English translation for Hausa Baka. S: There s no tiredness. Hs: Well, here we are. Binta: Pease to you, those in the house.

Transcription

1 1.01a GREETINGS: Two Women Ma: How was the night? S: Hi to you. S: Just fine. Hs: Right, hi. Ma: How s the tireness? S: How is it? S: There s no tiredness. Hs: Well, here we are. Ma: How s school? S: Are (you) well? S: School, (we re) thankful. Hs: Just fine. Ma: Well good. S: OK, until later. Ma: OK, until later. (3) (4) Ma: Greetings! Hs: Welcome, greetings! Ma: How s the day? Hs: Just fine. Ma: How s the tiredness? Hs: There s no tiredness. Binta: Pease to you, those in the house. Ma: Right! Is is Binta? B: Yes, it s me. Greetings at midday. Ma: Greetings on seeing you. B: How s the hot weather? Ma: The hot weather, it s the time for it. 1

2 (5) On the street Ma: How was the night? MJ: Just fine. Ma: How s the tiredness? MJ: There s no tiredness. Ma: How s school? MJ: School, (we re) thankful. Ma: Well good. Until later. MJ: Until later. GREETINGS: TWO MEN D: Greetings early in the morning, Bala. D: Greetings at work, Bala. Bala: Right, greeting also. Bala: Right, hi also. D: How s work? D: How s the news? B: Work is with thanks (to Allah). B: The news is nothing but good. (3) (4) Mu: Peace be with you. A: Hi. A: To you be peace. Hz: Hi also. Mu: How s the town? A: How was the night? A: The town s fine. Hz: Fine. Mu: How s the bride [new wife]? A: How s the tiredness? A: The bride, praise to Allah! Hz: There s no tiredness. Mu: Well good. A: Well good. (5) On the street Hz: A, greetings in early morning, Bala. Bala: A, greetings also. Hz: How s work? Bala: Work is with thanks (to Allah). Bala: Good. Hz: Until later. Bala: Until later. Hz: Right. Hz: Well, good. 2

3 GREETINGS: A WOMAN AND A MAN Ladi: Musa, how was the night? Musa: Just fine. Musa: Ladi, how was the night? Ladi: Just fine. L: How s the tiredness? M: How s the tireness? M: There s no tiredness. L: There s no tiredness. LEAVE TAKINGS TWO WOMEN 1.01d TWO MEN 1.01e (1) (1) Hs: Well I ll be going. Ma: Well greet the household. Hs: Until later. Ma: Well may we last a long time. 1 B: Until another day. I: Well good. Until another day. B: Well may Allah give us good fortune. I: Amen. (2) (2) Ma: May we spend the night in health. Hs: Well may Allah give us good fortune. Ma: Amen. Until tomorrow. Hs: Well until tomorrow. I: Well I m going to return (whence I came). B: Arrive safely. I: Well until later. B: Well good. Until later. I: Until later. 1 There is a play on words here. Sai an jima literally means Until one has passed (a long) time. The answer, Mu jima da yawa thus uses the sense of jima last (a long time) to mean, May we last (a long time). 3

4 QUESTIONS AND GREETINGS A WOMAN 1.01f A MAN 1.01g What s your name? (said to a woman) What s your name? (said to a man) Peace be with your. How was the night? How was the day? How s the tiredness? What s the news? How s work? How s the family? How s the household? How s the heat? Hi at work. Hi at resting. Hi on arriving. Greetings in the early morning. Greetings at midday. Greetings at night. Greetings at work. Until later. Until another day. Until tomorrow. May we pass the night in good health. May Allah give us good fortune. Arrive safely. Until you come back. (said to a man) Until you come back. (said to a woman) What s your name? (said to a man) What s your name? (said to a woman) Peace be with you How was the night? How was the day? How s the tiredness? What s the news? How s work? How s the family? How s the household? Greetings in the early morning. Greetings at midday. Greetings at night. Greetings at work. Hi at work. Hi at resting. Hi on arriving. Until later. Until another day. Until tomorrow. May we pass the night in good health. May Allah give us good fortune. Arrive safely. Until you come back. (said to a man) 4

5 ANSWERS A WOMAN 1.01h A MAN 1.01i My name is Salma. Greetings also. Just fine. There s no tiredness. The news is nothing but good fortune. Work is with thanks (to Allah). Water makes repairs [i.e. the crops grow]. The family is fine. Right, hi. The household, praise be to Allah. Hot weather, it s the time for it. Amen. Right! May Allah cause it (to be so). May one come back in good health. My name is Ahmadu. Greetings also. Just fine. There s no tiredness. The news is nothing but good fortune. Work is with thanks (to Allah). Water makes repairs [i.e. the crops grow]. The family is fine. Right, hi. The household, praise be to Allah. Hot weather, it s the time for it. Amen. Right! May Allah cause it (to be so). May one come back in good health. 5