Trŭnčovica 1

Trynchovica1.newer_.mp3

Commentary on the text:

When the investigator’s words are transcribed in brackets, it means they do not appear on the audio but are rather reconstructed to recreate the sense of the original conversation. These words appear in English translation only in Glossed View, in both English and Bulgarian in Line View, and in Bulgarian only in Cyrillic Line View

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VZh

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Trŭnčovica 1

1 (VZh) [Tell me about weddings.]

2 (a) [0:02] When we put on a wedding [cough] in the evening we first go – godfather, father-in-law,

3 (a) [0:12] and brother-in-law (if there is one) – they go around with a canteen of wine

4 (a) [0:16] to “drink the card”, as it’s called, [to announce] that a girl has been promised.

5 (a) [0:21] In the morning [the bride’s] female relatives [including] sisters-in-law – go

6 (a) [0:25] to ask [for] her [hand], and to put aprons on them so that people will see

7 (a) [0:29] that she has been promised to the boy. And they’re carrying a small tree

8 (a) [0:34] with many branches, that’s been decorated with apples, dried fruit, ribbons,

9 (a) [0:40] and such things: it’s called “bəšča” (garden). And now the girl is promised –

10 (a) [0:46] the formal engagement celebration begins. It’s done in the evening –

11 (a) [0:50] again the mother-in-law, father-in-law and closest relatives go [to the bride’s house].

12 (a) [0:54] and agree on the engagement. The wedding begins on the next morning.

13 (a) [1:00] They go to the girl’s house – the boy’s relatives go to the girl’s house

14 (a) [1:06] they gather there to eat and drink. They are fed, and eat their fill. They eat,

15 (a) [1:13] while the bride gets dressed for the [church] ceremony. She and the groom get dressed

16 (a) [1:18] and they go for the church ceremony. While the bride and groom are being wed,

17 (a) [1:23] the festive table continues, everyone eats and drinks. After [the pair] are wed,

18 (a) [1:29] they set off with many carriages – if the daughter (= bride) is rich,

19 (a) [1:32] they go with five, six, or seven carriages, because she has a lot of “drexi” (clothes).

20 (a) [1:38] [Ah,] I should have said “drei” (clothes). She’s got a lot of “drei”.

21 (a) [1:44] They go. The in-laws are gifted – first, the godfather with a pillow on his back,

22 (a) [1:50] [then] they put a shirt, towels, woven rugs, on the back of the bridegroom

23 (a) [1:57] and they pack up the girl’s clothes and go to the home of the boy’s parents.

24 (a) [1:57] The mother-in-law greets them. First, while they are still in the carriage,

25 (a) [2:10] the mother-in-law gives [the bride] a sieve full of dried fruit for the bride to toss

26 (a) [2:15] [in the air] to say that the coming year will be blessed with much fertility.

27 (a) [2:21] The mother-in-law receives the bride, helps her out of the carriage. She also receives

28 (a) [2:24] the bridegroom. She helps them out, and everyone lines up in front of the house –

29 (a) [2:29] godfather, father-in-law, mother-in-law, godmother, brother-in-law,

30 (a) [2:31] sister-in-law [cough]. First the bridegroom and godfather – whoever is godfather –

31 (a) [2:38] the godfather pours brandy and the bridegroom hands it around. [In this way]

32 (a) [2:40] they greet [those coming] from the church ceremony. The godfather is done, and

33 (a) [2:44] now it’s [the turn of] the girl. The godmother pours out the brandy, and the girl –

34 (a) [2:49] the bride, that is, hands around the glass. And then they “instruct” her–

35 (a) [2:54] the mother-in-law and father-in-law instruct her. [As the former] gives [her things]

36 (a) [2:58] she says, “I give you the kneading trough, the tool for scraping out the oven,

37 (a) [3:05] the yoke with pails” – that is, [she is instructing her] to help her out.

38 (a) [3:08] And then the wedding celebration begins. They go, accompanied by music,

39 (a) [3:12] to get the godfather. They bring the godfather, and then come –

40 (a) [3:16] the mother and father of the bride [cough] and they begin.

41 (a) [3:22] At noon, after the brandy, if the bride – [now] daughter-in-law – has sisters,

42 (a) [3:29] [the sisters] go with banitsa and other nice food to feed the bride.

43 (a) [3:34] Then the feasting begins, and gifting. They gather up the gifts that are there,

44 (a) [3:42] and send off [the bride’s] mother and father with music. They send them off and then

45 (a) [3:48] and then they go to send off the godfather. Then they lead the bride [to the room]

46 (a) [3:51] where she will “sleep”, and break [things] on the door, whether it’s a pot

47 (a) [3:55] or a bowl – they break things on the door. That was the law! [laughter]

48 (a) [4:00] And then they continue with the round dance.

49 (VZh) [What happens on the next day?]

50 (a) [4:04] They send off all the wedding guests. In the morning the bride arises early.

51 (a) [4:08] she makes a “pita” (flatbread), and they go to her father to bring brandy.

52 (a) [4:15] The godfather, godmother, father-in-law, others close to the family, all go

53 (a) [4:20] to her father, and feast there all day. They make [sweet] brandy, as we call it.

54 (a) [4:24] Before they return the bride cleans and arranges [her new home]

55 (a) [4:27] so that they will find everything ready [on their return].

1 (VZh) [Разкажи ми за сватбите.]

[Tell me about weddings.]

2 (a) [0:02] kogà pràim svàdbə [cough] pɤ̀rvu hòdim vè̟čer krɤ̀snikə sv’è̟kərə

When we put on a wedding [cough] in the evening we first go – godfather, father-in-law,

3 (a) [0:12] i dèver aku ìmə utɨ̀vət səz bɤ̀klicə səs vɨ̀nu

and brother-in-law (if there is one) – they go around with a canteen of wine

4 (a) [0:16] vɨ̀kə se də ispɨ̀jət kàrtətə də sə dədè̟ mumàtə

to “drink the card”, as it’s called, [to announce] that a girl has been promised.

5 (a) [0:21] nə.ùtr’ə utɨ̀vət žinɨ̀ ruduvè̟ zɤ̀lvi jetɤ̀rvi

In the morning [the bride’s] female relatives [including] sisters-in-law – go

6 (a) [0:25] də jə pròs’ət də gi upàše səs prestɨ̀lki də vɨ̀dət òrətə

to ask [for] her [hand], and to put aprons on them so that people will see

7 (a) [0:29] če se e dàlə zə mumčè̟tu̥ i nòsət idnò drəfcè

that she has been promised to the boy. And they’re carrying a small tree

8 (a) [0:34] rəsklòn’enu mnògu nəkìčenu s jàbəlki sušè̟nə uòškə pàndelki

with many branches, that’s been decorated with apples, dried fruit, ribbons,

9 (a) [0:40] təkivə ràbuti sə vɨ̀kə bəščɤ̀ i dàlə se e mumàtə vèče

and such things: it’s called “bəšča” (garden). And now the girl is promised –