image: traditional Tujia brocade


(Play All)Conversations: Daily Life in Pojiao Rural Township

Contents

3.2.1: Daily Life
3.2.2: Say Something!

3.2.1: Daily Life

Tian Yuying, Xiang Peihua, Peng Cai'e & Tian Wucui, Pojiao Rural Township, Longshan County
recorded on 19 July 2002

In this text two of the women who had come to the township administrative offices for us to interview talk about two major burdens of daily life: collecting firewood and watering crops. Irrigated paddy fields comprise only a percentage of cultivated land.

01 A: ni2, ni2 lei1huan1lang1, ni2 lei1huan1lang1 zu2-xi2 ya2 zao4 mang! B: lei1xi3 zao4? lang2lang1he4lie3 da4ze3 sou2.
A: You, this morning you, this morning you were out rather early! B: Early? I do this every morning.
02 A: lei1huan1lang1 be2 lei1xi3 la1 ri1 o? B: lei4 ni2 nga2 jie3-di2-da2 me, nga2 lei4 ka3 ga4 zi2 wo4 ya le, ong.
A: What were you going to do this morning? B: If you hadn't called me today, I would have gone and fetched some firewood.
03 A: ai1me1 ni2 lei4 hu3 dang1guo1-liao3. B: ai1 lei4 dang1guo1, ni2 lei4 li3-liao3 wa meng, jie2ri1ma1 me, kei2di1 ya la2bie1 ai1di1 le o, se2-nie3 gong1zuo3 be2 la2bie1 ai1di1 (null)-duo3 hang. ang, ka3 me la2 nie1 hi4lie3 wo4 ya meng!
A: Oh, so we've interrupted your work today. B: Not really. It doesn't matter. As farmers, we should be ready to help with anything, we should support your work. Firewood, I have to fetch it every day!
04 A: ai1me1 ni2 zao4huan3 ga2-liao3 tai2? B: zao4huan3 meng ga2-liao3 le, ka3 wo4 die2-bo3-la1 ming. A: zao4huan3 ga2-liao3. B: eng!
A: So, haven't you had breakfast yet? B: I've had breakfast, and I was about to fetch firewood. A: So you've had breakfast. B: Hmm!
05 A: ye3 ga2-liao3 tai2? ye3? ai1 ni2 eng1ge1 lei4, ai1me1 lei4, lei4 ka3 you2 wo4 ti3-dao2 luo! B: ka3 wo4 ti3-dao2 ge4-ta1-duo3! ka3 me la2 nie1 hi4lie3 xie2, cu1 ye4 tie2-bo3 wu2-da2 luo, ni2 gong1zuo3 zi1ci3-duo3. A: gai2 sa3 zi2-liao3.
A: What about lunch? Well, you are here today, so you won't be able to collect firewood now! B: Not being able to fetch firewood doesn't bother me! We always have firewood at home, we don't need to be too careful how much we burn, I should help you with your work. A: Since you have already come.
06 ai1me1, ni2 eng1ge1 gai2 da4ze3 song1kuo1-lie3, lai1 ri1 le? lei1xi3 la1 ri1 le? B: ri1-bie1 me guo2 ga4 dong2 ri1 ang, ri1-ta1-bie1 me ta4 ri1-gu2. tian3kang3 ka1tao1 zuan2-li1lian1di3 ang, gai2 me lai1xi3 gao1 o.
Well, when you get back home today, what are you planning to do? What are you going to do? B: If I have time I'll do a few things, if not, I'll leave it. I might take a turn round the fields, that kind of thing.
07 A: long3bai3 li2bu1 ca2 mang? B: li2bu1 me miao3 jian1-ga1ca3, me2ze3-da2 guo2 ga3-si3-ji2-liao3.
A: How is the rice this year? B: The rice seedlings are pinched and thin, there's been no rain, so they're completely parched.
08 A: ga3-si3-ji2-liao3! me2 ya ze3-ta1, gao1-ci3 tai2, bang2hua1 tai2. ai1me1 ni2 eng ce3, li2bu1 ce3 po1-la1 tai2 le? B: ce3 la2 nie1 hi4lie3 po1, lang3cei1-cai3 me huan2 po1 mo3 si3 ai2 dian1 ta2ci1 ye4 la.
A: Withered up! When it doesn't rain, there's nothing you can do, nothing you can do. So, are you watering the rice? B: I water them day in day out, I water them every evening until after midnight.
09 A: me2su3. B: eng! you1 si3hou3 huan2 me2su3, lang3cei1-cai3 eng, ma1kuo3li1 ma1kuo3li1 ga3, ge4 you2 la2bie1 ge4 la. si3 ai2 dian1zong1 yi1hou2, nga2 zeng1di1hua1 la2bie1 ge4 la, ngeng2 si1.
A: Daybreak. B: Mm! Sometimes right till daybreak, in the evening on Makuoli, sometimes I'm a bit scared. After midnight, I'm really a bit afraid, really.
10 eng! A: la2 hu3-lang2 ai1 si1 ge4. ai1lie1 li3-ji2-liao3, ai1lie1...
Hmm! A: Just on your own, that's scary. Now, we've finished talking ...

3.2.2: Say Something!

Peng Nanjing & an 11 year old child, Pojiao Rural Township, Longshan County
recorded on 19 July 2002

In this text a young boy, who had just been blowing a suona trumpet to demonstrate traditional daliuzi entertainment for us, is encouraged to talk about his daily activities.

01 A: ni2 pa1 li3, ni2 bi2zi1 li3, pa1 ta4 li3, ni2duo3 li3 a! ni2, "nga2 lei4 ge3ci2-la1, wu2 ka4-i-hu3, a2guo1-die1 wu2 ka4-i-hu3". B: nga2duo3 li3 huo1... A: a ni2duo3 li3.
A: You are speaking Chinese; speak Tujia, don't speak Chinese, say something yourself! Say: "Today I am playing, I'm going to look after the cows, my friends and I are going to look after the cows." B: Shall I speak or ... A: Yes, say something yourself.
02 ni2 jiu1 hang2 li3 mo3 da3-lie3, ni2 jiu1 ge2wai1 li3-ta1-duo3, ni2 lai1 ri1-xie2, lai4? B: ge3ci2-la1. A: ni2 kei2 ge3ci2-la1? B: nga2 luan2 ge3ci2-la1. A: ni2 luan2 ge3ci2 be2 ni2 be2 huan2 ge3ci2 mo3 la4 zu2-di2-duo3 mang!
Just speak like this, you don't need to say anything else. What are you going to do today? B: I'm playing.. A: Where are you playing? B: I'm just messing around A: You are always messing around, even if you are only playing, you need to do it with some purpose!
03 B: a2guo1-die1 da4ha3, da4ha3 wu2 ka4-i-hu3, lai4 ge3ci2-la1, la1ba3 mie2-la1, gai2 jia1lian1 ga4 dong2 ha3. lao3ci3 eng1ge1 ye4-liao3, wu2 ka4-i-di2-hu3, ca2 la!
B: My friends and I, we're going to look after the cows. Today we are playing, blowing trumpets, banging these instruments. The sun is already high in the sky, so we must take the cow out to graze. Good!

 

 

 

 

 


Copyright (C) 2004 Philip & Cecilia Brassett