"Alizée en Concert" - Translation Project 2020

[joebanana]

If anyone is interested

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Summary

[Scruffydog777]

His life is an interesting story. From Wikipedia; "Nabokov was born on 22 April 1899 (10 April 1899 Old Style), in Saint Petersburg,[a] to a wealthy and prominent family of the Russian nobility that traced its roots to the 14th-century Tatar prince Nabok Murza, who entered into the service of the Tsars, and from whom the family name is derived.[8][9]:16[10] His father was the liberal lawyer, statesman, and journalist Vladimir Dmitrievich Nabokov (1870–1922) and his mother was the heiress Yelena Ivanovna née Rukavishnikova, the granddaughter of a millionaire gold-mine owner.....................After the October Revolution, the family was forced to flee the city for Crimea,"

So after fleeing one frying pan, he eventually wound up in another frying pan, Germany.

While in Berlin;'.............In March 1922, Nabokov's father was fatally shot in Berlin by the Russian monarchist Pyotr Shabelsky-Bork as he was trying to shield the real target, Pavel Milyukov, a leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party-in-exile. .....................In 1936, Véra lost her job because of the increasingly anti-Semitic environment; also in that year the assassin of Nabokov's father was appointed second-in-command of the Russian émigré group..................... In 1937, he left Germany for France........"

He was actually living in Oregon (USA) when he wrote Lolita, but apparently it was published in France. I'm guessing no publisher would touch it in this country at the time because of it's controversial nature.

He was an accomplished writer, a poet and a professor.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Nabokov

Wikipedia also gives a more detailed look at the book.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolita

nabokov.jpg

[joebanana]

The book was published in France in 1955. So it was written before 1955.
I'm puzzled with this in the book:

"Humbert reports to his position at Beardsley College, and enrolls Lolita in high school"

Does anyone know anything about girls school uniforms from that time?
I'm looking for something about methylene blue socks. Something MF would be inspired by when writing her Lolita.

[RedRafe]

Originally Posted by joebanana

I'm looking for something about methylene blue socks. Something MF would be inspired by when writing her Lolita.

Okkkkk…

“Stockings of methylene blue”…

They used the dye “Methylene Blue” to actually dye “stockings”, back in the 18th century…

Check out the historical references to “Bluestocking Circle”, and “The Bluestockings”...

Very basically, very early “activists”, for “female equality” and “female rights”…

Hmm, were they implying or inferring to Lolita being a “feminist”, possibly, as in her “exhibiting female equality”, as in her right to express her “intellect”, and, “sensuality” as a woman, in a way that she saw fit, contrary to the “dictat” and “regard” of the rest of society, who would most likely “frown” upon her actions…

As in going to a Nightclub, “shaking her tail about”, (and, emmmm, the rest), and just generally “making an exhibition of herself”, as my “Granny” would have put it..

Case in point, the “assertions” and “reaction” of her mother, at the start of the video…

You have to remember that MF (Little Miss “Liberated”, who just about “lets it all hang out”, at the “drop of a hat”) and LB (whom I can’t really help but associate the term “dysfunctional” with) are responsible for this “gem”…

Both of whom are “supremely” intelligent, sophisticated, talented, and, are “grandmasters” of the French “martial art” of the “double entendre”…

So, sometimes, as we are all aware, they are not, “saying what they mean”, or are “saying what they are saying”, or “we think they are saying”…

Or are they?

If you know what I mean…

No!?

[Scruffydog777]

Originally Posted by RedRafe

Okkkkk…

“Stockings of methylene blue”…

They used the dye “Methylene Blue” to actually dye “stockings”, back in the 18th century…

Check out the historical references to “Bluestocking Circle”, and “The Bluestockings”...

Very basically, very early “activists”, for “female equality” and “female rights”…

Hmm, were they implying or inferring to Lolita being a “feminist”, possibly, as in her “exhibiting female equality”, as in her right to express her “intellect”, and, “sensuality” as a woman, in a way that she saw fit, contrary to the “dictat” and “regard” of the rest of society, who would most likely “frown” upon her actions…

As in going to a Nightclub, “shaking her tail about”, (and, emmmm, the rest), and just generally “making an exhibition of herself”, as my “Granny” would have put it..

Case in point, the “assertions” and “reaction” of her mother, at the start of the video…

You have to remember that MF (Little Miss “Liberated”, who just about “lets it all hang out”, at the “drop of a hat”) and LB (whom I can’t really help but associate the term “dysfunctional” with) are responsible for this “gem”…

Both of whom are “supremely” intelligent, sophisticated, talented, and, are “grandmasters” of the French “martial art” of the “double entendre”…

So, sometimes, as we are all aware, they are not, “saying what they mean”, or are “saying what they are saying”, or “we think they are saying”…

Or are they?

If you know what I mean…

No!?

That's a great bit of info RedRafe. Of course for the song, MF was looking for something that fit in well, that rhymed. But to be aware of blue methylene being used in stockings and to be aware of the 'Blue Stocking Circle' shows a a very good state of knowledge. She went to college with Laurant Boutanant which shows a good sense of education but more importantly, she is the most successful recording artist in France's history which shows an exceptional knowledge for what she does. It's no surprise that she should choose words that rhyme, but also reflect her knowledge of history.

[joebanana]

LOLI GOT YOU?

Nothing in that song seems to be without reason, even the smallest little thing I just discovered.
This is a quote I just read:

"During the musical bridge, Alizée repeats "LO- LI-TA "in a loop, as if to symbolize the enchantment of the lolita on boys. We can also understand "Loli t'a ...": "I got you, now I'm obsessed with you".

I used Google translate for the word "Loli t'a" and the result is "Loli got you"

[Aragorn97]

And that's how the legendary quote was born:
"What is Alizée? She is the pink apostrophe between the words Loli t'a".





Edit:

(actually I've just seen that the original quote doesn't work the same way in English. I don't know if what I wrote makes sense for you xD)

[joebanana]

Originally Posted by Aragorn97

And that's how the legendary quote was born:
"What is Alizée? She is the pink apostrophe between the words Loli t'a".





Edit:

(actually I've just seen that the original quote doesn't work the same way in English. I don't know if what I wrote makes sense for you xD)

I'm getting a headache.
Instead of solving the mystery of methylene blue, now I have to solve the pink one too.
I'm kidding, and I'm glad you're actively helping here, because any help or just opinion is more than welcome.

[Mr Coucou]

Originally Posted by joebanana

LOLI GOT YOU?

Nothing in that song seems to be without reason, even the smallest little thing I just discovered.
This is a quote I just read:

"During the musical bridge, Alizée repeats "LO- LI-TA "in a loop, as if to symbolize the enchantment of the lolita on boys. We can also understand "Loli t'a ...": "I got you, now I'm obsessed with you".

I used Google translate for the word "Loli t'a" and the result is "Loli got you"

I think you're right about the "TA" in Moi Lolita. I've heard that French speakers use "TA" as a contraction for "tu as" ("you have.")

I'm not sure of the specific meaning. I was thinking it meant: "Loli, you got it!"

But you're saying it means "Loli got you."

Hmm.... I'll have to think about it some more.

I have the impression that the lyrics to Moi Lolita is just the girl talking to herself. And so the "LO LI TA" line, is just the girl saying to herself "Loli, you got it!"

Edit:

Originally Posted by Aragorn97

And that's how the legendary quote was born:
"What is Alizée? She is the pink apostrophe between the words Loli t'a".


Edit:

(actually I've just seen that the original quote doesn't work the same way in English. I don't know if what I wrote makes sense for you xD)

I don't understand it. Could you explain?

[Aragorn97]

Originally Posted by Mr Coucou

I think you're right about the "TA" in Moi Lolita. I've heard that French speakers use "TA" as a contraction for "tu as" ("you have.")

I'm not sure of the specific meaning. I was thinking it meant: "Loli, you got it!"

But you're saying it means "Loli got you."

Hmm.... I'll have to think about it some more.

I have the impression that the lyrics to Moi Lolita is just the girl talking to herself. And so the "LO LI TA" line, is just the girl saying to herself "Loli, you got it!"

Loli should be the subject and a is the third person of the present simple of the verb "to have". My doubts are about " t' ": if it works as in italian and it means you, what JoeBanana said may be correct.
It may be the same thing we see in "Je t'aime" (I love you). So it is possible that "Loli t'a" means "Loli has got you". I don't know if the English translation is correct but the phrase should mean that you are now "at the mercy of Loli": she controls you with her charm, you can't resist her.

So I tend to think that it is a kind of subliminal message. Lolita has full power on you and you don't even realize that.
But everything I wrote may be wrong because I don't know if that " t'" is what i think.

Edit:

Originally Posted by Mr Coucou

I don't understand it. Could you explain?

It's just a (bad) joke I made that has nothing to do with Alizée and Moi... Lolita.
There is this famous quote from a play called Cyrano de Bergerac:

Et qu'est-ce qu'un baiser? Une apostrophe rose entre les mots je t'aime.

It is literally translated as: what is a kiss? It is a pink apostrophe between the words "I love you" (Je t'aime).
Obviously it doesn't work this way in English. I've found out that in English it is: What is a kiss? It is the pink exclamation mark that comes after "I love you!".

So that's why I said that you might not get it.