Christmas Carols in Languages

One of the most colourful traditions that exist during Christmas time consists of Singing or listening Christmas Carols. They are expressions of the different cultures and even languages involved in a worldwide Christmas celebration. In a World that is more interconnected, it is not rare to listen to Christmas Carols sung in a language different than the ones spoken in our daily lives.

According to the page http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/christmas-carol, a Christmas Carol is “a traditional or religious song that people sing at Christmas”. In the page https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carol describe the Etymology of carol as modification of the Latin world “Choraula” meaning “Choral Song”. This word also has origin in Greek.

I personally, in December, dedicate some of my free time to look for Christmas Songs as they are sung around the world, and try look for their lyrics in their original languages. Today I want to share a selection of Christmas sons in my blog, based mostly in my own preferences. I hope it will be useful if you want ideas about where to look for new and different Christmas songs or to have a better idea on how do they celebrate Christmas in other cultures. If you want more ideas, there are plenty of them in Youtube and in many other pages.

UK

-The Holly and the Ivy

-Once in Royal David’s City

-What Child is This?

-Nativity Carol

-Sussex Carol

-Masters in This Hall

-The First Noel

-Past Three O’clock

USA

-White Christmas

-It came upon the Midnight Clear

-12 days of Christmas

-Jingle Bells

France

-Cantique de Noël

-Les Anges dans nos campagnes (In English it Is known with the name “Angels We have heard on High” – En español se le conoce como “Angeles Cantando Estan”)

-Entre le bœuf et l’âne gris:  Between the Ox and the Grey Ass – Entre el burro Gris y el Buey

-Petit Papa Noël: Little Christmas Dad – Pequeño Papá Noel

-Il est né, le divin Enfant: He is born, the Divine Child – Ha nacido, el Divino Niño

Germany

-Es ist ein Ros entsprungen: A Rose has sprung up – Una rosa ha brotado.

-O Tannenbaum: O fir tree – Oh abeto

-Fröhliche Weihnacht überall: Merry Christmas everywhere – Feliz Navidad por doquier.

-Ihr Kinderlein, kommet: Oh Come, little children – Venid Niñitos

-In dulci jubilo: (Originally sang in a mix of phrases in Latin and German. Now is mostly sing in Latin and English) : In Sweet rejoicing – En dulce Júbilo.  

Austria

-Stille Nacht: Silent night – Noche de Paz

Netherlands (Dutch)

-Nu Zijt Wellekome: You are Welcome! – eres bienvenido!

Sweeden (Sweedish).

-Gläns över sjö och Strand: Shine Over the Lake and the Shore – Brilla sobre el Lago y la Costa

-Nu tändas tusen juleljus: Now are lit a thousand Christmas candles – Mil Luces (Con ese nombre se tradujo en España)

-Julen är här: christmas is here – La Navidad esta aquí

-När juldagsmorgon glimmar: When christmas morn is dawning- Cuando la mañana de Navidad Brilla

-Vinterhamn: Winter harbour.

-En Skrift i snöm: A Scripture in the Snow – una escritura en la nieve

Ukraine (Ukrainian)

-Щедрик (Shchedryk: Originally a song for New Year. The famous Christmas carol “Carols of the bells” is based in this song).

-Добрий вечір тобі: Good evening to you – Buenas Noches a tí  

-Нова радість стала: A New Joy Came – Ha venido una nueva Alegría

- Дивная новина (Divnaya Novyna)

- Бог предвічний народився: God Eternal is Born – Ha Nacido Dios Eterno

Iceland (Icelandic)

-Hátíð fer að höndum ein: A Holiday is coming – Una Fiesta esta llegando.

-Í heitri þökk: With Warm Thanks – En cálido Agradecimiento

-Heyr himna smiður: Hear Heavenly Creator – Escucha Creador Celestial.

In Spanish (Mostly from Spain)

-Pastores Venid

-A la Nanita Nana

-Rin rin

This list cannot be completed if I do not include Christmas songs from my country of Birth, Venezuela. They are mostly sung in Spanish:

El Niño Criollo

Niño Lindo

Cantemos Cantemos

Din Din Din

A ti te Cantamos

Canada, where I live now, has a strong influence from British and French Culture that can be seen in its Christmas traditions. However, there is an important Christmas song from this country called “The Huron Carol” or also “Jesous Ahatonia”.  Today, this Carol is sung mostly in English, but its original lyrics were composed in Wyandot language, a native Iroquoian language from Huron area.

There are also Christmas songs sung in Esperanto. They are mostly translations from other well known Christmas songs. But Esperantists also dedicated to write their own Carols. I found one written and sung only in Esperanto, called Paŝoj: Steps – Pasos.

Some Christmas Carols also have exceptionally beautiful lyrics in languages different than their ones in which they were composed.  This is the reason why I like to hear Christmas carols in different languages.

The most famous is Stille Nacht. In http://www.silentnight.web.za/translate/ the show translations of this Carol in aprox 140 languages, from its original German, to languages like English, Low Saxon, Dutch, and then Russian, Lithuanian, Japanese and even Esperanto and Klingon. The Title “Stille Nacht” has been translated like “Silent Night” in English, “Noche de Paz” in Spanish, “Astro del Ciel” in Italian, “Aid el-leil” (عيد الليل)  in Arabic, “Ping’an ye” (平安夜) in Chinese, “Santa nit” in Catalan, “Nuit de Paix” in French, “Hljóða Nótt” in Icelandic, “Ora Solem” in Papiamentu, “Noite de Paz” in Portuguese, “Tihaja Noch” (Тихая Ночь) in Russian, “Stilla Natt” in Swedish,  “Tiha Nich” (Тиха Ніч) in Ukrainian, “Tawel Nos” in Welsh and “Paca Nokt’ ” in Esperanto. At least these are the languages in which I heard this song.

Cantique de Noël is another carol that I heard in different languages. Translated from its French Original, in youtube I found “ O Holy Night” in English, “Noche de bien” in Spanish, “Mitternacht” in German, “O heil’ge Nacht” in Dutch, “O helga natt” in Sweedish, “Svjataja Noch” (Святая ночь) in Russian and “Ó Helga nótt” in Icelandic.

O Tannenbaum in other languages: in English: “O fir tree”; in Spanish: “Oh abeto”; in French: “Mon beau sapin”; in Estonian: “Oh kuusepuu”; in Dutch: “O dennenboom”; in Russian: “О Ёлочка” (O jolochka); in Hungarian: “Ó szép fenyő”.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my Friends!