PAST VS. PRESENT

Leštak 1

55 (a) də z’ɤ̀mət də jədɤ̀t də vìdim kvò še jədɤ̀t
to get something to eat, let’s [just] see what they’ll eat!

56 (a) tvà i tvà imə ràzlikətə ut nəpr’èž du segà
And there it is, that’s the difference between then and now.

57 (a) štòtu im’ɛ̀še p’èč’enu nə fs’èki č’òp egà zèmeš jɛ̀renu
There used to be roast on every branch. You’d take a kid

58 (a) tə gu zəkòliš prudədèš kužʌ̀nə i mesònu ustàvə bes pərì
and slaughter it and sell the hide, and the meat ends up free.

59 (a) a sà zə də zèmeš ednò jàre tr’àbvə də zìməš
But now to buy to buy a kid you need to get

60 (a) il’àdə i pètstòtin l’èvə pərì
one thousand five hundred levs.

61 (b) seà i təvà e
That’s the way it is now.

67 (a) ne mòžeš ə pò nəpr’èt etùvə kòlehme sɛ̀kə s’èdmicə kràvə
You can’t. And before? Each week we used to slaughter a cow – [sometimes]

68 (a) dv’è i pu trì sme klàli i vərvɛ̀še štòtu bɛ̀ jèftinu
we slaughtered two or three each. And it worked fine! Things were inexpensive.

69 (a) dvà l’èvə m’ʌ̀su ə s’à sə zəkòli sɛ̀ku gl’ʌ̀də
Meat at two levs [a kilo]. But now if someone slaughters, everyone [just] watches.

71 (a) n’àmə pərì
Nobody’s got money.

72 (VZh) kakvò e tovà vèče čeverm’ʌ̀ sìgurnu kàk se prài
… most likely, what it is to roast on a spit. How did you do it?

73 (a) òu nəpràvu gu zəbràihme
Oh, we’ve completely forgotten!

75 (a) dàž’e i də gu vìdim n’àma də gu puznàeme
Even if I saw one I wouldn’t recognize it!

Leštak 2

19 (d) tè bɛ̀hə nè màlku tugàvə tò imɛ̀še tugàvə nìvi seà sə
They weren’t “few” back then! There were fields then. [It’s] now –

20 (d) seà sə màlku nìvit’e či mestàtə sètne gà tèkezəto z’ʌ̀hə
[it’s] now [that] there’s not many fields. Later when the cooperative farms took

Leštak 3

90 (GK) vìkaxte li mu sòr ednò vrème ili kàk dùma ìmaše li zə
Did you call that “sor” in the old days? Something else? Was there a word for it?

228 (e) a segà vòluve nèmə segà səs mùl’etə urɤ̀t
But there’s no oxen now. [People] plow with a mule now.

236 (e) zəbràil gu səm màmə mu stàrə èj umòt’ umòt’ i oràlu
I’ve forgotten it, devil take it! Yes, the yoke. The yoke and the plow

241 (e) zəbràil gu səm tuvà udàvnə ràbutə bè
I forgot it. That’s stuff from a long time ago, you know?

Malevo/Asg 1

19 (a) nədrubìm i lùk kurmìt tùrim i òlivo i sə vərì vərì
We chop up onions and add them, also oil; and it boils and boils.

23 (a) čʌ̀stu ml’àku
“Thick” milk.

35 (a) əmi nə žʌ̀tvə òdin’e nìe segà se odùčihme ud žʌ̀tvə [laughter]
Well, we did go out to do harvesting, but now we’ve lost the habit of it [laughter]

36 (VZh) [А едно време ходехте ли?]
[But in the old days did you go out?]

37 (a) ò ednò vr’ème òdehne i decà nòsehme nək nə l’ùl’k’e [laughter]
Oh [yes], we went in the old days, and carried children [with us], in cradles [laughter]

38 (a) nə gʌ̀rp i òdehme tə žʌ̀nehm’e zbìrəme snòp’ət’e
on our backs. And we would go, and do the reaping, and gather the sheaves.

39 (a) kəkvò də pràim i decà gl’ʌ̀dəme i s’àkəkvu sme pràili
What [else] could we do? We also had to take care of the kids. We did everything.

95 (a) mi stànuvə č’il’ìk’ ədìn pʌ̀rs č’ilìk’ stànuvə [laughter]
Instead you get unbaked dough – a finger-length of unbaked dough [laughter]

96 (a) ədnò vr’ème təkà gu kàzvəhme
That’s what we used to call it in the old days.

Malevo/Asg 2

16 (b) təkɤ̀f məter’àl mnògu gudìni rabòtehme tɤ̀j.kətu tugàvə rəbòteme nə rəkà
We’ve been working this wood many years, because at that time we worked by hand.

17 (b) n’èməme məš’ìni rəbòt’eme nə rəkʌ̀ i tvà dɤ̀rvu
We didn’t have machines, and we worked that wood by hand

19 (b) zətvà gu rəbòtexme nə rəkà i vopštè tugà n’èməhme nìkəkvi məšìni
[which is] why we worked it by hand. We had no machines at all then,

20 (b) sìčku si rəbòtehme nə rʌ̀kə a fpusl’ètstvie sl’ed mnògu gud’ìni
We worked everything by hand. Consequently when, after many years

23 (b) nə rəkʌ̀ ne mòe se rəbòt’et a segà vèč’e rəbòt’et nə məš’ìnətə
and can’t be worked by hand. But now they can be worked with the machine,

27 (b) pò rànu ìməhme dòstə ràbutə ubàč’e segà s ednɤ̀ dùmə kàzənu
Earlier on we had a lot of work. However now – to say it with a single word –

28 (b) ràbutə n’èmə mnògu e slàba i pòsl’e nàš’ijə zənəjɛ̀t pòveč’etu ràbutə
there’s no work. Very little [anyway]. In our craft most of the work

Malevo/Hsk 1

48 (a) ni nɨ̀štu sig’è̝ pò lòšu ut tùrsku də f kàžə [laughter]
no nothing. But now it’s worse than the “Turkish times”, let me tell you! [laughter]

50 (a) sigɛ̀ hòrətə zə sə iz’ədɤ̀t zəvisl’ɨ̀vɨ zəvɨ̀ždat sɨ ùžəs
Now people will destroy each other, they’re jealous, envious – it’s awful.

84 (VZh) tì kàk si go zapòmnila sèlutu pò màlko li bèše ot segà
How do you remember the village [then]? Was it smaller than it is now?

85 (a) pò gul’àmu b’èše dàže
[No,] it was even bigger.

87 (a) sigɤ̀ mlàdite izb’àgəhə sìčkite v grədɤ̀ i ustànə s’èlutu màlku
Now all the young people ran off to the city and [what’s] left of the village [is] small.

88 (a) sig’è̝ pumàci ìməme mnògu s pumàci̥te e gul’àmu [laughter]
Now we have lots of Pomaks. [If you include] Pomaks, the village is big. [laughter]

129 (a) əmɨ vɨ̀šte sig’è pr’əz zɨ̀mətə pr’əd’è̝me tugàvə sɨ̀čkùd b’èše pr’è̝denu i təkànu
Well, let’s see. In the winter we spin. Back then everything was spun and woven.

133 (a) štòt nòsehme sɨ̀čku təkànu dumàšnu sɨ̀čkite drèi b’àhə dumàšni
because all our clothes were home-woven, all our clothes were home-made

134 (a) n’àməše kət sigɛ̀ gutòvi i kup’èšku jà
there wasn’t anything like now, ready-made and bought [at the store].

190 (a) sɤ̀rp i pələmàrkə jə ž’èneš i sigè̝ mlàtte n’àkəf pɤ̀t ìkət
You reap with sickle and swaphook. And now the young folk sometimes say,

191 (a) vɤ̀h n’è̝skə mnògu gur’è̝štu ìkəm gur’èštu nè gur’èštu
“Oof, it’s really hot today!” And I say, “Hot or not,

192 (a) nə tàa gureštinɤ̀ sə e ž’ènəlu càl’ d’è̝n càl’ d’è̝n jè
we did the reaping in that heat.” All day long, all day long. Yes.

269 (a) [laughter] tvà d’èt sme prekàrəl’ɨ sigɛ̀šnite mlàdi həb’èr si n’àmət
[laughter] Ah, what we went through! Today’s young people have no idea,

270 (a) ne sɤ̀ gu vìdel’i əmə b’è̝še stràšnə rà
they didn’t see it. But it was awful –

271 (a) sigɛ̀ kvò mu e də z’è̝meš l’àbə ut fùrnətə gòtuf
Now what’s the big deal? You can get bread ready-made from the bakery.

272 (a) i ml’àktu b’ùulcətə də izduìš zə k səbɨ̀rəš
And milk – [back then] you had to milk the water-buffalo to get [the milk]

273 (a) i ml’àg zəbɤ̀rkəš səz burɨ̀lutu stràšnə ràbutə b’è̝še [laughter]
and then mix the milk in the butter churn. Terrible work, it was!

Malevo/Hsk 2

1 (VZh) šte stàne kato ednò vrème nàči pàk da təkɤ̀t xòrata da
It’ll be like the old days, people will start to weave again, to …

4 (b) kòj še təč’è nìj šə umrə̀ nìj zə umr’è̝me
Who’s going to weave? We’re going to – We’ll die.

5 (VZh) da hòd’ət po ìzvorite za vodà
… to go again to the springs for water.

6 (b) nìj ni mòim
We can’t.

7 (a) n’àmə kòj də təč’è̝
There isn’t anyone left to weave.

8 (b) n’àmə kòj də təč’è̝
There isn’t anyone left to weave.

10 (a) tìj ni znàjət mlàtte də təčɤ̀t jà
These young people don’t know how to weave.

12 (b) siɛ̀ t’ahnətə dəšter’à nɨ̀t e pr’èlə
Their daughter now has never done any spinning.

15 (b) kɤ̀k də gi nəùčiš tìjə sə tìjə sə ùčət
How are you going to teach them? These –They learn –

16 (b) mlàtte si sə ùčət l’i tìjə ni znàjət
Young people learn on their own, and then they don’t know [anything]!

18 (b) siɛ̀ nìtu i mòjtə snəhà jà n’àməm dəšter’ɤ̀ ìməm snəhà
Now, even my daughter-in-law (I don’t have a daughter, I have a daughter-in-law)

19 (b) nɨ̀tu i t’à znàe nɨ̀t də pridè nɨ̀t də təč’è
even she doesn’t know – neither how to spin nor how to weave –

21 (b) nɨ̀ nɨ̀štu
nothing!

23 (b) sɤ̀štu i t’è i
Same with them, and …

25 (b) drùkte mlàtte izòpštu nìe ni mòžem vè̝ke nìj sme
… all the other young people. We can’t [do it] any more, we’re –

29 (c) t’à nə usemdesè i dv’è gudìni òšte rəbòti ràbuti
She’s eighty-two, and she still does [serious] work …

31 (c) d’ètu sìgurnu v grədɤ̀ nə usemdesè i dv’è
… whereas city people at the age of eighty-two surely …

33 (c) si stujɤ̀t i i si četɤ̀t
… just sit around and read.

35 (a) ədnò vr’è̝me əgà òšte gà b’è̝hme màl’k’i òšte gà stàneš
Back then when, when we were still little, already when you reach

36 (a) nə nə četirinàjse gudɨ̀nɨ ud màlkə zəfàtəš də pred’è̝š
the age of fourteen – You start spinning [very] young:

45 (a) sɨ̀čku də gu də znàiš də pràiš
to [do] everything. You’ve got to know how to do everything.

46 (a) təkà sə ž’è̝nehə hòrətə enò vr’è̝mi
That’s how people entered into marriage back then.

48 (a) ž’è̝n’ət sə nəuč’èni pək segɛ̀ [laughter] segɛ̀ [laughter]
They marry already having learned. But now?? [laughter] Now? [laughter]

49 (b) segə̀ kəf’è̝tə i sə ž’è̝n’ət
Now [a few] coffees and they’re married!

51 (b) znàjət kəf’è̝tə də pìjət
They know how to go out for coffee

53 (b) i sə už’èn’ət
and to get married,

55 (b) i ne znàjət nɨ̀štu
and they don’t know anything [else].

57 (b) sig’è təkà i kədè še mi ìde də mi rəbòt’
That’s how it is now. And where are they going to go work?

58 (b) də nɨ̀vətə də i dədɤ̀t i də ìde də rəbòt nɨ̀vətə
In the fields? They’ll give her work to do out in the fields?

59 (a) [laughter] det n’àma da è
[laughter] That can’t ever be!

60 (b) tvà n’àmə i də è
[No,] that can’t be.

90 (b) tìjə pòveč’e znàjət sigɛ̀ mlàtte ud nàs
These young ones now know more than we do. They know …

92 (b) də gòtv’et…
… how to cook …

94 (b) … də čɨ̀st’ət sàmu zə nɨ̀vətə n’àmə də gi hàləme [laughter]
…. how to clean. We just can’t force them to go out to the fields. [laughter]

Markovo

72 (a) mə kvò pràim mi p’èt ə dvàmə bràt’ə sm’e i trì s’èstri
Well, what did we do? With five of us, two brothers and three sisters,

73 (a) pumàgəme nə màm’ini dičàtə bàvim nə kɤ̀rɤ rəbòtim ut ftòri kla
we helped Mom’s people, looked after kids. We worked in the fields. From second –

74 (a) ut ftòru uddelènie nə òdeja nə kɤ̀rɤ də kupàim i də žènim
from second level on, they took us out to the fields to hoe and reap.

75 (a) n’è kə̥tu səgà c’àlə nɤ̀š vìkət èj tùkə̥
Not like now, where they shout all night long in these parts.

76 (GK) i kvò pràt katu vìkat
And what do they do when they “shout”?

77 (b) pìət
They drink.

78 (a) əm kvò pràət pìet
Hah, what do they do! They drink.

81 (GK) pèət i pìet
[Ah,] they sing and drink.

84 (a) kò də pràət
What [else] do they do?

86 (a) əmi tɤ̥kɤ̀u kə̥tu̥ si srɤvnɤ̀t t’èə l’èki kulì
Well, they have a sip, and go out in these cars –

132 (a) ə pək səà mlàditi gl’èəm čàt.pàt [laughter]
But [these] young people now, I see [that] now and then …

134 (a) si pìjnuət pu màlku i si
… they have a bit of drink and –

136 (a) i gà sə zbìrət èj təkà z drugàri
And when they get together with their friends,

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Comments and questions may be addressed to bdlt@berkeley.edu.

Recommended Model for Citations

Bulgarian Dialectology as Living Tradition [2016] (http://www.bulgariandialectology.org, visited on 1 March 2016)
Babjak 1: 13-15. In: Bulgarian Dialectology as Living Tradition [2016] (http://www.bulgariandialectology.org, visited on 1 March 2016)

by Dr. Radut