25706: Raber: (Reply)Re: 25703: Joseph: (reply) (Mis)use of Haitian Creole terms (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: PM Raber <raber88@zoominternet.net>

from: raber88@zoominternet.net

"Se pa fot mwen" is often used in the context of an apology as in "I am
sorry, I did not mean to do it".   If a child pushes another child on
purpose and a parent forces them to apologize, he would say excuse me but
would not follow it with "se pa fot mwen".  Now if the same child is running
all around and accidently runs another child over they would say excuse me
with "sepa fot mwen".  Intent to cause harm or an accident makes a huge
difference (at least in peasant culture).   As an illustration, we had a
lady coming to help us around the house.  One day she was mopping and the
handle of the mop knocked a clock down that was hanging about 12 feet high.
She said "se pa fot mwen, the handle of the mop was too long".  We knew she
meant that as an excuse because she was just going about her work
energetically and never meant to cause that accident.   Since she never
meant to do it, she is not accountable for the accident but she is sorry it
happened.