Category Archives: Translations

Timed Twined

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Francois Lachance

egg-bearing time knitting a nest from another time le temps ovipare nidification d’un autre temps I first came to these lines and attempted a translation through the work of Tara Collington. “Le nid du temps : le chronotope créateur dans … Continue reading →

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Sweet Portmanteaux

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Francois Lachance

Winnie the Pooh “Well,” said Owl, “the customary procedure in such cases is as follows.” “What does Crustimoney Proseedcake mean?” said Pooh. “For I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words Bother me.” Winnie L’ourson — Ma … Continue reading →

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The Snows of Yesteryear

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Francois Lachance

Kenkō Essays in Idleness #31 Translated by Meredith McKinney One morning after a beautiful fall of snow. I had reason to write a letter to an acquaintance, but I omitted to make any mention of the snow. I was delighted … Continue reading →

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Persian Poise

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Francois Lachance

The Gulistan (Rose Garden) of Sa’di translated (2008) by Wheeler M. Thackston from Chapter Eight: The Art of Conversation One cannot rely on the friendship of kings or on the beautiful voices of boys, for the former can change on … Continue reading →

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Reduplications Reduplicated

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Francois Lachance

Andrea Cohen Nightshade p. 25 “Blizzard” [opening] All night plows plow. Snows snow. Lovers somewhere somehow love. Reminds me of Émile Nelligan “Soir d’hiver” which begins: Ah! comme la neige a neigé ! Ma vitre est un jardin de givre. … Continue reading →

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Cis-trans-cis/trans

Posted on July 12, 2014 by Francois Lachance

“the tenacious pleasures of victimhood” Pankaj Mishra Consider a solution for lots of washroom and good/bad feminist debates: a Trans only, Cis only, Cis-Trans combined spaces, all fungible (mutually interchangeable) with proper signing and postage. Turn to Ontario Human Rights … Continue reading →

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Erotic Reconnections

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Francois Lachance

Sniff and Sip — Sip and Sniff Taste is made for pairings — grounds you even more in the now more than smell : it’s on the tip of your tongue Taste is a sense that loves to be paired … Continue reading →

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Superlative

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Francois Lachance

A good translation is a joy especially in the world of advertising. This example is from a jar of pickles. Our friendly bilingual stork says: “That’s the best pickle I ever heard” “Le plus croquant des cornichons” And one can … Continue reading →

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Infox

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Francois Lachance

It is a lovely French neologism to capture what English refers to as “false news” or old-fashioned “misinformation”. mot-valise créé à partir d’information (info) et d’intoxication (intox) qui signifie information fallacieuse https://dictionary.reverso.net/french-definition/infox I like the conflation of information and toxicity … Continue reading →

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Delirious Othering Details

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Francois Lachance

Critics have noted the play in Nicole Brossard’s Amantes of délire and de lire. JE N’ARRÊTE PAS DE LIRE EN CE JUIN DES AMANTES There is an echo elsewhere in Amantes in a quotation from Italian in “ma continent” “Non … Continue reading →

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