Contraction, elision, syncope in "Parle-moi d'toi"

In French grammatical contractions are mandatory. Familiar conversation in French tends to shorten forms phonetically. It is not uncommon for "Je ne sais pas" to become a two-syllable utterance /∫ ɛ pa/. The very title of the Kaïn song, "Parle-moi d'toi", which appears nowhere in the lyrics, contains the elision "d'toi". Elision habits in Quebec French may also play a role in these lyrics. The note for v. 12 demonstrates to what extent the performance of this song is driven by its syllable count by line. This in itself may be the reasons for some elision, which is usually accomplished through the replacement of a schwa by an apostrophe.

Normal grammatical contractions

Stanzas - Normal grammatical contractions

v.5: C'est / c'est
v.7: s'en
v.10: j'ai
v.11: l'affaire
v.12: l'argent

v. 22: j'ai
v. 25: c'est / j'étais
v. 27: l'air
v. 29: l'air


Refrain repititions - Normal grammatical contractions

v. 14: c'est
v.17: d'amour
v.22: c'est


v. 35: c'est
v.38: d'amour
v.42: c'est


v. 44: c'est
v.49: d'amour
v.53: c'est




Contractions reflecting colloquial elision, syncope or respecting the song's syllabic count:


Stanzas - Contractions reflecting colloquial elision, syncope or respecting the song's syllabic count:

v.4: l'sais / c'pas
v.6: C'est pas
v.9: pis / p'tite
v.10: j'suis /c'que
v.11: J'chante / d'l'
v.12: c'qu' / d'l' / d'


v. 22: J'sais / t'dire / t'suivre
v. 23: J'pensais / t'étais
v. 24: m'donne / d'rire
v. 26: t'as / p'tite
v. 27: T'es / t'es
v. 28: j'me
v. 29: r'garde
v. 30: j'cours / l'temps
v. 33: c'qui / m'font



Refrain repetitions - Contractions reflecting colloquial elision, syncope or respecting the song's syllabic count:

v.14: l'plus
v.16: j'sais pas
v.17: Pis
v.18: c'que
v.19: D'n[']importe
v.20: j'te / j'saurais / t'dire
v.21: j'saurais / t'dire


v.35: l'plus
v. 38: Pis
v.39: c'que
v.40: D'n'importe
v.41: j'te / j'saurais / t'dire
v.42: j'saurais / t'dire


v.44: l'plus
v. 47: Pis
v.48: c'que
v.49: D'n'importe
v.50: j'te / j'saurais / t'dire
v.41: j'saurais / t'dire
v.52: j'te / j'saurais / t'dire
v.53: j'saurais / t'dire



Elision of subject pronouns: "tu" as "t" or of "ils" as "y" or "i"

v. 23: t'étais
v. 26: t'as pas
v. 27: T'es / t'es
v. 31:  y sont
v. 32:  Y courent / y touchent
v. 33:  qui m'font



Words contracted or inaudible in the recording, but appearing in full form in the lyrics:

v. 4: que
v. 30: les
v. 31: Mais
v. 37: Je / de