My God what an ugly island. Hope we don’t stay here long. All the red-bloods first-class much excited about land. Damned ugly,I think.
Hullo.
The tall,impossibly tall,incomparably tall,city shoulderingly upward into hard sunlight leaned a little through the octaves of its parallel edges,leaningly strode upward into firm hard snowy sunlight;the noises of America nearingly throbbed with smokes and hurrying dots which are men and which are women and which are things new and curious and hard and strange and vibrant and immense,lifting with a great undulous stride firmly into immortal sunlight...
Glossary of Foreign Terms
This glossary is intended primarily for readers who have little or no knowledge of French or the other languages spoken by the occupants of “The Enormous Room”. Nevertheless, it is hoped that those who are familiar with the tongues of La Ferté-Macé will find some of the entries helpful, particularly those for slang and colloquial terms no longer in current use; idiomatic expressions and sentence structures that reflect the unusual speech patterns of specific individuals; and the author’s own transliteration of foreign languages and dialects for which there are no standard equivalents in English or the languages themselves.
As a general rule, all words, phrases and sentences are listed alphabetically with phrases and sentences in their original word order (e.g., “à bon marché” is listed under “à”, “Le Bon Dieu” under “Le”, and “se promener” under “se”). However, individual nouns in French appear only in the singular, unless the plural is formed by means other than the addition of an “s” (e.g., “journal (journaux)” and “nouveau (x)”), and without their definite (l’, le, la, les) or indefinite (un, une) articles, unless the meaning of a noun is altered by the omission of its article or, in one instance, its article and the accompanying verb in English (e.g., “gratte-ciel (les)” and “grève (made la)”). All exceptions are treated like the examples given above.
For the convenience of the reader, words, phrases and sentences in series within a single paragraph are listed under the entry for the first word, phrase or sentence in the sequence (e.g., “Bon. Très bon. Très bien fait” is listed under “Bon”; “L’américain. Allez chez le Directeur. De suite” under “L’américain”, and “saucisse, fromage, pain, chocolat, pinard rouge” under “saucisse”). The presence of a descriptive or explanatory interpolation in English within a series is indicated by three asterisks (***).
The editor would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge, with thanks, his indebtedness to the author’s daughter and D. Jon Grossman for their invaluable assistance with the translations from the French; to Dr. George Stachurko for his help with the Polish and Russian terms; and to Professor Richard Kennedy and the publishers for their many helpful suggestions. The responsibility for the final form and content of the glossary, however, is the editor’s alone.
A
à bon marché cheaply
à la chambre to the room
A la douche les hommes To the shower,men
A la promenade les hommes Exercise time,men
A la santé de ma marraine charmante. Your good health my charming godmother.
A la soupe Soup time; Meal time
A la soupe les hommes Meal time,men
adorée loved one
affaires belongings
algérien Algerian
Allez! Go on!
Allez! Au cabinot! De suite! Go on! To solitary confinement! At once!
Allez avec lui,chercher ses affaires,de suite. Go with him,to fetch his belongings,at once.
Allez,descendez. Go on,go down.
Allez en bas,pour la soupe Go downstairs,for soup
Allez,l’autre américain Go on,the other American
Allez,Nom de Dieu Go on,for God’s sake
Allez,nom de dieu,l’américain! Go on,for God’s sake,American!
Allez,tout-le-monde,’plucher les pommes! Go on,everyone,peel the potatoes!
allié ally
Allons! Come on!
Al-lons,mes amis! Chan-tons ‘Quackquackquack.’ Come on,my friends! Let’s sing ‘Quackquackquack.’
alors well; well then
Alors! C’est as-sez. Well! that’s enough.
Alors. Qu’est-ce que c’est,mon ami? Well then. What is it,my friend?
Alors,qui m’appelle? Qu’est-ce qu’on fout ici. Well,who’s calling me? What the hell’s going on here.
Alors,venez avec moi KEW-MANGZ. Well,come with me KEW-MANGZ.
Alors,vous allez sortir. Well then,you’re getting out.
Also sprach Thus spoke
américain American
ami friend
anglais English; Englishman
apache hoodlum
après la guerre finit after the war is over
après la guerre finit,/soldat anglais parti,/mademoiselle que je laissais en France/avec des pickaninee after the war is over,/English soldier gone,/mademoiselle that I left in France/with pickaninnies.
après la soupe after soup; after the meal
Assez! Enough!
Asseyez-vous là,tête de cochon. Sit there,stubborn fool.
Assieds là Sit there
Attends,Nom de Dieu. For God’s sake,wait.
Attends,un petit moment. Wait a moment.
Attention! Look out!
attrapait vingt-huit jours de cabinot got 28 days in solitary
au contraire on the contrary
Au contraire,je veux bien. On the contrary,I would like some.
automne autumn
Aux armes! To arms!
avocat attorney; solicitor
B
bahsht! ( possibly “basta!”) nothing doing!
baigné bathed
baigneur bath attendant
baigneur de femmes moi me women’s bath attendant
bain bath
Balai? Vous. Tout le monde. Propre. Surveillant dit. Pas moi,n’est-ce pas? Sweep? You. Everyone. Clean. Superintendent says so. Not me,right?
balayeur sweeper
banque card game similar to baccarat
Barbu bearded one (used as a nickname )
Barbu! j’vais couper ta barbe,barbu! Barbu! I am going to cut your beard,bearded one!
beau temps good weather
Belgique Belgium
B’en sûr. Certainly.
bidon tin can, drum, water-bottle, canteen
bien entendu of course
Bis!—Bien joué!—Allez!—Vas-y! Encore!—Well played!—Go on!—Go to it!
blague practical joke, trick, hoax; blunder; nonsense
blanchisseuse laundress
boche German, Jerry, Kraut
Bo’jour,tou’l’monde Good morning,everyone
bon good
Bon. Alors,vous vous ap-pel-lez KEW-MANGZ,n’est-ce-pas? Good. Well then,your name is KEW-MANGZ,isn’t it?
Bon. Bon. Pas moi. Surveillant. Harree faire pour tout le monde. Good. Good. Not me. Superintendent. Harree clean for everybody.
Bon,eh? Bien fait,eh? Good,eh? Well done,eh?
bon mot clever remark
Bon soir,Madame la Lune Good evening,Madam Moon
Bon. Très bon. Très bien fait Good. Very good. Very well done
bonhomme ( bonshommes) good-natured man ( men), little man ( men )
Bonne-nuit Good night
bonne pour coucher avec good to go to bed with
bons trucs good dodges
boucherie butcher’s shop
boue mud
bougie candle
Boxe? Vous! Want to box? You!
brachwurst i.e. bratwurst, a mild German sausage
bureau office
C
Ça m’est égal,parce qu’il n’y a plus d’heures—le gouvernement français les defend. It’s all the same to me,because there is no more time—the French government has forbidden it.
ça ne vaut rien du tout—il faut de la viande,tous les jours it’s worth nothing at al
l—one needs meat,every day
Ça Pue It Stinks
Ça se peut. That may be so.
Ça va mieux. That’s better.
cabinet lavatory, toilet
cabinet d’aisance bathroom, comfort station
cabinot punishment cell; solitary confinement
cabinot de suite solitary at once
cachot dungeon
café coffee
café sucré sweetened coffee
Camp de Triage de La Ferté-Macé Detention Camp of La Ferté-Macé
caoutchouc rubber
captaine de gendarmerie captain of gendarmes
carte postale postcard
casque helmet
cauchemar nightmare
ce monsieur là that gentleman there
Ce n’est pas difficile à peindre,un coucher du soleil It’s not difficult to paint,a sunset
Ce n’est pas une existence This is no sort of life
cellule cell
Ces cigarettes ne fument pas! These cigarettes don’t burn!
Ces grands messieurs qui ne se foutent pas mal si l’on CREVE de faim,savez-vous ils croient chacun qu’il est Le Bon Dieu LUI-Même. Et M’sieu’Jean,savez-vous,ils sont tous—***—Ils. Sont. Des. CRAPULES! These grand gentlemen who couldn’t care less if people DIE of hunger,you know each one believes he’s The Good Lord HIM-Self. And Mr. John,you know,they are all—***—They. Are. Just. SCUM!
ces messieurs these gentlemen
c’est de l’eau,monsieur? it’s water,sir?
C’est défendu. That’s forbidden.
C’est d’la blague. Sais-tu,il n’y a plus de trains?—Le conducteur est mort,j’connais sa sœur.—J’suis foutu mon vieux.—Nous sommes tous perdus,dis-donc.—Quelle heure?—Mon cher,il n’y a plus d’heures,le gouvernement français les defend. That’s clap-trap. Do you know,there are no more trains?—The conductor is dead,I know his sister.—I’ve had it,old friend.—We’re all lost,you know.—What’s the time?—My friend,there’s no more time,the French government has forbidden it.
c’est d’la blague,tu sais? Moi,je connais le sœur du conducteur that’s bunk,you know? I,I know the conductor’s sister
C’est dommage It’s a pity
C’est emmerdant. It’s a pain in the arse ( slang ).
C’est fini. It’s finished.
C’est joli! It’s pretty!
C’est la femme allemande qui s’appelle Lily It’s the German woman called Lily
c’est la guerre that’s war
C’est la guerre / faut pas t’en faire That’s war / don’t worry
c’est la misère this is hell on earth
C’est l’américain. It’s the American.
C’est malheureux That’s unfortunate
C’est moi,plan-ton! It’s me,guard!
C’est pas ma faute,monsieur le surveillant! Ils m’attaquaient! J’ai rien fait! Ils voulaient me tuer! Demandez à lui It’s not my fault,Superintendent! They jumped on me! I did nothing! They wanted to kill me. Ask him
C’est un bon-homme,le pauvre,il ne faut pas l’em-merd-er. He’s a nice little guy,the poor fellow,you shouldn’t pester him.
C’est un mauvais pays. Sale temps. It’s a bad country. Nasty weather.
C’est par là? It’s that way?
C’est rigolo That’s funny
C’est tout. That’s all
C’est un américain This is an American
c’est un menteur! he’s a liar!
cette crapule that scum
chambre room
chapeau hat
Chaude Pisse gonorrhea, clap ( slang )
chef leader, head; chef ( cook )
chef de chambre room leader
chef de section section head
chez le directeur in the director’s office
chez nous at our place
CHIEZ,SI VOUS VOULEZ,CHIEZ SHIT,IF YOU WANT,SHIT ( slang )
chocolat chocolate
choux cabbages
cinque five
civil(e) civilian male ( female )
cocher cabman
cochon dirty pig, swine
coif traditional headdress
coiffeur male hairdresser, barber
colique stomachache
Comme vous êtes beau How handsome you are
Comment? What?
Comment ça se pronounce en anglais? How is that pronounced in English?
Comment vous appelez-vous? What’s your name?
com-pag-nie company
Comprends pas Don’t understand
Comprenez vous fran-çais? Do you understand French?
Comprenez-vous : votre ami est UN SALAUD! Do you understand : your friend is A ROTTER!
con silly bastard ( slang )
conducteur conductor
conducteur volontaire volunteer conductor
Conducteurs Volontaires,Section Sanitaire Vingt-et-Un,Norton-Harjes,Croix-Rouge Américaine Volunteer Drivers,Medical Section XXI,Norton-Harjes Ambulance,American Red Cross
confiture jam, preserves
cordonnier shoemaker, cobbler
corvée fatigue duty
corvée d’eau water duty
coup drink, swallow
couper les cheveux de suite et la barbe aussi;après il va au bain,le vieux cut his hair at once and his beard too;then he takes a bath,the old man
cour yard
cour des femmes women’s yard
cour des hommes men’s yard
Courage,mon ami,votre camarade n’est pas mort;vous le verrez plus tard Courage,my friend,your buddy is not dead;you will see him later
couteau knife
couverture cover, blanket
croix cross
croix de guerre war cross ( military decoration )
Croix-Rouge Red Cross
cuisine kitchen
cuisinier cook
curé priest
D
de of, from
De l’eau,planton;de l’eau,s’il vous plaît Water,guard;water,please
de mes couilles by my balls ( slang )
De quel endroit que vooz êtes? Where are you from?
de suite at once
dedans in it
défaitiste defeatist
défendus forbidden
déjeuner lunch
Demain,c’est Dimanche alors Tomorrow,it’s Sunday then
demain partir de bonne heure tomorrow leaving early
démarche gait
Dépêches-toi,voici le planton Hurry up,here comes the guard
Dépêchez-vous. Savez-vous,vous allez partir de suite. Cet après-midi. Pour Paris. Hurry up. You know,you’re going to leave at once. This afternoon. For Paris.
Dépêchez-vous,ceux qui vont partir. Hurry up,those who are leaving.
dépense pour spend for
deus ex machine a god from the machine ( phrase describing the sudden appearance, in Greek and Roman drama, of a god who decides the final outcome of the plot )
Deutsche Küchen German Kitchen
Deutsche Verein German Association
Deux hommes pour aller chercher l’eau. Two men to go for water.
deux sous two sous ( ten centimes )
deuxième classe second class
Dimanche Sunday
Directeur Director
Dis à l’américain que je veux parler avec lui—Me voici Tell the American that I want to speak to him—Here I am
dis donc bidon n’est-ce pas. Faut pas t’en faire what do you know canteen. Don’t let it get you down
donc see Excuses donc
Dormez-bien Sleep well
douche shower
douille shell case
Du pain;prenez,mes amis Bread;take some,friends
du tabac tobacco
durée duration
E
Eh-bi-en Well
embusqué shirker ( of active service )
En Amérique on ne fait pas comme ça. In America we don’t beh
ave like that.
En avant. Forward.
en haut upstairs
en masse all together
en queue in line
en route on or along the way
en temps de guerre in wartime
en ville into town
en voulez-vous? do you want some?
enfin at last
Enfin,nous voilà. Here we are,at last.
ennui weariness, boredom
ensemble together
entre nous between ourselves
Entrez Come in
épaté amazed
éplucher les pommes to peel potatoes
espion spy
espionnage espionage
Est-ce que vous détestez les boches? Do you hate the Krauts?
Est-ce que vous êtes tous ici? Are you all here?
Est-ce vrai! V’là,le roi d’Angleterre est malade. Quelque chose!—Comment? La reine aussi? Bon Dieu! Qu’est-ce que c’est?—Mon père est mort! Merde!—Eh,b’en! La guerre est finie. Bon. Is it true! There you are,the King of England is sick. Something!—What? The Queen too? Good God! What is it?—My father is dead! Shit!—Oh,well! The war is over. Good.
et ma femme est très gen-tille,elle est fran-çaise et très belle,très,très belle,vrai-ment;elle n’est pas comme moi,un pet-it homme laid,ma femme est grande et belle,elle sait bien lire,et é-crire,vrai-ment;et notre fils...vous dev-ez voir notre pet-it fils... and my wife is very sweet,she is French and very beautiful,very,very beautiful,indeed;she is not like me,a small homely man,my wife is tall and beautiful,she can read well,and write,really;and our son...you ought to see our little son...
Et mes outils And my tools
Et puis***je suis réformé.... And then***I’ve been invalided out....
Et qu’il fait beau,là-bas! And it’s so beautiful,there!
et tout and all
ET VOUS—PRENEZ GARDE—SI JE VOUS ATTRAPE AVEC LES FEMMES UNE AUTRE FOIS JE VOUS FOUS AU CABINOT POUR QUINZE JOURS,TOUS—TOUS— AND YOU—TAKE CARE—IF I CATCH YOU WITH THE WOMEN ONE MORE TIME I’LL THROW YOU IN SOLITARY FOR TWO WEEKS,ALL OF YOU—ALL OF YOU—
Excuses done Take that back
F
fainéant laggard
faire to make
faire la photographie to take a photograph
fait la putain acting the whore
fecit he made ( it )
femme woman, wife
femme honnête respectable woman
fenêtre window
fiacre horse drawn cab
fil de fer barbelé barbed-wire
fils de chienne son of a bitch
Fini! Finished!