 |
Nonsense
rhymes |
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| Nonsense rhymes on a wide range of topics: |
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Questa
eia la strata r' lu Rre,
|
This is the
King’s road. |
chi
zonga passa se vol' s'rè.
|
Those on it want to sit
there. |
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. |
Sega,
sega mast' Cicc'
|
Saw saw, master Ciccio, |
na
panella e nu sauzicchij', |
a little loaf and a salami, |
la
panella n' la st'pam' |
the loaf we will keep
for later on, |
e
'u sauzicchij' n' lu mangiam'. |
but the salami we’ll
eat now. |
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. |
Mo'
ven' a chiov'
|
Now it is starting to
rain |
cu'
l'acqua r' lu sol'; |
with water from the sun, |
cu'
l'acqua r' la marina. |
with water from the seashore |
Ciccantonij'
e Catarina. |
Catherine and Salvatore. |
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. |
L'auciegghij'
chi è 'ngabbia |
The bird in its cage |
nn'
canta p' amor', |
doesn’t sing for
love, |
canta
p' rabbia. |
it sings out of rage. |
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Mannaggia
lu guvern' chi av' cacciat' la m'sura |
Damn the government
for the military draft! |
m'
spoglian' a la 'nnura e l'angiolett' m' fann'
fà... |
I’ve been stripped
naked like an angel. |
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Sacc'
'na canzona a la 'mmersa,
|
si
t' la rick', nn' t' la mbar' maij'; |
chiantaij'
nu' savuck' e pò era cerza, |
'ngimma ng' sciett' a coglij' li curnal'. |
Pò
venn' la patrona r' r' ck'cozz': |
"P'cchè
t'è fatt' r' press'ck' mij'?" |
Tant'ann'
pozza avè r' sanitat' |
quant'ij'
m'legghij' toij' m'agg' mangiat'. |
|
I know a backward song, |
if I recite it, you’ll never learn
it; |
I planted an elder tree and then an
oak, |
I climbed on it to pick cornel |
Then the pumpkin lady came: |
“Why did you eat my peaches?” |
I wish you as many years of good health |
As the number of your apples I’ve
eaten. |
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Sacc'
'na canzona a la 'mmersa, |
a
la r'ritta nn' la sacc' cantà: |
m'auzaij'
'na matina e era festa, |
m'
p'gliaij' 'na fauc' e ggiett' a zappà. |
Arr'vaij'
a la porta e tr'vaij' 'na cerza, |
r'
c'ras' accumm'nzaij' a mangià. |
Pò
venn' la patrona r' r' ck'cozz': |
lassa
stà r' mij' c'poggh'. |
Tant'ann'
pozza avè r' sanitat' |
quant'ij'
m'legghij' toij' m'agg' mangiat'. |
|
I know a backward song, |
I don’t know how to sing it the
right way: |
I woke up one morning and it was a holiday, |
I grabbed a scythe and went digging. |
I arrived at the door and found an oak |
I began eating cherries. |
Then the pumpkin lady came: |
“Hands off my onions.” |
I wish you as many years of good health |
As the number of your apples I’ve
eaten. |
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