauté dwet
It's chopping off your fingers
Explication :
Expression to describe a dish so appetizing that you could bite your fingers.
Tjenbwa
Bad luck
Explication :
The word tjenbwa comes from the phrase tiens, bois (hold, drink in english) which is said to patients when they are given medication. So from medicine, we went to magic potion and so to tjenbwa (in local Creole).
Note that the word has been francized and you will also hear the term Quimbois.