Jinkli Nona ~ Lyrics & Meaning

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. The meaning of ' Jinkli Nona ' ~ according to kodrahkristang (via iG or instaGram) ~ at this link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BgRHwr2FHfm/ The "Jinkli Nona", a song about a man who wishes to wed a beautiful woman, is one of the most well known Eurasian folk songs in the community in Singapore. It is often accompanied with the Branyo, a classic Eurasian folk dance. The term "Jinkli" is believed to come from the word "Sinhalese", which transitioned into the word "Chingalee" and ultimately to "Jinkli". .

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. Lyrics: https://www.facebook.com/notes/keep-kristang-alive/jinkli-nona/975376472483689/ Jinkli Nona June 30, 2015 at 7:26pm Jinkli nona, jinkli nona yo kereh kazah kaza nunteng porta nona klai logu pasah? Teng kantu teng kantu teng falah nunteng amor, minya amor amor minya korasang O nona, minya nona Ki lonzi bos ta bai Si yo nungka tomah kon nona Nungka filu di mai pai O nona, minya nona O nona minya korasang si nona muitu bemfeta yo jah kai na-a-faesang Pedra, linya, agu diamanti di kualidade jah beng na minya brase pretu, brangku minya bontadi O nona, minya nona yo ta bai pa Telok Mas inkontrah floris cherozu cherah, cherah, kereh mas O nona minya nona sa kabelu restah chang akeli mesmu kabelu beng marah yo sa korasang O nona minya nona yo ta bai fikah soldadu si teng bos sa furtuna yo birah fikah kazadu. ===..

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. My Comment at: https://www.facebook.com/notes/keep-kristang-alive/jinkli-nona/975376472483689/  I found this YouTube Link to the song Jinkli Nona. I must say that this is probably the best version I've ever heard. JINGLING NONA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jQVinpqn3A . . Here are some comments about the song that I'd like to share. I am not fluent in the Kristang Dialect, knowing only a few words. As to '*Jinkli Nona*' meaning '*Sinhalese Girl*', that's only what I keep coming across to, so I can't say for sure if that what it really means. What I find interesting is the word-play in the song, very tongue-in-cheek, especially the 2 lines that go "*kaza nunteng porta nona / klai logu pasah*" which sounds like it has a double meaning. "*kaza nunteng porta nona / klai logu pasah*" literally means "*house no door girl / how to pass*". Without punctuation it opens up many translation possibilities with questions. Questions like, 'Whose house has no door?', 'The boy or girl?'. The word '*passah*' means pass and could actually mean an '*approval*' rather then a '*passage*'. Possibility 1: boy has no house, no door, so how to get approval ~ could mean that: '*a boy who is unable to afford a door to his house may not be fit for marriage. But in current times, this analogy could also be easily used for both boys & girls*'. Possibility 2:  girl's house has no door, so how to get approval ~ could mean that: '*a girl who has lost her virginity may not be fit for marriage (keeping in mind that virginity was very important in those days). But in current times, this analogy could also be easily used for both boys & girls*'. I find this song has very deep meaning and lessons to learn from and it's *'probably why it's sung at all Kristang Eurasian Weddings*'. .

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Kristang: Nus Kung Nus (Nos Kong Nos)

Own people, like family.

Nus Kung Nus

Nos Kong Nos

Nus = We

Kung = and / with

Nus Kung Nus

= We and / with We

= We and / with Ourselves

= Tahu Sama Tahu (Malay Equivalent)

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The Eurasian Mix

Names have been changed to protect the identities of persons involved.

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. The Eurasian Mix I just wanted to share my own experience to add to the recent news about Joseph Schooling being "foreign talent" and the Eurasians. Just yesterday, I was at the hospital for my normal appointment for a CT-Scan. I obviously don't fit this nurse's perception of what a Eurasian would look like. Since my info card says Eurasian with my surname Rodriquez, she looked at every person in the room, looking for one that would fit. When she looked at me, I smiled... but she turned away. After looking at everyone and giving up... she announced my name. I think she was looking for the 'Ang Mo' (Caucasian or European) looking type because there were already... Chinese, Malays and Indians in the room. It's a game for her. She does it with all the names. Trying to match the face to the name. But it gets tricky when a Eurasian is thrown in. The Eurasian is like a Joker in a card game where anything goes. All Eurasians know that we won't always look like our parents. I remember my Chinese choir master. In front of the whole choir (of about a 100 people) he told my daughter that his daughter's name is Alice. There were 2 Alice-s in the choir and he ask the 2 Alice-s to stand. One was Indian and the other was Chinese. He asked my daughter to guess, which is his daughter? When my daughter just smiled without answering, he turned to me. I told him that, in our family, she knows that it is possible that we don't have to look like our parents... and she's probably smiling... because she thinks the Indian girl could be his daughter.  I'll have to teach my daughter that it is not necessarily true for the "Other Races" (hmm... first time I'm using the term 'Other Races' in a different way... now the tables are turned). .

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. News Article http://www.straitstimes.com/news/sport/more-sport-stories/story/my-boy-joseph-true-son-singapore-says-colin-schooling-20140929 My boy Joseph is a true son of Singapore, says Colin Schooling PUBLISHED ON SEP 29, 2014, at 9:42 AM Incheon - Talk of Joseph Schooling being a "foreign talent" still baffles the swimmer and his parents Colin and May. Tell that to Colin and he will quickly rebut in Malay: "Nama saya Colin Schooling. Anak berna Singapura." ("My name is Colin Schooling, true son of Singapore.") The 66-year-old businessman was born in Singapore and is fluent in English, Malay and Hokkien. May, 59, a Chinese who hails from Ipoh in Malaysia, is a Singapore permanent resident and has lived here for over 30 years. Said Colin: "My grandfather was an officer in the British army. He came from England and married a local Portuguese-Eurasian. "But I was born here, so was my father. I see these comments many times on Internet forums. They say Joseph's father is an ang moh. "I say, don't forget Eurasians are part of the Singapore population. "The most important thing is we know who we are and what we are." Joseph - his only child - was also born in Singapore. The former Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student left for the United States five years ago at 14 to pursue his dream of winning a medal at the 2016 Olympics. Said Joseph: "It used to bother me. I see it sometimes on Facebook. I used to get p****d but now I ignore them. "They are just keyboard warriors so I just tune it out. "I'm just glad to get the opportunity to do my country proud," added the swimmer who bagged one gold, one silver and one bronze in the Incheon Asiad. Indeed, other than speaking with an American accent, an inevitable by-product of spending five years in the States, there is little to suggest that Joseph is not Singaporean. And after hanging out with his team-mates for a few days in Incheon, bits of Singlish crept into his conversations. "Hurry up, lah," he told Teo Zhen Ren, who had asked Joseph to take a picture of him in the Munhak Park Tae Hwan Aquatics Centre last Friday after the swimming meet ended. As for the Schooling name, Colin said it originated from the Mecklenburg region in Germany and was originally spelt Schilling. He had traced his lineage back to 1172 and said: "My great-great-grandparents were artisans to the British royal family. "And after the First World War, due to the anti-German sentiment in England, they changed it to Schooling, the same way Battenberg became Mountbatten." As for pronunciation, most people say "Schooling" as you would describe someone who is attending school, although some do call them "Shoo-ling". Said Colin: "It's up to the person who addresses us but we're not too bothered." Just do not call them ang moh. Chua Siang Yee .

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Photo Captions:

Joseph Schooling with his parents Colin and May after he won Singapore's first gold medal in the 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 Men's 100m butterfly event.

Joseph Schooling with his parents, Mary and Colin, in 2012.

Joseph Schooling (centre) with his parents during a victory ceremony at the 26th South-east Asian (SEA) Games in Palembang, Indonesia, in November 2011.

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Kristang Dictionary ~ by PGA (my Base Level)

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Update:
2010 Aug 22, 1829hrs
After some thought, I've decided to close this entry and continue on a seperate BLOG on this topic coz I suspect that there's going to be a lot of growing and it'll be too BIG for this BLOG... so watch this spot for the any updates...

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First Entry:
2010 Aug 22, 1554hrs

This entry is a dictionary entry reference of Kristang (Cristao or Cristão), a language my father spoke. He was a 2nd Generation Singapore-Eurasian of Portuguese descent.

I'll be using various sources to build this database, starting with words from my memory.

I'll also be using the resource of my Eurasian relatives & friends who still speak a little. I will also probably look for the actual Portuguese words from the internet that bears a close resemblance to Kristang.

I will accept comments and suggestions from any of my Eurasian (Kristang) readers, but I reserve the right to decide what stays and what goes... so send me your comments.

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English = Kristang (actual Portuguese word and spelling)
In {these brackets} will be the actual Portuguese word and spelling if it, sounds close to, and is applicable to Kristang.

Numbers:
one = un {um}
two = dois {dois}
three = tres {três}
four = quatro {quatro}
five = sentu {cinco}
(sorry, my dad said that he could only count to five in Kristang so that's all i know for now)

Yes & No:
yes = seng
no = nungka or ngka

Words:
already, done = ja {já}
and = kung or kong (see 'with')
bum, backside (ass) = ku {cu}
Christmas = Natal {Natal}
Christian = Kristang {Cristão} (see Eurasian)
cupboard = almeira {armário} ('almari' in Malay)
eat = kumi {comer}
enough = basta {basta}
Eurasian (of Portuguese Descent) = Kristang (see Christian)
father = pai {pai}
daughter = fila {filha}
dog = kachoru {cachorro}
done (see already)
don't have = nun teng {não têm}
door = porta {porta}
good = bong (see merry)
goodbye = bong kaminyu, adios
have, has, got = teng {ter, tem,)
he, she = ele {ele, ela}
heart = korasang (coração)
home = kasa {casa}
how, what if = klai {quelai}
how much = quantu {quanto}
how to = klailogu {como}
I = yo {eu}
Indian = Moru
knife = faka {faca}
love = amor {amor}
marry = kasar {casar}
merry = bong (see 'good')
Merry Christmas = Bong Natal
much = muito {muito}
mother = mai {mãe}
my, mine = minya {minha, mina}
no = nun {não}, nungka or ngka
parents = mai-pai (see mother & father)
pass = passar {passar}
plenty = tantu
problem = nada
grateful = grato {grato}
say = (see 'talk')
school = escola {escola}, ('sekolah' in Malay)
shit = kagak {cagar}
smelly = fedek
soldier = soldadu {soldado}
son = filo {filho}
speak = (see 'talk')
talk = falar {falar}
want = kere (quere, euquere = I want)
we = Nus or Nos
what if =  klai {quelai} (see 'how')
with = kung or kong (see 'and')

thanks, thank you = obri {obrigado, grato}, merceh
(note: my family uses 'obri', I suspect 'merceh' is a French connection)

you = bose {você, vós}
want = kere {querer}
white = branku {branco}
White Christmas = Natal Branku

(to build this from above slowly)
Kristang to English:
bong = good
bong bong = safe
seng = yes
nun {não} = no
nungka or ngka = no

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Sources:
http://translate.google.com/

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Translate (Google Online Software)

http://translate.google.com/

Very useful website to tranlate between various languages. You can do one word, a sentence, a paragraph... I've not tried an essay yet. They even provide MP3 to help with the pronunciation.

What I find interesting is the Portuguese Language. I helps to confirm the very few words I already know in Kristang (Portuguese spoken by Singaporeans-Eurasians of Portuguese descent). Here are some examples...

English = Portuguese (Kristang Pronunciation)
already = já
ass = cu (ku)
eat = comer (kumi)
dog = cachorro (kachoru)
don't have = não têm (nunteng)
door = porta
have, has, got = ter, tem, tem (teng)
heart = coração (korasang)
home = casa (kasa)
I = eu (yo)
love = amor
marry = casar (kasar)
my, mine = minha, mina (minya)
shit = cagar (kagak)
talk = falar
you = você, vós, (bose)
want = querer (kere)
etc... {wow! this is fun... I'm going to continue this in another entry...}

Eurasian Association (Singapore)

http://www.eurasians.org/


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New Eurasian Newsletter (Magazine)
http://www.eurasians.org.sg/media/new-eurasians-newsletter/
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Here's a sample of a 2010 Oct-Dec issue.
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