Notes on the French Element in FW_Aubert

8/6/2019 Notes on the French Element in FW_Aubert

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University of Tulsa

Notes on the French Element in "Finnegans Wake"Author(s): Jacques AubertSource: James Joyce Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Winter, 1968), pp. 110-124Published by: University of TulsaStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25486680Accessed: 16/11/2010 06:20

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Notes on the French Elementin FinnegansWake

by Jacques AubertStanislaus Joyce tells us that his brother was able to read Frenchat an early age, and Joyce spent more than twenty years in France atthe time he was writing Finnegans Wake. What we know of his lifeat that time suggests that, though he met a number of English-speakingwriters and artists, he kept in touch with the society in which he livedand which even tended to lionize him. The influence France could

not fail to exert is perceptible in most pages of the Wake, eitherthrough Joyce's use of the French language, which testifies to hisknowledge of it, or through a number of allusions to French civilization at large.1Indeed the reader of the Wake soon realizes that Joyce knewenough French to play on words which seem to be identical, at least

morphologically, in both languages; a number of these puns may beclear to English readers with an average knowledge of French, although slang may prove a difficulty. Objection may be made to moreor less obscene readings of words or sentences. But experience hastaught all readers of the Wake that overreading is definitely the lesserevil. As for allusions to French history, geography, folklore, literature,etc., I hope that some of them at least will be useful to Joyceans,either by making some sentences clearer, or by bringing grist to somemills.

The following list does not pretend to be exhaustive: a numberof references have probably been missed, and other might haveyielded more, or richer, allusions. On the other hand, itmay be tooexhaustive at times, listing obvious words and introducing wellknown characters. Such defeats are difficult to avoid in this type ofstudy. The aims of the present article are limited, not only in thatit covers only the first 26 pages of Finnegans Wake, but also becauseconclusions, however necessary, must wait until more material hasbeen brought to light.1My warmest thanks are due to Professor Hayman for reading the manuscript of thisarticle and offering a number of very useful suggestions.

3.04 Sir TristramOf course the Tristan and Iseult legend is common to Franceand to other Celtic countries. The theme has already been examined in detail, in particular by C. Hart in Structure and Motifand by Pr. Hayman in "Tristan and Isolde in Finnegans Wake; a

no


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study of the sources and the evolution of a theme," ComparativeLiterature Studies, Vol. I No. 2, 1964; see also: Hayman, "Thedistribution of the Tristan and Isolde notes under "Exiles" in theScibbledehobble," A Wake Newslitter, Vol. II, No. 5, Oct. 1965.We shall simply refer the reader to these studies.violer dfamores

"viol," "violer" + "viole d'amour."04-05 passencore

"pas encore" + "passe encore" . . . (well and good . . .)+ "passer." See also A Wake Newslitter, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 2-3,for sexual meaning of "une passe."06 his penisolate warThe Peninsular War, "La Guerre d'Espagne": Napoleon's firstmeeting with Wellington.12 sosie

Atherton (The Books at the Wake p. 268) quite rightly identifiesSosie, the character in Moli?re's Amphitryon. This play; partlycopied on Jean de Rotrou's LesSosies (1638), is centered on Sosie,who spends his time talking and complaining, and often unconsciously parodies the ornate style of some XVIIth centuryauthors. On the other hand Plautus, who created the type in hisown Amphitryon, insisted on the adultery theme. It seems that,beside the obvious reduplication theme, both sources had something to contribute to the opening paragraphs.15 ?tonner r?See infra 9.23.4.01-17

(Here are a few additions to Campbell and Robinson's commentary:)01 oystrygods gaggin fishy godsThis is an allusion to the battle of the Catalaunian Fields (A.D.451), when Attila and the Ostrogoths were beaten by Aetius supported by theWisigoths. Cf 266.24-26 ere commence commencement catalaunic when Aetius check chokewill AttiVs gambit. It wasa sort of rehearsal of "La Bataille de Champagne" (bottle ofchampagne?) in World War I. . . .03 Baddelaries"badelaire" (a short broad sword) is the normal spelling of"baudelaire" when used in heraldry. Cf 22.36 bandolair. Joyce

certainly took pleasure in sending the reader on the (false?) trackof the French poet.04 Malachus MicgrainesI am a little doubtful about Hayman's identification of Mallarm? here (Joyce etMallarm?, II, p. 115); This at least is beyonddoubt: "migraine"=headache, and "micraine" (or "migraine")=a sort of handgrenade (cf Rabelais, Pantagruel, III, Prol.).Verdons

The Verdons is a tributary of the Durance (199.10 durance),itself a tributary of the Rh?ne (210.32 Arhone); it is famous forits canyons. The Arc (?3.13) is another river in the same region.But in this martial context we must bear in mind that "verdun"is not only the name of a famous battle inWorld War I, but also


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112 JAMES JOYCE QUARTERLY

an old French word (which Joyce may have discovered inRabelais III, Prologue) for a long narrow sword (as opposed to"baudelaire") formerly manufactured at Verdun. Note also that"verd?n" was a towing-line, and "Happe le verd?n!" the cry ofthe boatman to his mate when touching land; this may have directreference to Tristan's landing in "North Armorica."07 sanglorians

"sang" + "sanglot" + "sans gloire."Larms "larures"=vears?09 tegotetabC. Hart suggests "t?te ? t?te" (Structure and Motif p. 223).14 Iseut?

See note on 3.04.17 pharce

Includes "phare" (lighthouse), probably the Baily Lighthouse onHowth. The spelling ph for / may also owe something to AlfredJarry (1873-1907) who, in Ubu-Roi, used to spell "finance,""phynance."32 ChildericCf Glasheen A Second Census to FW. See also infra 25.01.

35 maisonryThe various meanings of "maison" are also those of "house"; theuse of the French word enables Joyce to include both "genealogy"and "astrology" (cf 1.36 skyerscape) in Finnegan's activities. Notethat "mahon" (cf MacMahon) is an old northern form of "maison."36 most eyeful hoyth entowerlyThe Eiffel Tower. Cf TLS, Sept. 27, 1963.

5.03 larrons o'toolers"larron"=thief. Used especially in connection with Christ'scompanions on Calvary, or in some proverbial expressions.tombles ? buckets"il en tombe ? seaux"=it's raining in buckets.

07-troublant=disturbing (?).Of course the vocabulary of heraldry is predominantly of French origin. But the word here is of Joyce's own

creation.07-11 Pr. Hayman (op. cit., II, p. 140) suggests that Finn's coat of armsis actually Mallarm?'s faun's.08 His scutschum fessed

"fesses"=buttocks; hence "fesser." The normal French equivalent of Eng; fesse (i.e. "an ordinary formed by two horizontallines drawn across the middle of the field and usually containingbetween them one third of the escutcheon" (OED)), is fasce. Forother puns on the same theme, see 85.30 making fesses immodstand 46L02 F11 dubeurry my two fesees.13-18 and 26Pr. Hayman (ibid. p. 144) suggests an allusion to Mallarm?'s"Coup de D?."31 carhacksIn view of stonengens (same line), may be an allusion to the


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megaliths at Carnac in Brittany, which Joyce saw in the summerof 1924.6.04 his ville06-07 a roof for may and a reef for hugh butt under his bridge suitstony "coucher sous les ponts"=to be homeless, with referenceto the "clochards" (tramps) sleeping under the bridges.19 agrog

"grog"=toddy.24 bierNote that in French "bi?re" is both "beer" and "bier."

26 bockalipsA "bock"=a beer-glass; also an irrigator. There may also be anallusion to the "Brasserie Lipp" in the Boulevard St. Germain, justopposite "Les Deux Magots" (cf 562.21 two maggots). Otherliterary caf?s, real or fictional, are mentioned in the Wake, e.g.,372.12 Caf? B?ranger; 554.03 my priccoping gents ("Le Procope,"founded in the XVIIIth century, was still famous in the days ofHuysmans, Verlaine, Fran?ois Copp?e and Anatole France.)

32 peep, see, at Horn"Homme."

7.01, 12-13, 17For a possible analogy with "Un Coup de D?," see Hayman,op. cit., p. 209.

24 reekierags"Rie et Rae," a very popular weekly of the thirties. Also 254.15Ricqeracq?: cf "Le mau fin feu [erysipelas] de ricqueracque, aussimenu que poil de vache, tout renforc? de vif argent, vous puisseentrer au fondement" (Rabelais, II, Prol.).

29 The crank head"crane"=skull.33 this belles' alliance"La Belle Alliance"=the name of a farm occupied by the center of the French army atWaterloo, and also the name used by thePrussians for the battle itself. Cf 144.12 his belle alliance. "Alliance" = (also) wedding-ring.beyind 111Sixty"L'IU":=a tributary of the Rhine.

8.02-03 the charmful waterloose countryWaterloo.06-07 Redismembers invalids of old guardPensioners from the "Vieille Garde" lived in the "Hotel des

Invalides," where sightseers may visit Napoleon's mausoleum.07 pousse pousse pousseypram

"un poussepousse"=a rickshaw"une poussette"=a pushchairthe sort of their buttA variation on son of a Butt (302.12-13)="fils de pute"=son of a bitch. See also 13.14.15 Fine!In view of 1.17 white horse, may be "fine champagne," but I admitthis is doubtful. Here are a few other brands of spirits:


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38.05 Grand Cur "Grand Marnier" -J- "Vieille Cure"83.36 cognac101.29 izarres "izarra"105.17 Anisette "anisette"206.35 prunella "prunelle"248.33 Blanche de Blanche "blanc de blanc" + "blanche" (=dial, for "marc" (!) =white brandy)249.03 viewmarc (and of "vieux marc" (!)course any mark)

348.13 absents wehrmuth "absinthe-vermouth"452.17 b?n?dictine "b?n?dictine"464.17 absintheminded "absinthe" and its effects.550.32-33 Mrs Pruny-Quetsch"eau de vie de prune/quetsch"15-16 the triplewon hat of Lipoleum

Napoleon's legendary hat.18 grand and magenticMagenta, the battle (1859) which earned Macmahon his titleof Duke of Magenta. Note that Macmahon was famous for his(Irish) bulls. The following is quite relevant to the Wake: on avisit to South West France after very severe floods, the only thinghe could say was "Que d'eau! Que d'eau!": cf the "Water, Water"motif in FW, and 12.07-08. Another reference to Macmahon ison 540.16 here which ye see, yea reste, an echo of his "j'y suis, j'yreste," when asked to lease the powder-magazine at Malakof(note theMagazine Wall theme).It seems to me that ^Napoleon III and his reign are far moreimportant inFW than has hitherto been recognized, as other reference will show (e.g. 133.33-39 the second imperial, "Le Second

Empire"). I think that as a "second Napoleon," he may be continually lurking behind his ancestor, and illustrating the resurrection theme. See also infra 8.30; 8.25 etc.19 quarterbras woody shoes

"Quatre-Bras," near Waterloo.22 grouchingMarshal Grouchy (cf Census) -f ? "grognard" (see also 177.17-18)25 argaumuntL?on Gaumont (1864-1946), one of the first cinemen (6.18). In1895, invented the chronophotograph, a sort of movie-camera.Very soon launched a firm for the industrial processing of films.Created film-studios in France, then in the USA (1911). Attemptsat talking pictures (1902) and colour films (1912). Left his nameto a well-known film firm.the petty lipoleumSee also 9.36. Joyce had probably inmind Hugo's famous attackon Napoleon III, Napoleon le Petit (1852); Hugo also wroteHistoire dun Crime (1852) on the same theme, and itmay be oneof the overtones of some allusions to crime and Crimea in

Finnegans Wake.For the use of "petty" in relation with Napoleon, note the allusions to Napoleon's nicknames: 332.21 the petty tondur "Le PetitTondu" and 336.24 petty corporelezzo "Le Petit Caporal."26 Assaye, assaye!


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"Essaie!" + "Assaille!" + "Assez!"29 The Grand Mons Injun"Le Mont St Jean." See also 359.34 Mount Saint John.30 crimealine of the alpsDoes Joyce mean that crime, if not Crimea, is a link betweenNapoleon I and Napoleon III, because it pursues both in theirnightmares (G. Alp)? Anybody, both had to cross the Alps in theearly stages of their Italian campaigns.33 The jinnies is a cooin her handAs will be seen more clearly from subsequent examples, Joycecertainly knew the sexual meaning of Fr. slang "coup." (pronounced "cou" or "coo").34 the Willingdone git the band up

"bander"=have an erection. See following sentence.9.01 me BelchumNote that Belgium, or rather Belgians, provide another link between France and Ireland. The followling note, quoted by FritzSenn in his study of Macpherson (A Wake Newslitter April 1966),is relevant here: "The southern parts of Ireland went, for sometime, under the name of Bolga, from the Firbolg or Belgae ofBritain, who settled a colony there." (Temora II, 242n); Joyceseems to have used the information on 329.14, according toMr Senn. But of course those Belgae themselves were former in

habitants of northern Gaul. . . .06 fontannoyBattle of Fontanoy (1745): French soldiers and Irish Wild Geesefought against the English. See also 212.14 Fountainoy Laura;58.23 fire first shotMissiers theRefusileers is probably an allusionto the famous dialogue between Comte d'Auteroche and CaptainLord Charles Hay.07 agincourtingBattle of Agincourt (Fr. Azincourt) (1415).13 SalamangraBattle of Salamanca (1812). Wellington in command.Cherry jinnies"Cher" or "ch?ri" suggests the beginning of a letter (cf 1.14)14 Damn fairy ann, Voutre"Ca ne fait rien. Votre." See also A Wake Newslitter Feb. 1966,p. 15, for a note on the dispatches by David Cohen.But Voutre is also "Foutre!", an oath, from SI. "foutre" (semen)(?cf infra 1.19-20 Canon Futter). Apparently the first French oathin the Wake. Here are a few others, either plain or distorted.9.23 Tonneree!12.08 fhotel "Flute!"; see also 343.36 Flute!146.20 nomme dengien "Nom d'un chien!"229.02-03 Nom de plume! "Nom de. . .!" + "nom de plume"251.27 Soot allows "Zut alors!". Cf also 321.30 Zoot!151.31 Myrrdin aloer!253.36 moreblue "Morbleu!"285 L Nom de nombres "Nom de nom!"291.17 nom de Lieu "Nom de Dieu!"292.08 par my fay "Par ma foi!"473.17 Va faotre! "Va te faire foutre!"


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15 tic for tac"du tic au tac"=tit for tat17 footing the camp"foutre le camp"=run away19-20 Canon FutterSee supra note on 1.14.20 his hundred days' indulgence"Les Cent Jours" (March-July 1815)23 Tonnnerre!See 3.15-16 and supra 1.14.25 solphereens in actionBattle of Solferino (1859), three weeks after Magonta (see 8.18).26 AlmeidagadAlmeida, in NE Portugal, taken by the French in 1810, then

recaptured by the allied British and Portuguese forces.27 Cumbrum!General Cambronne (cf Census).27-32According to Pr. Hayman (op; Cit. p. 139), this passage con

tains echos from Mallarm?.28 ouster listsBattle of Austerlitz (1805).31 tankyou silvoor plate"s'il vous plait." Cf 290.23 il you plait.32 Poor the pay!Pour le pays!" + "Pour la paie!" (i.e. for money)

bissmarkBismarck isNapoleon Ill's Wellington. History repeats itself ("bis").33-34 This is theWillingdone branlish his same mor mortal tallow scoopEdouard Branly (1844-1940), French physicist. A notable inventorin the field of wireless telegraphy. Also SI. "branler" ^masturbate.

34-35 Sophy-Key-Po"sauve qui peut." Hart's "Index of Motifs" goes on with 222.10Sauvequipeu (which unmistakably includes the old joke "(mais) onpeut peu") and 459.03 solve qui pu. I think w? may add 412.28safty quipu (? + "puer"=stink).35-36 Gambariste delta porcaGiambattista d?lia Porta (cf Atherton, op. cit., p. 244). Thedistortion of Giambattista into -ariste may be an allusion to twocharacters created by Moliere (another notable Jean-Baptiste). But

in Les Femmes Savantes Ariste is a minor character only, characterized for his benevolence for a couple of young lovers. Theprotagonist of L'Ecole des Maris has some relevance to the Wake:this Ariste is an old man who plans to marry his ward, Leonor.The match is a success in the end because he is sweet-tempered andsensible. His brother Sganarelle, on the contrary, fails with Isabelle(!) because he is a tyrant.The distortion of Porta into porca (Fr. "pore") is quite appropriate in the case of an old man with an interest in young girls.10,05 lipsygBattle of Leipsig (1813), sometimes referred to as "La Batailledes Nations."


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14 insoultMarshall Soult, chief of staff at Waterloo.15 Hney, hney, hney!Marshall Ney, in command of the left wing.36 ontorsed?"se faire une entorse"=to sprain one's ankle.11.01-02 de baccle"debacle" may also mean "diarrhoea."22-23 masses of shoesets and nickelly nacks"chaussettes" definitely point to "Les Pieds Nickel?s" (3 innumber, like the soldiers in the park, and far from respectable),title heroes of a French comic strip, who gave their name to achildren's magazine of the thirties. SI. "Avoir les pieds nickel?s"=be lazy.24-25 ills and ells"us" and "elles."25 pleures of bells"pleurs de belles"; cf 1.33 all plores for us; and supra 4.07Arms apeal with larms.30 historic present

May be "present historique": in Latin and French, the presenttense when used instead of the preterite ("pass? simple") to givemore vividness to the narrative.34 a naperon

"napperon"?traycloth.her sabboes kicking arias"sabots"=wooden shoes, cf 8.19 woody shoes. In a chapter in

which Brittany is prominent, Joyce may have in mind an oldFrench song beginning with "C'?tait Anne de Bretagne, duchesseen sabots. . .,"which conveniently links ALP with Armorica. Butthis may be a little far-fetched.12.08 (flootef)Cf supra 9.14. But also "flotte," i.e. 1) fleet 2) SI. water, rain.11 all a turfwoman can to piff the business on

SI. "pif'=nose and "piffer"=smell.21 collines35-36 as he lays dormount from the macroborg of Holdhard to the

microbirg of Pied de Poudre.Dormont, as Pr. Hayman rightly suggests, is a sleeping mountain;but I feel there is a dormouse as well; and the whole situationmakes me think of the French saying, which Joyce may haveremembered, about "la montagne qui accouche d'une souris," thedisappointment following excessive expectations.I agree with Pr. Hayman: Pied de Poudre sounds very much likeSt Jean-Pied-de-Port, in the Pyr?n?ss. It was my first guess too;but I must say I find little to support it.

13.07 engravure"gravure"=engraving. A deliberate and seemingly gratuitous introduction of a French form.

11-12 He is only pr?tendant to be stuggingA deliberate use of a French verbal form, this time with a purpose: "pretendant"=l) pretender 2) suitor.


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14 the old butte new? "La Butte," i.e. Montmartre. For other overtones, see 8.07and 302.13. Joyce probably suggests a parallel between Paris andDublin, with Montmartre standing for Howth, the Eiffel Tower(04.36) for the Nelson Pillar, etc. . . .32 fassilwise"facilement"

33 Men like to ants or emmets wondern upon a groot"grotte"=cave. See infra 15.33.14.08 Puppette=Dolly: "poup?e"=doll.24-military and civil engagementNote that Fr. "engagement" means also "voluntary enlistment."29 lift we our ears"dresser roreille"=to prick up one's ears.30 how paisibly eirenical"paisible" is a direct borrowing from the Quinet sentence, whichis paraphrased in the following lines (Hart Structure and MotifCh. VIII).31 our fredeland's plainBattle of Friedland (1807).35-36 Since the bouts of Hebear and Hairyman"bouts," like "pine 1.32 supra, is Fr. SI. for "penis." I think thefollowing reference makes clear that Joyce knew the word: 242.1415 with two purses agitatating his theopot with wokklebout. Seealso Mercier The Irish Comic Tradition p. 50, on the old phallic

wake game of that name.15.09-10 buttonholes have quadrilled

"quadrille was not only a dance, but a card game. Like "ombre"(24.36 the ombre players), itwas played with forty cards, the eights,nines and tens not being used. Both games of course refer to ALP(whose symbolic number is forty), and to the February girls, as1 plus 2 plus 3 plus 4 plus 5 plus 6 plus 7=28. Joycean numerologists may well find food for thought here!14-15 potty fool fiansees"Parlez-vous fran?ais?"16 the brune

17 the duncledamesAnindirection based on SI. "tante"=a male homosexual. Cf250.13 tantoncle and 376.16 Aunt as unclish ams they make oom(where the homosexual situation is clearly stated).

18 Who ails tongue coddeau, aspace of dumbillsilly?"O? est ton cadeau, esp?ce d'imb?cile?"=Where is your present,you silly fool?21 shy faun loversThis may be a reference to Le Marrage de Chiffon, a sentimentalnovel by Gyp, published in 1894. There are analogies with MarkIseult situation. Chiffon is the nickname of Coryse d'Avesnes, ayoung girl whose widowed mother has married one M. de Bray(sic). The household also includes Oncle Marc, an elderly relativeon the mother's side. Chiffon gradually falls in love with Marcand, after rejecting several younger suitors, marries him.


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Cull me? "cul" etc....24 Lave? "laver"

33 mousteriousJoyce may have been aware of the etymology of "mousterian,"from Le Moustier (an old form of "monast?re"), near les Eyzies,in Perigord, perhaps the groot on 13.33. This is consistent with10.30 piltdowns and 1815 astoneaged and 22 meandertale: see

note on 20.07 cromagnom.36 the rampious riots of pouriose and (16.01) frorioseThese are anglicised versions of "pluvi?se" and "frimaire." Joycedoes not seem to have made systematic use of the RepublicanCalendar, unless some Joycean can fill the gaps in the following

list:(Autumn) "vend?miaire" ?"brumaire" 502.19 brum airsighs; ? 9.26 Brum"frimaire" 16.01 froriose; 549.14 frimosa(Winter) "niv?se" ?"pluvi?se" 15.36 pouriose; 18.31 pourquose (?)(?) 451.36 pluvious"vent?se" 221.30 ventholes

(Spring) "germinal" 134.13 Germinal; 354.35 germinal"floreal" 406.36 flor?al"prairial" 407.01 prairial(Summer) "messidor" ?"thermidor" 406.36 thermidor''"fructidor" ?

16.03 Cave!"cave"=cellar, not cave. "Ann?e cave" =Iunar year of 353 days."Lune cave," mois cave"=a lunar month (29 days). Cf 10.29?04-05 Come on, full porterfull, hosiered women blown monk sewer?"Comment vous portez-vous aujourd'hui, mon blond monsieur?".Note that Joyce manages to play even on stock-phrases borrowedfrom foreign languages: here, "mon bon monsieur."06-07 N ... Nn. .. Nnn . . . Nnnn . . .

Napoleon's monogram.20 surd"sourd." Cf 1.12-13.

33 Lou?e, louee!Among other things, "l'ouie" (hearing).17.02 Minnikin passeSee our note in A Wake Newslitter Vol. I, No. 3.06 the brookcells=Bruxelles (French spelling and pronunciation.12 Brian dof LinnMay contain a reference to Aristide Briand, French statesman(1862-1932), famous for his efforts to preserve peace in Europe.13 beuraly"beurre" (cf same line the oil and honey of the holocaust).14-15 patwhat

"patois"


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18 this albutisleA literal translation of "presqu'?le"; see also 56.28 presquesmtle.19 plaineThe final -e is definitely FrenchhunfreeAttica's defeat again21-22 droit of signoryOf course this sounds French: "droit de seigneurie"; but noreference book provides a clue.23 Finishthere Punct"Pointe du Finist?re."24 mearmerge

? "mer."25 eraching"cracher" + "crachin"=drizzle. Cf 1.27 plage; 1:32 Llarge(="le large," the open sea.)29 tombed

18.01 fZmordeOne of the many forms of the "mot de Cambronne" in theWake. See Concordance and also: 17.30; 90.34 (where Meirdrachmay owe something to Jarry's "Merdre!" in Ubu-Roi); 365.35;374.01; 375.10; 479.7-9.31 the pourquose of which was to cassay the earthcrust"le pourquoi (de l'affaire, de la chose)" + "Et pour cause!"

(=No wonder!) "casser"19.01 so ptee

"petit." A phonetic rendering of colloquial pronunciation.02 cued peteet peasA stage Englishman's rendering of "petits pois cuits."14 Toucheaterre"toucher terre" (=to land + "touche ? tout" (=busybody).Note that SI. "(se) toucher"=masturbate.15 pomefructs"pomme" + "fruits"23 ivergraineHere again the final -e looks French.24-25 liberorumqueue to conFrom male (SI. "queue") to female (SI. "con") genitals.28 littlesons

A literal translation of "petit-fils" (=grandson). The Frenchis the exact reverse of the English. . . .20.07 his cromagnom charter

"Cro-Magnon." In 1868, four skeletons were discovered at CroMagnon, again near les Eyzies (could this name account for theassociation of "easy" with HCE, e.g. on 23.04?), already mentioned in connection with 15.33. They seemed to belong to arace, not of giants, but at least of very tall men. They are "associated with aurignacian culture" (EB). See 153.21 aurignacian.The final m suggests "magnum"=a double champagne bottle."Un gros magnum" is certainly what a giant needs. Note that a"j?roboam," i.e. a bottle four times as big as a "magnum" is

mentioned on 558.15. There are many other references, either


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direct or allusive, to champagne. Here are a few brands: 462.10peepcdr of hideseeks (=Piper Heidsieck); 569.28 Mumm; 382.09imperial dry.08 titingfastThe context points to Tint?n, the children's magazine. See also359.27 To Become Tintinued.08-09 rubricked out of the wordpress"rubrique des sports," "rubrique financi?re," etc. ... in a

newspaper=the sport section, the financial page, etc. . . .26 he begay began"b?gayer" =: to stutter.29 of a pomme full grave and a fammy"pomme" + "homme" "femme" + "affam?"30 levity

Following a suggestion of Fritz Senn, I think the word may include SI. "le vit"=penis.31 Malmarriedad"mal mari?" Pr. Hayman (op. cit. p. 119) suggests "Mallarm?."

32 frisque"frisque" (rather obsolete)=brisk.frasques

"frasques"=pranks. See 21.15 and the whole episode of thePrankquean. "Fric-frac" is not only an onomatopoeia, but SI. for"housebreaking"; it is also the title of a highly successful comedyon this theme, by Edouard Bourdet (1887-1945), first performedin 1936.pyrrhique

Another deliberate introduction of a French spelling.33 Maye faye, she's la gaye"Ma foi!" (a mild interjection). Cf 292.08 par my fay (="parma foi!")34 valentineCould this Valentine have something to do with M. Chevalier'ssong?35 Flou"flou"=loose (clothes); blurred (image).21.02 veeny teeny? "venez, tenez."

Comsy see!"comme ceci!"

03 the corne entreats"corne" carries most of the meanings and implications of"Horn". ..07 mountinottyMontenotte in Liguria, where the French defeated the Austrianstwice, in 1794 and 1796.17 And spoke she to the dour in her petty perusienneObviously a female, talkative version of "Le Petit Parisien," avery popular daily (1876-1944) with a circulation of one millionin 1939. It had become prominent in the days of AffaireDreyfus, and increased its circulation after 1919 when it was one

of the first French papers to send reporters all over the world.


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26-27 her forty years' walk in Tourlemonde"Tours du Monde en Quarante Jours" were widely advertised inParis before World War I.33 pinafrondMay contain a reference to "La Fronde," the civil war whichtook place during the early years of Louis XIV's reign, when hewas still a child. Note that SL "pine"=penis.34 the bar of his bristolryAlmost every town in France has a "Hotel Bristol." They aresaid to be named after that famous traveler, Frederick AugustusHarvey, Bishop of Deny, fourth Earl of Bristol, (1730-1803).22.14 Turnlemeem

"le m?me"24 belove"below" pronounced by a Frenchman.28 she made her wittest in front of the arkway of trihump"L'Arc de Triomphe," under which a flame is burning on theUnknown Soldier's grave. See 27.13.32 dames36 bandolairCf 73.17X bandol. Both may refer to Bandol, a small seasideresort near Toulon, best known for its wine. Cf also 4.03 for a

reference to "baudelaire"23.01 cumbottes"bottes."04 he ordurd

Fr. "ordure" is a noun, not a verb.08 his armour"amour" + "Armor" (=Brittany),10 flamend"flamand"=(Flemish)22 mous

? "mousse"=moss26-27 they trompe him with their trompesOf course "to trump (at cards." But Fr. "trompe"=trunk (of

elephant) and "tromper"=to deceive. Hence the old joke "Un?l?phant, ?a /sa trompe," which Joyce probably knew.36 pleinBeside the ordinary meaning, SI. "plein"=drunk.24.01 to play cashcash

"jouer ? cache-cache"=to play hide and seek (q.v. Cf alsoHeidsieck). Also: 149.21 cashcash, 502.28 Catchecatche and451.19 cash-and-cash-can-again.04-05 his auspice for the living

"hospice"=old people's home: see context, especially 1.16-17.05 that dragon volant"dragon volant"=pi?ce d'artillerie de 32 livres de balles." Notethat "dragon" carries heraldic and astronomical associations.27 its neighbour enfranchisable field"infranchissable"=impassable + "en franchise" (duty-free).32 all you want, pouch, gloves, flask, bucketAll you want may be a literal translation of "tout ce que vous

voulez," i.e. "n'importe quoi," anything.


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JACQUESAUBERT 123

"Briquet"=lighter; also a short sword, in use in the French armyuntil 1831.36 the ombre players'Theatre d'ombres" + "les ombres" (the dead) + "ombre" (acard game), for which see 15.09; note that at ombre cards weredealt three by three.

25.01 fenians"Littr? points out that Fr. "fenian" is "une forme bourguignonnede fain?ant" (and its vulgar variant "feignant," which sounds exactly like Anglo-Irish "fenian.")The etymology ("faire" + "n?ant") of this self-contradictoryword, which at the time carries overtones of creation ex nihilo,must have been fascinating to Joyce. That he did not miss the opportunities it offered is apparent from the following quotations:131.09 first of the fenians, rio des fain?ants, which includes anallusion to "Les Rois Fain?ants," i.e. the last of the Merovingiankings. Childeric I and II, mentioned on 4.32, tough Merovingians,are not considered as "fain?ants."254.20 Finnfinn the Faineant546.18 roberoyed with the faineans04 Mielodories

Includes "miel"=honey. See 1.05-07 honey . . . the food forglory: Napoleon's emblem was the bee.16 monument"monument," but also "maniement"=handling.32 faunayman? Maliarm?'s faun. (Hayman, op. cit. p. 140).

26.10-13 ? See Hayman, p. 191.16 LaffayetteThe Liffey + Lafayette.27.11 bourseday"bourse"=purse, in more than one meaning. "La Bourse"=the Stock Exchange. See also 28.32.13 a tourch of ivy"tour" suggests "tower" (of ivory?).13-14 to rekindle the flame on Felix DayFollowing a tradition established after World War I, ex-servicemen and other patriotic organizations rekindle the flame ("raniment (!) la flamme") on the Unknown Soldier's grave on specialoccasions such as the 11th of November.As for the twisting of Phoenix into Felix, I think it includes anallusion to Felix Faure (1841-1899), President of the French Re

public, who is said to have died while in the arms of his mistress;hence his association with the life-and-death, death-in-life theme.See also 346.36 Phailinx first and Ulysses 43.15 Felix Faure, knowhow he died.16 Pia de PurebelleThis sounds suspiciously like one of the aristocratic fancynames often chosen by music-hall artists and cocottes at the turnof the century. See 1.17-20.20 tabarine tamtammers


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Documents

Notes on the French Element in FW_Aubert