La coiffe est une chaudière blanche.

English translation: a white head wrap

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:La coiffe est une chaudière blanche.
English translation:a white head wrap
Entered by: Bashiqa

11:15 Nov 19, 2012
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Anthropology / Slavery and clothing
French term or phrase: La coiffe est une chaudière blanche.
i'm well aware that this is NOT a white boiler placed on the head, but the translation is only slightly less mystifying than the "gaule chaudière" in a previous question.
TIA for your contributions and references. This morning is becoming a serious learning session.
Chris.
Bashiqa
France
Local time: 14:35
a white head wrap
Explanation:
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/head-wraps?before=1329614786

http://mypersonalblogccm.blogspot.fr/2009_11_01_archive.html

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Note added at 1 hr (2012-11-19 12:48:59 GMT)
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Or "tignon":

'Faustin described Creole culture as an amalgam of language, couture, style, cuisine and mannerisms, giving examples along the way.
“The Creole attire is a dead giveaway: The white dress and shirts, and the tignon (head wrap) which makes a statement on the status of the woman —whether she is engaged, married, or single—just by the way it is tied. The bigger the wrap, the bigger the status of the woman.”'
http://www.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2011/09/12/amid-brillian...

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Note added at 1 hr (2012-11-19 12:49:20 GMT)
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2011/09/12/
amid-brilliance-mas-creole-pride-makes-statement
Selected response from:

B D Finch
France
Local time: 14:35
Grading comment
Despite my earlier comments, i have to give you the points. thanks for your answer and discussion points.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2a white head wrap
B D Finch
3 +1A white chaudière headdress
Sian Cooper
3 -1Headgear is a white fascinator.
cc in nyc
1 -1bowl hat
Sandra & Kenneth Grossman
Summary of reference entries provided
Coiffe chaudière
Roy vd Heijden
This may help
Jennifer White
Picture & French definition
Catharine Cellier-Smart

Discussion entries: 8





  

Answers


59 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): -1
bowl hat


Explanation:
Rimless hat

http://www.etsy.com/search?includes[]=tags&q=bowl+hat

Pics of "Coiffe Chaudière" here
http://www.philippe-apat.com/coiffe.html

Sandra & Kenneth Grossman
Israel
Local time: 15:35
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RomanianRomanian
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Jocelyne Cuenin: but it's not what your 2nd link shows!
1 day 7 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
a white head wrap


Explanation:
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/head-wraps?before=1329614786

http://mypersonalblogccm.blogspot.fr/2009_11_01_archive.html

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Note added at 1 hr (2012-11-19 12:48:59 GMT)
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Or "tignon":

'Faustin described Creole culture as an amalgam of language, couture, style, cuisine and mannerisms, giving examples along the way.
“The Creole attire is a dead giveaway: The white dress and shirts, and the tignon (head wrap) which makes a statement on the status of the woman —whether she is engaged, married, or single—just by the way it is tied. The bigger the wrap, the bigger the status of the woman.”'
http://www.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2011/09/12/amid-brillian...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2012-11-19 12:49:20 GMT)
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http://www.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2011/09/12/
amid-brilliance-mas-creole-pride-makes-statement

B D Finch
France
Local time: 14:35
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Despite my earlier comments, i have to give you the points. thanks for your answer and discussion points.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sian Cooper: I'm convinced - upped to agree!
4 hrs
  -> "Head wrap" is what anglophone West Indian and African women call what francophone/creole WI and African women call a 'chaudière'!// Thanks Sian!

agree  Yolanda Broad
12 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
A white chaudière headdress


Explanation:
See my discussion entries

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Note added at 6 hrs (2012-11-19 17:28:25 GMT)
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I have found the full explanation of the coiffes now, including chaudières.

http://mamjo.over-blog.com/article-7281539.html

Sian Cooper
France
Local time: 14:35
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  cc in nyc: Or perhaps "headgear/headwear is a white chaudiere"
12 mins

neutral  B D Finch: Not what they are called by anglophone West Indian and African women. See my answer and refs.
3 hrs
  -> Fair enough!
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Headgear is a white fascinator.


Explanation:
A possibility...

Encountered when visiting the Design Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Some references:

What is a fascinator?
A fascinator is a head piece, or style of millinery, commonly made with feathers, flowers, jewels or beads that attaches to the hair by a comb, headband or clip. The word originally referred to a head covering similar to a shawl made from wool or lace. The term had become virtually obsolete by the 1970s. In the early part of the 21st century, “fascinators” started to make a comeback but the meaning had slightly changed. The new definition refers to a head decoration that often accompanies mainly formal or party attire but is frequently seen these days paired with casual-wear as well.

http://thefeatheredhead.com/what-is-a-fascinator

A fascinator is a headpiece, a style of millinery. The word originally referred to a fine, lacy head covering akin to a shawl and made from wool or lace, but mostly feathers. In the modern usage, it refers to a woman's alternative to hat for formal attire; it is usually a large hair decoration on a band or clip with elaborate trimmings and decoration like a formal hat and it can incorporate a base to make it a miniature hat. [...]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascinator




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Note added at 5 hrs (2012-11-19 16:18:19 GMT)
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For images, try Google Image – perhaps this link will work:
http://www.google.com/search?q=fascinator headwear&num=100&h...

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Note added at 9 hrs (2012-11-19 21:10:38 GMT)
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Royalty notwithstanding, here's the online dico's definition of "fascinator":

fascinatornoun
1. a person or thing that fascinates. [Well, not that definition.]
2. a scarf of crochet work, lace, or the like, narrowing toward the ends, worn as a head covering by women. [<- That's the one we want here.]


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Note added at 9 hrs (2012-11-19 21:11:06 GMT)
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The link: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fascinator?s=t

cc in nyc
Local time: 09:35
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Sian Cooper: I like the concept, cc, but I think in this case it could be misleading, I think the Creole headgear is much more of a biiiiig winding thing, rather than a delicate feathery lacy thing, ref the 'headwrap' from B D
1 hr
  -> Perhaps so.

disagree  Jennifer White: I don't think this could be called a fascinator which is made up of feathers etc and usually sits on the side of the head, very different to the illustrations of a chaudière.
2 hrs
  -> You pays your money and you takes your chances.

neutral  B D Finch: Not in the context (anthropological and social) of this question.// Lots of links to pictures already posted!
3 hrs
  -> Pictures might help. ;-) // I meant pictures from the client – sorry to be unclear. :o
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Reference comments


32 mins peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: Coiffe chaudière

Reference information:
« Il existe d'autres coiffes, comme celle de la Matadore, femmes entretenues de Martinique, qui se paraient de bijoux offerts par leur homme. La tête de la Matadore du Sud a un éventail devant et derrière la coiffe. La tête de la Matadore de St Pierre est composée d'un petit triangle devant et d'une queue plissée derrière. La tête Chaudière est de forme arrondie toute plissée à plat. La tête calandée est confectionnée à partir d'un madras sur lequel les parties claires du tissu ont été peintes avec un jaune de chrorme en poudre additionné de gomme arabique. »
(http://www.bellemartinique.com/Martinique-Flanms-Kreyol-Tenu...

Photos :
http://www.philippe-apat.com/coiffe.html
http://www.philippe-apat.com/images/coiffe-chaudiere.JPG

gaule = galle

« golle (n. f.)
Longue tunique très ample.
Variante(s) graphique(s)
gaule »
(http://www.bdlp.org/resultats.asp?base=AN&query=517672,0)

Roy vd Heijden
Belgium
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Jocelyne Cuenin: de forme arrondie toute plissée à plat (i.e. flat, pleated crown, like in philippe-apat). ...coiffes toutes prêtes, moulées sur la tête (chaudière) qu'elles n'avaient qu'à poser sur les cheveux tirés en arrière ...
1 day 7 hrs
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23 mins peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: This may help

Reference information:
http://www.philippe-apat.com/coiffe.html

although I can't see whether chaudière refers to the crown or the rim of the hat

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Note added at 1 hr (2012-11-19 12:34:50 GMT)
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Why don't you ask the designer directly? I would email them and ask for an explanation. Better than guessing.

Jennifer White
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Catharine Cellier-Smart: snap!
1 min
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25 mins peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: Picture & French definition

Reference information:
This doesn't help with the translation, but here are pictures:

http://www.philippe-apat.com/coiffe.html

and definition in French:

"Le port du chapeau étant interdit au temps de l'esclavage à la Martinique. Les affranchies, apprennent à nouer leur foulard en madras afin d'en faire une véritable coiffe. La façon de nouer et le nombre de pointes de la coiffe révèlent la disponibilité amoureuse de la personne qui la porte ...
Il existe d'autres coiffes, comme .... La tête Chaudière est de forme arrondie toute plissée à plat."
http://www.bellemartinique.com/Martinique-Flanms-Kreyol-Tenu...

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Note added at 8 hrs (2012-11-19 19:39:27 GMT)
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I have mixed feeling about turban. In some respects it has very Indian connotations, on the other hand I can't see what other term - apart from perhaps 'headdress' - you could use to succinctly describe what the 'chaudière' is without having to use lengthy descriptions.
BDF's suggestion of 'head wrap' could be another possibility.

Catharine Cellier-Smart
Reunion
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Note to reference poster
Asker: looking at the pictures (very pretty) I think the closest translation is perhaps 'turban'. This is a folded hat with better form than a simple 'knotted hanky'. What do you think? Off for a short Siesta, back in 20 minutes.

Asker: Hi Catherine, Found a reference to 'turban', as well as all sorts of other references, in this book. Two Years in the French West Indies Par Lafcadio Hearn


Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Jocelyne Cuenin: I wouldn't use turban either for chaudière where the scarf is just neatly folded around the head.
1 day 7 hrs
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