# Am I hearing four different languages in this rendition of Ave Maria?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hearing-four-different-languages-in-this-rendition-of-ave-maria/777378>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 17, 2017, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hearing-four-different-languages-in-this-rendition-of-ave-maria/777378 "2017-01-17T09:48:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hearing-four-different-languages-in-this-rendition-of-ave-maria/777378/1 "2017-01-17T09:48:01Z")

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I just came across this performance of Ave Maria, done by the two singers from the symphonic metal band, Nightwish. I’ve heard this song many times, and I can recognize that the words I’m hearing are not the words I’ve heard before.

The male singer here is from Finland, and the female singer is Dutch. To my ears, after the initial Latin “Ave Maria”, Marco sings the rest in Finnish. And then Floor starts in Latin and then switches to Dutch, before finishing in English.

Am I hearing correctly, or just imagining things?

Here’s the performance:

[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Czy2GnBq5Y)

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**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hearing-four-different-languages-in-this-rendition-of-ave-maria/777378/2 "2017-01-17T10:12:51Z")

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The second best thing about this performance is watching the guitarist who is accompanying them. Dude is all, “This is fucking awesome!”

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**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hearing-four-different-languages-in-this-rendition-of-ave-maria/777378/3 "2017-01-17T11:57:41Z")

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> [@Mister\_Rik](#):
>
> The male singer here is from Finland, and the female singer is Dutch. To my ears, after the initial Latin “Ave Maria”, Marco sings the rest in Finnish. And then Floor starts in Latin and then switches to Dutch, before finishing in English.

He sings his part, two verses, in Finnish.

> [@](#):
>
> Ave maria  
> äiti maan lapsien  
> taas meihin katsoo suojellen
> 
> kun poika syntymäpäivä on  
> mä pieni ihminen turvaton  
> pyydän siunauksen
> 
> Anna harras mieli joulu puhtain tuo  
> ja hengelläs meitä suojaa  
> näin muistaen kaiken luojaa  
> johda meistä jokainen poikas luo

Roughly translated:

Ave maria  
Mother of earth’s children  
Again watch over us and protect us

On your son’s birthday  
I small unsafe (without protection) human  
ask for a blessing

Let a pious mind (mood) a purest Christmas bring  
and with your life protect us  
and so remembering the creator of all  
lead us all to your son

She then sings a part of the _Latin Catholic prayer_.

> [@](#):
>
> Ave Maria, gratia plena,  
> Maria, gratia plena,  
> Maria, gratia plena,  
> Ave, Ave, Dominus,  
> Dominus tecum.

She then switches over to a part of the _Hymn to the Virgin_.

> [@](#):
>
> The murky cavern’s heavy air  
> Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled;  
> Then, Maiden! hear a maiden’s prayer,  
> Mother, list a suppliant child!

After that they both sing “Ave Maria” to end the song.

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-hearing-four-different-languages-in-this-rendition-of-ave-maria/777378/4 "2017-01-17T12:34:30Z")

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He needs singing lessons.