Wednesday 15 January 2025
Select a region
News

Bouan Noué!

Bouan Noué!

Wednesday 04 December 2024

Bouan Noué!

Wednesday 04 December 2024


A group of friends interested in Guernesiais are meeting up this month to sing Christmas carols in the language - and you're welcome to join them.

Jo Dowding, who is a Guernesiais learner, says all of the sessions are open to the general public and you don’t need to know the language to take part.

‘How to say it’ guides are provided for each carol. 

The next session is on Thursday (5 December) at St Martin's Community Centre, with further events at the same location, as well as at the Town Church and in Market Square.

The sessions held within the St Martin's Community Centre have been planned to coincide with the parish's warm space soup kitchen, to which everyone is also welcome. 

467325915_9116674041690034_6599886947487183294_n.jpg

Ms Dowding said the sessions include a mix of both local and internationally known carols, so even if you don't know the language you will know the song.

"Songs are amazing vehicles for learning new languages (or even old ones, like with Guernesiais)," she said. "The tunes are so familiar that you can really concentrate on the words instead.  Before you know it, you’re singing and communicating in a language you might not be able to talk in.  It’s quite magical. 

"The easiest one to sing is probably 'Douoche La Gniet' (pronounced ‘doosh la nyeh’), which is Silent Night, but our repertoire also includes some beautiful carols written by Guernsey people such as 'En Galilee' by H. De La Mare and 'Bethlehem' by Doris Heaume. They're a joy to sing."

READ MORE...

Royally approved goats, oysters, seaweed, Guernésiais and much more 

Guernesiais: The language of love?

Guernésiais and French to be made official languages

Guernesiais heard at British-Irish Council Summit 

Sign up to newsletter

 

Comments

Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.

You have landed on the Bailiwick Express website, however it appears you are based in . Would you like to stay on the site, or visit the site?