Muru

  • Mun fen fitininnu di tunun i bada? Àlu di tunun di?
  • Ni fen fitinin baa tunun i bada, álu di jɔn wala mun jalaki? Munna?
Image
Woman and a boy
Audio file

CONTEXT: A boy plays back the recorded testimony of his aunt about a knife that belonged to her.

ߒ ߣߊߘߐ߰ߣߍ߲߬ ߛߙߋ ߟߋ߬ ߸ ߒ ߠߊ߫ ߡߎ߬ߙߎ ߓߘߊ߫ ߕߎߣߎ߲߫ ߸ ߡߙߎ߬ ߕߍ߫ ߒ ߓߟߏ߫ ߡߎ߬ߕߎ߲߬، ߘߏ߫ ߦߋ ߒ ߣߊ ߓߟߏ ߓߏ߲ ߠߊ߫، ߏ߬ ߞߊ߲ ߞߏ߫ ߊ߬ ߕߍߣߵߏ߬ ߘߌ߫ ߟߊ߫ ߒ ߡߊ߬ ߛߊ߫ ߸ ߞߏ߬ߣߌ߲߬ ߞߏ߫ ߊ߬ ߘߌߣߊ߬ ߞߎߘߊ߫ ߛߊ߲߬ ߒ ߧߋ߫ ߸ ߒ߬ߓߊ߬ ߒ ߞߍߕߐ߫ ߒ ߠߊ߫ ߡߙߎ߬ ߞߎߘߊ ߏ ߘߏ߲߰ ߠߊ߫ ߟߋ߬ ߗߙߎ߫ ߛߴߊ߬ ߞߊߣߊ߬ ߕߎߣߎ߲߫

This is my younger aunt's testimony. "My knife has gotten lost. I no longer have a knife. My mom has one in the house. She says that she won't give to me, but she says she'll buy me a new one. So well, I will hide my new knife properly so that it won't get lost.

Vocab

nádɔ̀ɔnɛn/nádɔ̀ɔnin
younger aunt; lit. "little mother"
sére
here, 'testimony' (more generally, it means 'witness')
mùru
knife
X kán kó...
X says (lit. "X's voice says...")
dínà
rarer predicate marker used for the future
ǹba
Alright; "So, well..."
kɛ́tɔ
lit. 'doing', but semi-grammaticalized to express the future
cúru
completely

Notes

None for now!

Imagine the interaction when the woman asked her mom for a new knife. How would things go? Would someone get blamed for the trouble? Does it happen all the time? Create the scene!