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Sausages Posted 18 years ago
Jokes, Puzzles & Riddles
The Life Aquatic
Working with a bit of translation on the brilliant Wes Anderson movie The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, I've come across the fictional harbor Port-au-Patois. I will not be translating this for the screen text, but reading a bit about the movie, I came across several reviews, commentaries and so on mentioning this name as being funny and special in some way, but I can't seem to grasp its significance. I presume we're talking about some pun or play on words that I just don't get. What gets to me is that whenever some reviewer mentions the name, (s)he never offers further explanation. I feel that the trees must be obstructing my view of the forest, so to speak.
The only expression I can think of as being even remotely close is 'pret-a-porter', but, well, that's not very good - pronunciation-wise or funny-wise.
Can someone help me out?
The only expression I can think of as being even remotely close is 'pret-a-porter', but, well, that's not very good - pronunciation-wise or funny-wise.
Can someone help me out?
Top answer
Hi, I haven't seen the move, but perhaps the humour derives from the meaning of 'patois', ie a non-standard local dialect. ie Port-au-Patois - a stereotypical island community where all of the locals talk in a funny way? On paper, this does not sound very amusing.
- Hi, I haven't seen the move, but perhaps the humour derives from the meaning of 'patois', ie a non-standard local dialect.
- ie Port-au-Patois - a stereotypical island community where all of the locals talk in a funny way?
- On paper, this does not sound very amusing.
- Best wishes, Clive
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3 Answers
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Hi,
I haven't seen the move, but perhaps the humour derives from the meaning of 'patois', ie a non-standard local dialect.
ie Port-au-Patois - a stereotypical island community where all of the locals talk in a funny way?
On paper, this does not sound very amusing.
Best wishes, Clive
I haven't seen the move, but perhaps the humour derives from the meaning of 'patois', ie a non-standard local dialect.
ie Port-au-Patois - a stereotypical island community where all of the locals talk in a funny way?
On paper, this does not sound very amusing.
Best wishes, Clive
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Thank you, Clive.
I thought about that as well, but it just struck me as being not very clear or funny enough that so many commentators had to single it out from the movie's proverbial scattershot of crazy references like this one.
On the other hand, one commentator called the choice of the name Port-au-Patois 'sophomoric', so it may be just that.
I thought about that as well, but it just struck me as being not very clear or funny enough that so many commentators had to single it out from the movie's proverbial scattershot of crazy references like this one.
On the other hand, one commentator called the choice of the name Port-au-Patois 'sophomoric', so it may be just that.
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The French pronunciation aside, the spelling is reminiscent of port-a-potties. Sophomoric yet simultaneously subtle. - JF
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