I was sort of able to glean the following from the geno song, with the help of some lyrics I found online (Leo's Lyrics).
I don't have my slow-down tool with me, so I can't be sure of all that's coming at me when I listen.
Included is the lyric, then my attempt at phonetics below it. Its the last two lines of the lyrics that were a bit daunting. I think I caught it where Geno added a "mais" right before "avec moi".
How is "moi" pronounced? Standard French would be "mwah", but it sounds like Cajun French is saying "mohn", same as the word "mon".
Can anyone help me here?
Ay, jolie, comment je vas faire, tu m’abandonnes
Ay joh-lee comonzh vah fahr tee mah-bohn-dohn
Ay, ’tit monde, qui je vas faire, ’tite fille,
Ay, tee mohn kwazh vah fahr, tee fee.
O, tite fille, mon je t’ai dit je m’aurais jamais marié,
Ay, tee fee, monzh tee deezh moh-ray jah-mai mah-ree-eh
O, c’est toi la porte de voir ça t’avais fait avec moi.
Ay, say twah lah porht dah vwah sah tah-vay fay, meh avec mohn.
You are correct in that many, but not all, cajun speakers use the "mon" sound for what is "moi". Some even say "mo". There are a lot of these pronounciation differences that might throw someone used to hearing standard french.
The last line does not make sense because the transcription in the liner notes is wrong.
He simply sings : « Hé, c’est par rapport à ça t’as fait mais avec moi »
(......................I would never marry
Hey, it’s because of what you have done with me).
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
