[§ 714]. The Talkee-Talkee is a Lingua Franca based on the English, and spoken by the Negroes of Surinam.
It is Dutch rather than English; it shows, however, the latter language as an element of admixture.
SPECIMEN.[[87]]
1. Drie deh na bakka dem holi wan bruiloft na Cana na Galilea; on mamma va Jesus ben de dapeh.
2. Ma dem ben kali Jesus nanga hem discipel toe, va kom na da bruiloft.
3. En teh wieni kaba, mamma va Jesus takki na hem; dem no habi wieni morro.
4. Jesus takki na hem: mi mamma, hoeworko mi habi nanga joe? Tem va mi no ben kom jette.
5. Hem mamma takki na dem foetoeboi; oene doe sanni a takki gi oene.
6. Ma dem ben poetti dapeh siksi biggi watra-djoggo, na da fasi va Djoe vo krieni dem: inniwan djoggo holi toe effi drie kannetjes.
7. Jesus takki na dem [foetoeboi]: Oene foeloe dem watra-djoggo nanga watra. Ed dem foeloe dem teh na moeffe.
8. En dan a takki na dem: Oene poeloe pikinso, tjarri go na grang-foetoeboi. En dem doe so.
9. Ma teh grangfoetoeboi tesi da watra, dissi ben tron wieni, kaba a no sabi, na hoepeh da wieni komotto (ma dem foetoeboi dissi ben teki da watra ben sabi): a kali da bruidigom.
10. A takki na hem: Inniwan somma njoesoe va gi fossi da morro switti wieni, en teh dem dringi noeffe kaba, na bakka da mendre swittiwan; ma joe ben kiebri da morro boennewan.
11. Datti da fossi marki dissi Jesus ben doe; en datti ben passa na Cana na Galilea va dem somma si hem glori. En dem discipel va hem briebi na hem.
1. Three day after back, them hold one marriage in Cana in Galilee, and mamma of Jesus been there.
2. But them been call Jesus with him disciple, for come to that marriage.
3. And when wine end, mamma of Jesus talk to him, them no have wine more.
4. Jesus talk to him, me mamma how work me have with you? Time of me no been come yet.
5. Him mamma talk to them footboy, ye do things he talk to ye.
6. But them been put there six big water-jug, after the fashion of Jew for clean them; every one jug hold two or three firkins.
7. Jesus talk to them (footboy): ye fill them water jug with water. And them fill them till to mouth.
8. And then he talk to them, ye pour little, carry go to grandfootboy. And them do so.
9. But when grandfootboy taste that water, this been turn wine, could he no know from where that wine come-out-of (but them footboy this been take that water well know): he call the bridegroom.
10. He talk to him, every one man use of give first the more sweet wine; and when them drink enough end, after back the less sweety wine: but you been cover that more good wine.
11. That the first miracle that Jesus been do, and that been pass in Cana in Galilee, for them men see him glory. And them disciple of him believe in him.
[§ 715]. That the Anglo-Norman of England was, in the reign of Edward III., not the French of Paris (and most probably not the Franco-Norman of Normandy), we learn from the well-known quotation from Chaucer:—
And Frenche she spake ful feteously,
After the scole of Stratforde at Bowe,
For Frenche of Parys was to her unknowe.
Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.
[§ 716]. The concluding extract from the Testamenta Eboracensia, published by the Surtees' Society, is from the will of a gentleman in Yorkshire. To me it seems to impugn the assertion of Higden, that the Norman was spoken throughout England without a variety of pronunciation: "Mirandum videtur quomodo nativa propria Anglorum lingua, in unica insula coartata, pronunciatione ipsa fit tam diversa, cum tamen Normannica lingua, quæ adventicia est, univoca maneat penes cunctos."—Ed. Gale, p. 210.