Re: OT: Code-switching in music

On 10/9/07, li_sasxsek@nutter.net <li_sasxsek@...> wrote:
> "Oh say can you see by the dawn's early light ..... (mind goes
> blank)."  I'm not known for my patriotism anyway.
I was only teasing, not judging.  Far be it from me to question
anyone's patriotism or lack thereof; I mean, never mind the
no-cross-no-crown rule, it's just gauche.

But I do think the lyrics in question might make for an interesting
translation exercise.  Any takers?  It'll take some thought and mad
vocabulary creation on my end...

Allow me to reproduce the first verse here, with inserted prosaic punctuation:

Oh, say! Can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare - the bombs bursting in air -
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there!
Oh, say! Does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

--
Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>

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