# Breton: I love you



## entropycity

Can anyone give me the translation of 'I love you' in the Bretagne language please? Yes I know is not French but as Brittany is now part of France, I thought I would 'chance my luck' here.

Thanks, entropycity


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## jierbe31

Hello,

Searching the Net, I've found "*da garout a ran*" but I can't say whether it's correct.
Still wait for some true Bretons' input.


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## entropycity

Wow, that was quick jierbe! Thank you very much; you have had more luck (or perhaps I should describe it as skillful) than I have had with the internet.

Thanks, entropycity.


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## treeling

I found 3 choices (think the key to googling this is to remember that the language itself is called Breton):

Karout a ran ac'hanout / Da garout a ran / Me az kar

Found 'em here:  http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/breton.php


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## itka

*Breton : da garan" (poétique - pour les amoureux) I love you
Breton : da garout a ran" (formule plus "commune" - je t'aime (bien)) I like you

from this site.
*


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## Runan

Actually, native Breton speakers, the few that are left, beyond the literary "me gar ac'hannout - pronounced me gar nout, would never say that. They go directly to "C'hwant m'eus diouzhit- pronounced - c'hwan m'eus diwit. lit. J'ai envie de toi. Not very romantic, mind you, but I never heard a real Breton speaker use anything but that and I spent half of my life there. Take your pick.


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## entropycity

Thanks to Runan, itka and treeling for your interesting additions: seems there are lots of ways to say those words even though there are very people to say (and undestand) them!

I will take my pick and as you say Runan, the version you give (and it seems you should know) are not that romantic - too busy with the fishing perhaps?

entropycity


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## elirlandes

Runan said:


> They go directly to "C'hwant m'eus diouzhit-
> lit. J'ai envie de toi.
> Not very romantic



This is the same construction as used in Spanish - "Te quiero" = Lit: I want you. Perhaps there is some etymological root to the similarity...

N.B. In Spanish, to say "I want you" in a ravishing, provocative way would be "Te deseo" = Lit; I desire you.


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## Runan

A point well made and although I had learnt Spanish before Breton, I failed to make that very important connection in expressing those sentiments. Indeed, it is above all provocative! I will grant you that. As to etymology, I cannot say but on a socio-cultural basis, knowing that most of western europe spoke one or the other version of Celtic language (Q-Celtic vs P-Celtic){with a couple of exceptions} it would not be surprising that a certain substratum remained when either Latin or English supplanted the Celtic languages. In Breton speaking Brittany, it is striking to find the exact same expressions such as "stretching the truth" or "the kettle calling the pot black" . Striking, but for historical reasons, not too surprising either. I wonder then, in Irish Gaelic, how does one express " te quiero"? Come to think of it, _I love you _, sounds flat in comparison to _c'hwant m'eus diwit. _

Thank you for putting the question into its proper perspective!


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## entropycity

Thank you once again Runan, you provide interesting ideas about the development of language: it is something in which I am interested and will perhaps seek further information from perhaps you and the Forum later on.

However I have examination papers to mark now and will return to this later in the year, but please consider this query closed and 'thank you' to everyone who contributed.

entropycity


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