Just as the title says!

I'm working with a story here that covers a part of Fanny Elssler's 1840-42 tour of America. In it, "La gayeuse" appears, and I can't find this in my French dictionary. Is this a period word, or just some sort of Franglais? I think I can derive the sense from the context, but I'm curious as to whether it's a real word? Au secours!

Well, I've never heard that word before, but then there are a lot of archaic words that I've never heard...

Same goes for me...Just wondering though, could there be a slight possibility that the word might be "gaveuse" and not "gayeuse"? :shrug:

Thanks, Estelle. My feeling is that it may be a Creole word that may also be the root of "cayuse", an American Old West slang term for a spirited, hard-to-control horse. Anyone else?

I'd vote for franglais (based on absolutely nothing ).

Thanks, sylphide. What's "gaveuse" mean?

As long as it isn't "gaseuse"

Sorry, it's been one of those days....

If I would have to guess, I'd say it is a franglais combination of "gai" and "joyeuse", both meaning (according to my dictionary - I don't speak much French) something like happy, joyous, cheerful.

That's the general idea I get out of it, too, Jaana. I'm just looking through Louisiana Creole to see if the idea ever became a word.

Mel, I think Cayuse comes from the tribe of Native Americans, they lived in Idaho/Montana area so would be near the Nez Peirce, a horse people if there ever was one.
Not that that has anything to do with Elssler.

Who knows? Maybe the 17th-century voltigeurs du bois found that nation "gayeuse"? The Iroquois nation has been called that for years, when their name for their own people has been "Haudenosee". But thanks for the lead! I'll track that down too! All these clues are wonderful!

Mel, "gaveuse" is the feminin form of the noun refering to a person that stuffs poultry (ie. to make foie gras for example)... I don't know... I kind of thought that if they made up a Ballet called "La Vivandiere" (which I love), they could have also made up a ballet called "La gaveuse"...about a beautiful and dreamy peasant girl... Ok, maybe I have Too much imagination.

Mel, have you checked Ivor Guest's biography on Elssler? I have it somewhere, but dont seem to be able to lay my hands on it. Anyway, Guest is always reliable. :rolleyes:

I think I'm closing in on "gayeuse" from a regionalism or patois that was used in the early 18th century. And the context of the quotation I'm working with doesn't make sense if the word is translated "the poultry-stuffer". Pamela, what I'm working with here is a piece of folklore and didn't make Ivor Guest's rigorous standard for documentation. I'm also waiting on Alison Delarue's biography of Elssler to see what her take, if any, on this story is.

I wonder if there wasn't a ballet to a piece of music called La Joyeuse? It exisits as I know it in a two-part transcription for duo harpists.

Here's the quote (Elssler has just been accosted by a guard who will not allow her to pass his post without the password): "Oui, Messieurs! Elssler! La jolie et gayeuse Fanny! Je vous assure!"

as a native french speaker living in France, I can say that "gayeuse" does not exist in French ; however , I agree with jana , it might comme from "gai" meaning joyful ; usually we use "euse" when sepaking of someone doing something (ex : la fileuse" means someone who "file", or la coiffeuse , the one who coiffe)
so it might be a woman who gives joy
another idea , more far-fetched : any link with the ballet "the gipsy" in 1839, in which Essler danced

I've just seen the new message ; would she be a prostitute , which in french we can translate by "fille de joie"

The speaker is Elssler herself, allegedly. So I doubt that she'd be telling guys with muskets, "Hi, I'm a hooker!" (Then again, maybe she would! That's one way to appeal to a soldier! ) As to "La Gipsy", right on! The folktale runs that she got out of her arrest by dancing the Cracovienne from "Le Diable Boiteux" and was just launching into the cachucha from "La Gipsy" when the guard changed. I'm preparing an article on the story.