C'est qui versus Qui est.

Patrick P.A0Kwiziq community member

C'est qui versus Qui est.

In the song Jalousie by Angele, in saying the English question, "Who is that girl in the photo", why does she say,

"C'est qui cette fille sur la photo" rather than "Qui est cette fille sur la photo"?  

Is this Walloon French, since she is from Belgium?  Thank you very much.  

Asked 1 year ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Apart from allowing for poetic licence, this is a common colloquial manner of speech. 

I understand using the shortcut expression,  but it is important to remember that she is not saying or expressing anything in English - someone has translated her French expression to their English interpretation. Translations are very often not direct, and can sound quite odd if they are.

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

This is a kind of stylistic doubling, a frequently used stylistic element in colloquial French. For example,

Moi, je ne sais pas. -- I don't know.
C'est quoi, ça? -- What's this?

C'est qui versus Qui est.

In the song Jalousie by Angele, in saying the English question, "Who is that girl in the photo", why does she say,

"C'est qui cette fille sur la photo" rather than "Qui est cette fille sur la photo"?  

Is this Walloon French, since she is from Belgium?  Thank you very much.  

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