Guernsey French/Dictionaries/Funny

All communities develop unique phrases in their language, and this is one of the chief charms of studying language. As a rural community, Guernsey French contains a great number of very specific phrases pertaining to agriculture. Here is a collection of some quirkier expressions:

Ancre de quille - one who stays a very long time for a chat

Bouaillon - a death rattle

Broussepé - a cat's fur ruffled the wrong way

Caillebottin - the weak part of a stocking

Délataïr - to be an informer

Fielle - cake tins of different sizes

Hersaïr - to neglect a cold and let it get worse

Persent - the white spots on the nails

Poutrichier - to touch continually; to touch food with hands which might not be clean

Sources

• "Our Insular Dielect"