Amharic Cultural Reader PDF
Preview Amharic Cultural Reader
~ Collected and edited by “Wolf Leslau and Thomas L. Kane Amharic Cultural Reader Collected and edited by Wolf Leslau and Thomas L. Kane 2001 Harrassowitz Verlag - Wiesbaden CONTENTS ‘Amati Tex sad English Translason, Nasing Christening ‘Wedting Burial Ceremony Food and Drink. “The manner of wearing clothes nse constaction in Amhara county. "The dally dies of an Amara ame. ‘What she daily work on an Ethiopian woman? Landholding sips among the Ambar [A person of good beeing and good upbringing ow is an Ftiopen git of good character? Beaty ‘Merchaot Mereao CCounny rank lgerhood Functions of sede in society Pest. Pres’ sca Clerc education Dibra Monkhoos. Divination Misi cristae Easter Epiphany St John’s Das! Fasing Manto. Communal Labor Commu Inquest. sal Society Credit Sociew ‘Minstrel Fubra ‘Adis Ababa ‘The City of Gonder Haar City AMIARIC - ENGLISH DICTIONARY ENGLISH INDEX. INDEX OF THE AMHARIC LEXEMES ML CONTENTS: INTRODUCTION ‘Wile engaged in ding research on the Grage dale of Southern Eth pin in he ate $0" nd early 60's, eccured ome tat stodents of Ethiopian Semitic fanguages woud benefit from having a Reader containing texts elucsting various specie and cusioms of Ethiopian life Since Armaric isnot only the national an- fone bu the most wiely spoken language in hip, t seemed est to prove an ‘Amare cola eade, I dhereforecomsissoned several Biipian university sta ‘den to write hor essays cn customs th which hey were most fami. My purpose in commissioning these esays ws twofold, Fist to give the advance student of Anfric wsimple of the Ambarc writing syle of the average ‘daca Fihipian and athe same time o provide information on Ethiopia's clara tckgzound. Tt shouldbe pote out thatthe authors ofthe ates were stents ‘writing fom thee own wedge an, Ueefre, heals ae not sways consi tent with eachother , Nor should thse estays be regarded 3s scholaly writings. eed he auhors woot rom what was to each of them “eommon kaowlede". Be sides the vary of style of interes since the essays were writen by varios stu dens “The reader will become aware othe fact that various aspets of every life are missing since the esays deel wih subjecs with which the writers ofthe es says were alia. Aste above the articles were collected in the Ist 0's and the carly 60's and, therefore they donot sos’ any ofthe sweeping changes that ested from the Eihipian Resotion of 1974 (Yat 1966). Indeed, ii esky hat the Revolition may have chaaged miny coadtions Since the piacipe of he ransstion f the “Cultural Reader” wast provide understanding ofthe Amharic tex, x sooth ansation nto English was sterificed tis principe. Thos, the eer sll occ he Sequent use of the gerund wis my ot be perfect English. Needles os, a professional writer would have writen in tft sie, buts of interest wo become aware othe syle ofan edvested, bt Not profession! writer The advantage ofthe esiys being writen by diferent persons isin the fact thatthe reader becomes aware of the deren styles. Note thatthe nicl fer in the difculy of taslaton INTRODUCTION sat ‘There was no consistency in the athonraphy of several exsays (and even ia the sme essay) du othe well Anon fc that the same sound may be expressed by Aiferet symbols in Amaro, Since, for hese of conssteney, the “Reader” uses ‘he etymological approach. 2 speling suchas 0” i cometed 1909 “The technical tems such 4 abot, mdsob and others, are explained in the dictionary. The reader may be surprise se the essays. on Addis Aa, Gonar and arrncded inthis colleton of essays tt del primarily with tbnographi male Fil bul the ineluson ofthese ve ails has a special justification. Indeed, Adis Aba isthe politi, economic and clara center ofthe eet and as i is ‘menoned in iterate and works dealing with politics ag the economy. tis also the fone city which people interes in Ethiopia we likely t vs. Gondar is the ancient cura center of Btsopia und preserves more of the country's Chistian past han ‘Addis Abit oes. nara Islamic ctu center and deserves attetion sin nearly halo Etigians are Maslin. Inder to fumianze himself with cach paricula syle and sentence stra tur, the stan is ase o reread these aie evra as, While the “Reade” is intended mainly forthe student of Amharic 8 or hope thatthe anthropologist may find tof interest fr his field say. Reference Grammar = Wolf Lesau, Reerene Grammar of Amari: Wiesbaden, Harasowits, 1995, My sincere thank are de to Me M. Langelé wh acceped the mastic for publication by Harassowit ‘Our thanks to those who woot the Arr say. The coiitors a: mr: Mow murs meth Nt “wn ean ET ICE ata ne oae ea a PRO OAL DHA AAG Nike aca £6 mane ee wWeAcoFor aga IrctA Pen AT ey am 20 Liter a0 rence PEO ML HN Re 46 788 aonb “The fit drat ofthe uansation was done by Thomas Kane. The lation tas thea reexamined snd revised by both ators. Unfortunatly. Thoms Kane die of eukemis when the hack ws aly finishes, Thomas Kane cite 19 my atenton inthe eaty 60° when he seat me a small sanple an Amare diionary he ad empiled and asked formy opinion of Jt Trecogize ight va the validy of his method and of his ap-caeh and ncour ged him to coatinue studying Ambac and other Ethiopian languages, Incidentally, he had acquired Amari using the materia valle a ha time After having re= rived his MA jn Old Germanic a the University of Pennsylvania where he also Sled Arabi, he came to UCLA (Univenity of California, Ls Angeles) in 1967 10 Sindy Ambac and othe: Eshipian and Semi languages with me. He reosived his PhD in Semis a UCLA in 1971 the ile of his dissertation being “Ethiopian Lit ature in Amari "Thomas Kane bad an eneylopei iad fr things Ethiopic. He ws fai tae wit ll possible aspects of Ethiopia, be it in history, reigon, erator, pois, sn inser Bs. “The present “Arai Cultural Reader” is deesed to Thoms Kan, the reat lexcographerof Amari and of Tring. ONLI AKER “AFF ARN FaIMPA” LAR: OE ates AT oman: MAPS HG" hey QumAnhid bODsAS AeA tam: IebwAREY WHR PLAC AP KLAR: CrYRIr ZO” PLA INOR NIC Fay ese: POOP het Nacht IRAE EE NIE ANT NIK ORK ABU hem ROL hom EI Alte POOUY LARA? LY ELOY Ags FEW ae NIE Mens ARS MDAS ORE NIOCACS AVP FowANA ATE OH I PE: NIK am NOTES BE Mb See he ti ARE Penman aes Akers LL mY Nae Yom AAR FURS NAMIE OHS RULER: BVP PANN Yar: WIS: MET MA ATHAL OEP AOR OOH: AI MOTEL OAT AMA OY: OD NODE a Pes PEA BOP MMLCR CTE MEANY MN PR ROS AF DIRE PARR FLA APT: AANA EO Os AN ane: MEMS US AACN 7 NOTE BIAS Ake ane PP MCHE NTP AN MENTE NEE MOT OP RAB onS AF MA: MENTS AT AMI AA CaMEET NIKO: ober” KEK ACH ames: NOV AKA MRK! ENCONS A RAR DB MMAR DdariFar: OLALT TON At NEED ERO ALN KAP UREA CONR ATP AINAFO: anesbas A CNET CHER AME EIT enyO™ enna: AnchMTm BAF OAR IMAM FIAT EEE: MoM AINE 2c vo Ost henkey Lert mci RANE Hi he: ANEO COPS snieIne: IY NIE ALE ARE hewnendt gor THK eM BAC MEP “YA AE ANAS TO MP AOA TR Ay AoE HMA" Ada” ROP NO-N I Fears AM MtaNeMeA BAY PPA MO He: EN PCH OF BUTS: APHATS (YN RIAA KIRUTY: MLNRA 09": aH DIRK: WAL MIKA: Te UAL AEA BHAA! OM fIRA: hI DORUYE: Kemk oUNKA: ON “URAAS ont IAA: Anca >TO FPO BAP AO. NM NIH A ADC OA MHA HIN: Phe Gow lca oF ono 2 tse he i to 2 For exrssing aan se een 88, 3 09 Ta no contonin wih heath pple ae the one ror. Naming ‘When elders tell ables, they sy, "Angels give mame.” When they sy this it ‘is wo suggest that before the elds bor, his mature and his name are decided by ngs is sad tat if the name which i desired is given him ance he is born, theres noting which wil be aed o taken away fom hi, ‘Whether arnt [such] tals ae tld child's nae his permanent same sis customary has already ben considered for some time, not as soon a eis bor. This name whichis given consiertion may be a hero's mum Like Abone (having ds ‘urbe, Cofomme having elbowed, Kone (ny elbow), Bayu the iter, Ambictor {cansacker, andthe like, Nanes expressing handsomenes ar ofthe kin ke Wubity the handsomenes), Amar hei handsome), Dang (eis amiable) The names ven ils mos express bel. Jus for example: Almaz (amon), ‘Wubi Che bea, spd ee), and the ike. Parents who hae lost boy ore ‘voush hls illness may. by changing the ex call che oy by the gl'sname and ‘he gil by the boy's nan, Th reason they do this nay be Because ofthe belie hat hanging the sex by nme will prevent techie Im dying. "When a baby boy i born, hei christened nthe frtath day, the gion the phot. The cristenes lok fora woman ote te gmots ofthe git. Ise sks to chsten [the child, tobe the godmather, he crcmstanees ae taken ico consider- tion and the childs given to Ber. On the pat ofthe hoy. a godfather is ikewise ‘Sought People with [new] elden goto ney hutch explain tothe vier tha they have sil! who was bon cently decide he Chistian name by whe the child il be baptized and the date [forthe baplisn and tum [home ‘nthe day ofthe christening, te pres, andi they are sil alle, the baby's randpaents, go othe church with ie elatives, stad the ceremoay af he Mass nd giveth child tobe christened. decom kes the cil in his arms and rings it 10 ‘he bapesal font. Then, crossing hms! wl saying, “Halla to the Fah, ale Inj the Son, lleje tothe aly Ghost, hehapizes the baby, The name of the aot which is clebated onthe day the iby is baptized may be wed a he cls 7 hopin Cristian cao, uli hs Wester Christin ae, does a provide a or Ite taking cates le “The pra oie verh ca frm eps fs 0 pis air instances he AEE (UF henna. (Aas nn HCHO worse ney «HANAN AAS AHEOR Hos AK CLO? PLOLONY hg APE BENE! 20 OP HOP A BNA: FEC MERA OY B09 AAO ASE DM 0s £NIES RHPA Ae srENAG kts mete RACY “AY nner RI" Nite hare WANS HAF ERO FCO MEO LAE: PA PCOS du0-5 PERI Rem MAIC CHALE SEO": CIN Hom FUOARG Mm ANCE fem OI EMCOAT Nem AAC: Meer AT AEH SMM” RINE MMC Nm NIK IAT OM IP AINA: PUMee AK eh NMS AA tee FAcd OY Loma: grag sue ais PUA 4” EAL FF POUNAEI® Bis PRA PY ERIK CATE NT ON RAPES OLE RIAD AON RICA: MORE AME PL Poder sar Me PHRF NIA “ET CPIM CP Hs (AOU MET CA fee SATS: AML AILE ICY TCHS CNS Me LA IR Ine AOE MAF" AP aAee AE IRA A RATA NL AMIE gy Nae IOI 30": ARAAO-Y OF Qa HEF RPA: PRY HOKE wHCTY BU emnANAD HOLME LOMA ALOMAR OM Ute AMET ARKO RIAU? NROER TC 2C+ ARO NIATLO" WEEE ale OC PE SR ATCO WERE Orne LIA YO 1 ihe allo saga fering nthe lets Att 1 le-Our ater ae atin Heaven Cee) "This why ting smn ‘nay ie cal out your mame!” icacime eile 0 This statements incomes A bose gc ps of ea sla Epo ‘Thewloros was known a Abb Ti npr Met Ia Aba Dui ad Eimer “ile ets a Abba Tsll Tews uf A epi af i potaly dere fom the seven eng MA hit, sts whic vn being ithe u's sttement htt her's name. The emi 1 fan AF) wn they you thy were amazed at yor beau book ef noma, Wales de rte, Ben, New Yar. 1985, pp. BS-89. ‘Chistian name, For example, if be festivals (Saiae] Michel’ [Dy he wil be called by Sait] Michal mae, Wal-Mike, Cis Mikal, Hays Mikel, tte a gis may be called Ams Miao, Wali Mikal, te AS nites for thechrsening th ret wil white head arund the chills neck Iisa the mat ‘Allert parents run home and hold aaa nthe presence ofthe assembled ‘elves on account ofthe christening, the fater stands up and publicly poclains the hme by which he desires his sont be called Thi is called the “world name". When the priest sys, "May the name be blessed and holy." the people respond, saying, "Let inves. May tbe suitable, Welike iL" The pis ives his blessing sas prayer, has everyone say the Palemster and ater ho has ised, everyone gulps dow What reins in each of thei expt], and hey past company ‘The clés Christian and sword names fe ia funtion. His wold name wil ways be his apelation tis Cistan name wl evs fr him o be called by when he ‘akes commenion and will bused inthe obsequies whenke des. Sometimes is Chis- ‘ian name may seve a his world nae. Ce should be the son of a wealthy man, an additional “horse name" may be ven him Jus for example, nay be Tata "be ead fo combat There ce what sre called pet names. The pet nae is one which they ws to ‘spay affection by taking Someone's world name and shoreaing itor making some skerton init I his sual ae ie Bay, Baya is the pet ame [or boy) Baye [cuss] a woman's name. Abbibs becomes Abbe, Gonna Gannoé ond] Baan ‘Bri. Particularly with reference ro women, y is ued and becomes a special pet ‘ame. That sto say, ADBSDAES fecomes] AbbsboyE or ABboYE (Generally tena nae is givens a mcsning. I contin the meaning of este, nope, lve an the ike Ie herein Ethiopia that fra these anes whic ar ven tht they havea maning which ie connected ts the thing the pens Want ‘heir child to bosom and wit the charter thy waat tee cio have. ncn Oe AR (tong mach Hes 4% AK anemy gs! ncnes PIN: NOTA PCHEE NIMES AAAI ECDAE NER NOPTO- Changer ATH OH FU NIKI NUT O ATE NCAT As Ante LAME MIL RICE ANS AA TABS AONE AGE eS YO: WRT NORE PUNE OPEL IE ME om POM AEP OE hry abs AA MTR AMAL AO Lara: MOTO RA nor te Apes OMFED re MM $0 Aran MY RTL LAMA: MiP ONE NIMAT sho pagename Yon AE hie: Aen ue CR akirh anor Bama: MAPHEO ING PA ONKETS AH ALE: Che MOY HO DIASMIAS FANAY LMA NCAT Ve He REVWH NAME 26 PRES MATHS A AMIE Pays CHO AD ss Nima AVATUM Mee WUADE MAIC aE A MOREE are AML ETO 60 NOHO" ATT MUTE EA te PLARCOON: ED MOM AP mH, sar hnchi-cam BA EN REE MAS Asan ML NCO MAAS DR Ans ABEL ote HeIEAE: MMC OOS TE ue 19 dosed wk OH A LWP AMEN OTs MCHAT LOS NOUTLPHEIO wyOrs MLILE HIVE Lamas: ast AAA NIL NAN AMAG En HBF A en Bator BAC It EMRE MIRREN ARE ITT: HT HIOn oars MALE hymna oc PAINS: a NERD HINT RBI Atoment ALBTE EPPO: NNEALOD MOT FREAK ABD MD NA bs om AE FomnTAT ANA Ain) SIRS femme y wa AMM RECT 1H ERG Ato REDO: MANET (ILC GBI PIMEARE: NN (ENA EO OURO fa FAR Om ACS LED CM HR) BaasMCO HAs ALB ATED OHH NIAMS UTE IDE PEA AMAT AME GAY NE LH ARCA se MEOH Om RIMLA! Ae MCHA OT Ti in egy nerdy 2 ite saer sake hing stv me yous child er hs he faci she ® ahr beng conse ing arte sy hs che chsteig We 0 + When ei ial i. pss pay a atari prong ha he sa oo = Chisening Forty days fer aby isbn and eighty day afer agi they are christened. For the boy ther sa gdtither and forthe git. a godmostes. us eid which is bom sa boy, the father asked to give his hil fr christen ing the requester. I contrast oth ifthe chil 82 gi, the one asked isthe mother. ‘Persons eager fru eiionship an rendship as, a soon as they find out the mother haseonceived. "IF your child ie a boy give it) tome iis gil give it tomy wife” “Tne purpose isto have the parents promise before anybody ese aks fis ‘For example, in Gojam, the would-be] godparen ass. In hoa, he pens sk [someone] saying, “We (pl) godparetforus. "Ifthe hid isthe cil ofthe vow. these equate arent mds bur the lds given overt the zat. Parents who ae ‘rons in thei faith ke a covenant fot him to serve the abo or which he ei as heen chosen when hes grown Eventhough the bsic meaning of chrshing is inked srith esto the sous of this ust i the serch For elainship The one who sys, "ea podparet for mele me be 4 godparent for you (pL). looking fora means ot protection though lative wis sting in weal nl honor Even Hough he one ‘hrntened ia faby who has no allied the ege ors, the enters arid fut among persons we have atsined the age af eso. ‘day before the chistening he sother tells the neighbors that she has 2 lnisteaing on the moro and asks ther tobe her companions atthe christening On ‘the chstening day 624, on a non-as ay and 12am cn.afast ay he godparents ndthose who are having the christening done travel he church together. Tremote ppears wth spun thread andthe godparens with new lates and towels oF kind of musi ate akg bing at ition, Thiemay mean“ “The aia sone of an Fopan cuch wich casero int his so " atsam,scortigto tne Hop ong, i ge te chide sin!
The list of books you might like
