Neil ([info]palinismyfav) wrote,
2006-08-15 21:39:00
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Pink pajamas - penguins on the bottom

I'm learning Kiswahili (commonly called "Swahili" in America) and I have been struck with some interesting similarities between it and the foreign language used in Disney's The Lion King:

* All of the sound combinations seem to be acceptable

* The Lion King is set in Africa, which is also where Kiswahili is spoken.

* At one point, Rafiki (the wise baboon mystic) says "Uh-Sahn-Tay Sah-Nah" which I know to mean "Thank you very much."

Of course, each song or utterance could use a different language or just be gibberish. The gibberish hypothesis is especially likely since English allows many of the same sound combinations as Kiswahili.

As my knowledge of Kiswahili grows, I hope to determine whether or not the language is Kiswahili and even translate the lyrics. Until I've learned enough, however, we will all be plagued by the questions:

Whose got their Ginsu?
Whose got their Ginsu?
Whose got their Ginsu?
Whose side are they on?

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  • 14 comments

[info]writer00

August 16 2006, 02:23:42 UTC 5 years ago

When you know more, I think you should translate Stairway to Heaven into Kiswahili and sing it to the kids. (And record it and send me a copy.)

[info]chevrelait

August 16 2006, 03:56:50 UTC 5 years ago

Dear God, Neil Francis Cox! I love you, and I am calling you tomorrow!

[info]chevrelait

August 16 2006, 03:57:50 UTC 5 years ago

P.S. - My blood type is A negative. Pretty sweet, eh?

[info]mlebuffy

August 16 2006, 05:49:32 UTC 5 years ago

I know for a fact that Kiswahili (or Swahili as we called it) is the language used for the Lion King lyrics. I've sang many renditions of Lion King songs, including medleys in both middle school and high school where the background parts sang "ooo," gibberish, and "Pink Pajamas..." when we could get away with it, BUT I did perform "Circle of Life" in a musical review where we sang the actual Swahili words. The part known round the globe as "Pink Pajamas Penguins on the Bottom" is actually "Hing wen yama, hing wen yama bana." (The spelling is probably off, just sound it out.) Our performance also included the full lyrics to a different part in the score, you might recognize when Simba is running through the desert as a grown up back to Pride Rock. I can't remember all of them, just random bits, but it begins "Busa le leezwebo, busa le leezwebo, busa le leezwebo, besoo busa go zolo...busa lo haba...isathikifikile, Busa Simba, Busa Simba (which means Run Simba, Run Simba), Hem y yo, Hem y yo, Hem why gosibo, Busa Simba yo..." Anyway, I don't know how helpful this is, or how true the lyrics actually are to Swahili, although my director claimed they were accurate and I trust Rob Henry. Let me know what you piece together.

[info]palinismyfav

August 16 2006, 21:47:25 UTC 5 years ago

The part where Simba is running across the is the part that, to me, sounds like "Whose got their Ginsu?"... Go team!

[info]spanishdoll23

August 16 2006, 11:38:53 UTC 5 years ago

Neil, I just wanted to let you know that you are the coolest and I miss you. I expect a full report on the Lion King lyrics when you finish translating them. It will make my life. :)

Anonymous

August 16 2006, 14:01:42 UTC 5 years ago

I outsourced my brain to Wikipedia.org

"One of the most famous phrases in Swahili is "hakuna matata" from Disney's "The Lion King" and "Timon and Pumbaa" cartoon series. It means "no problem" or "no worries" (literally: "there are no problems"). Disney's characters Simba and Rafiki also owe their names to Swahili, meaning 'lion' and 'friend' respectively."

[info]palinismyfav

August 16 2006, 21:51:25 UTC 5 years ago

Re: I outsourced my brain to Wikipedia.org

I totally forgot about "hakuna matata"! For those of you who are interested, "ha-" appears to be a negative prefix that alternates with "si-", but I don't yet understand the circumstances under which each prefix is preferred.

[info]peacefulcore

August 17 2006, 05:46:08 UTC 5 years ago

Hey,

I am going to Tanzania for PC. are you learning Kiswahili on your own to prepare. (I leave for Philly Sept 18, TZ Sept 20)

[info]palinismyfav

August 17 2006, 14:47:17 UTC 5 years ago

We're in the same group, although they haven't told me I'm going to Philly yet. I'm expecting the packet any day now.

Yes, I got Pimsleur Kiswahili just so that I could learn a little bit ("Yes", "No", "Hello", that sort of thing). I'm really looking forward to the whole thing. See you there!

[info]nobeardpete

August 17 2006, 20:01:09 UTC 5 years ago

Me too

I'm also going to Tanzania with the corps, to teach math. I haven't gotten my packet yet either. Fortunately, I already live in Philly. I wonder if my staging packet is going to include a token for the subway instead of a plane ticket.

I guess I'll meet the two of you in September!

[info]palinismyfav

August 18 2006, 21:39:31 UTC 5 years ago

Re: Me too

See you in a month!

[info]alannabear

August 20 2006, 19:06:48 UTC 5 years ago

I apparently have been under a rock and have never heard the "pink pajamas" translation. I laughed my tushie off.

EEEEE! Neil has an lj! WOOOT!

[info]etzelism

September 15 2006, 13:08:20 UTC 5 years ago

I was just rocking out the "pink pajamas" version the other day. Good luck over there, Neil!
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