Translation anyone ?

patcat

I have some bits and pieces of jewellery I want to put up on Ebay but one of the items I'm not sure about. Its a silver metal coloured brooch. Around the edge it has some French words and I wondered if someone can make any sense of them. I have tried the 'online' translation sites but am still unsure. The writing goes around each half of the brooch but I dont know where it begins. It says

Elle n'est pas endormie.les race des cars normandie.
En avant las normandie.allons tous enchantant.

On the reverse it has Bijoux Normands.
My school girl French of 40 years ago makes it something like " The sound of the Normandie car/bus will not deaden the Normandie songs".
It doesnt sound right to me.

frivolous_fay

Are the full stops yours or from the brooch?

patcat

From the brooch

Sagz_2

Well Bable Fish translates it as:
'It is not endormie.les race of the Normandy bus. Ahead tired let us normandie.allons all enchanting.'

Clear as mud!

Sola

patcat wrote: »

Elle n'est pas endormie.les race des cars normandie.
En avant las normandie.allons tous enchantant.

It has some odd grammar/spelling but literally means:

The breed/pedigree of the buses of Normandy has not fallen asleep.
Go ahead/in front, Normandy - let's go singing (presuming you mean en chantant).

Alfie_E

Sola wrote: »

It has some odd grammar/spelling…

Could it be in Norman? Pedigree buses are slightly odd things to immortalise in jewellery.

frivolous_fay

What does the brooch look like?

patcat

Thanks for trying to help but it still sounds like double dutch to me.
Think I willhave to put it to one side and try and find out some more about it.

Sola

Alfie_E wrote: »

Could it be in Norman? Pedigree buses are slightly odd things to immortalise in jewellery.

I did wonder that with 'las' - bits of it remind me of 12th century langue d'oil but I can't come up with another definitive translation for 'cars' as a plural, although I guess it might be chariots. Chariots might be symbolic of the strength of Normandy.

Aha! I wonder if 'las Normandie' could be 'weary Normandy.' That would fit. A paraphrase might be:

The pedigree of Norman chariots/strength has not fallen asleep.
Go forth, weary Normandy - let us proceed with singing.

patcat

Alfie,
Yes, I suppose it could be Norman.
The brooch itself is about 1 1/2" in diameter and is like a shield. Around the edge it has evenly spaced raised rounds. The center has 2 lions lying down in circle which is surrounded by 6 circles each with something inside. i.e. dragon , galleon, lion on a pedestal, animal being killed by lion, 3 Prince of Wales feather type things between each is like a church window design. Does this make any sense ?

Voyager2002

Enchantant reminds me of Enchante(e): could this not refer to the enchanting character of Normandy? Such a thought would be appropriate for a souvenir.

I love the image of a tired pedigree bus singing its way to a magical bed!