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Archiver > QUEBEC-RESEARCH > 2009-11 > 1257785989


From: "Bev Thomson" <>
Subject: [Q-R] Fw: Translation Please
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 11:59:49 -0500


----- Original Message -----
From: Bev Thomson
To: Mona Andrée Rainville
Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 11:53 AM
Subject: Re: [Q-R] Translation Please


Hi Mona:
Thanks for your thoughts but I have to disagree w/your interpretation
re ".....snippet of text supplied for translation specifically describes
Anna as a half-black Metis..."
As Jackie showed it, the document shows the word as *Metisse*
(feminine for Metis) which translates to 'half-breed or half-bred'.
In the original text, as Jackie showed it, it *appears* that she
may have assumed & inserted the words "Semi Black". I, for one,
thought *possibly* the word should have been Metis (ref'ng to
the Native American's).
The fact is that we cannot compare/interpret what half-bred in
the 17th century meant as it might mean today.
Bev


----- Original Message -----
From: Mona Andrée Rainville
To: Bev Thomson
Cc: Quebec-research
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 4:49 PM
Subject: Re: [Q-R] Translation Please


Hi Bev,

We ALL agree that the word "metis" refers to natives of European parentage. (And not only in America, by the way.) That is not the point, here.

The snippet of text supplied for translation specifically describes Anna as a " 'half-black' métis".

From this bit, it is simply not possible to say whether Anna was in fact a "metis" or if she was a "mulato" instead, since both possibilities are suggested in the text.

So again, half-black is correctly translated by "mulato", not by "metis". And "metis" does not usually refer to a "half black" person.

Hope that clears it up for you,

Cheers,

Mona

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