19.03.2024

Marriage proposal letter (Baptist tradition, Roman graphics, new orthography)

 

 

 

 

 

 

LanguageSora
WriterMelsiyar Gomango
Place of residenceSerango village, Gumma block, Gajapati district
GlossesE. Renkovskaya
GenreLetter

Marriage proposal in Baptist Sora community begins with a special formal letter presented by a boy to the girl he wants to marry. In case of consent of the girl and her relatives, she writes an answer in some days. Both letters are read aloud in the church, then preparing for the wedding begins. If she doesn’t answer, the boy may write the second and third letters, declaring himself to have a right to seek for another bride. A sample of this genre was written for us by our language helper from Serango village, Melsiyar Gomango.

1. kristu dʒisun anım lıŋǝn lımtǝm

Hello, in the name of Jesus Christ!

kristudʒisu-nanım lıŋ-ǝnlım-tǝm
ChristJesus-DEFnameLOC-DEFgreet-NPST.1SG/2SG

2. ɳen melsijer gamaŋ

Я Мельсиер Гаманг

ɳen melsijergamaŋ
IMelsiyarGamang

3. ɖo kǝn sǝnna ola lıŋǝn iɖle agǝɖlǝmbırǝn

In this small letter I write a confession

ɖokǝnsǝnna olalıŋ-ǝniɖ-lea-gǝ<ɖ>lǝm-bır-ǝn
andthissmallsheetLOC-DEFwrite-CVBDEF-<CAUS>know-speech-DEF

4. ɳen ɖoʔoŋnǝm gumman abǝzara lıŋ gijlǝm

I saw you at the Gumma market

ɳen ɖoʔŋ-nǝmgumma-na-bǝzaralıŋgij-lǝm
IACC.PRON-2SGGumma-DEFDEF-marketLOCsee-PST.1SG/2SG

5. ɖo ɳen ɖoʔoŋnǝm iɖsɯmlaj

And I fell in love with you

ɖo ɳen ɖoʔŋ-nǝmiɖsɯm-laj
andIACC.PRON-2SGwant-PST_I.1SG

6. kǝnti asǝn ɳen siʔiŋmǝrnǝmdʒi ampǝra amajnabin

Therefore I will visit your relatives

kǝntiasǝnɳen siʔiŋ-mǝr-nǝm-dʒiampǝraa-maj-na-bin
thatforIhome-man.SHF-2SG-PLCOMITDEF-meet-NMNL-INF

7. ɖo amǝn aɖoʔoŋ agarbin ijtaj

and will ask you in marriage

ɖoamǝna-ɖoʔŋa-gar-binij-taj
andyouDEF-AССDEF-ask-INFcome-NPST.DIR.ALL.1SG

8. kǝn sittin ɳaŋǝn ɳaŋle amǝn aabjarbintın gamle ɖırɖırnaɳen

I hope that after receiving this letter, you will answer me

kǝnsitti-nɳaŋ-ǝnɳaŋ-leamǝna-ab-jar-bin-tıngamleɖır-ɖır-na-ɳen
Thisletter-DEFget-CVB1get-CVByouDEF-CAUS-come_back-INF-DELAYSUBhope-RED-NMNL-1SG

9. sıntǝm

Thank you

sın-tǝm
thank-NPST.1SG/2SG

10. gǝnugudǝm buɳaŋnǝm

Your appealing brother

g<ǝn>u-gu-dǝmbuɳaŋ-nǝm
<NMNL>appeal-RED-ADJbrother-2SG