Birtalan Ágnes: Kalmyk Folklore and Folk Culture in the Mid-19th Century: Philological Studies on the Basis of Gábor Bálint of Szentkatolna’s Kalmyk Texts.

KALMYK VERNACULAR AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE

cause? In order to chill herself"'

2 she drinks cold water. I am very angry with her. I warned her many times from [doing] so. Does the physician come to her? He comes, and gives us hope.

1"

1 I will go to her tomorrow. EIGHTH CHAPTER (Bálint Näimädiikci nom

, Kalm. nämdgc nom)

m Are you satisfied with me today? Well, I am satisfied [with you but] I am not satisfied with your younger brother. What did he do? He did not learn his matter. Do not scold him, he will prepare [his matter] for you tomorrow. I will do whatever you want in order to make you satisfied [with me]. I know, this help is for my benefit. He is a good boy. I really like it when you talk in that language."

15 Do not become angry with Liji,'

0

6 [but] if he does not know what he was taught, [5] it is proper to scold him. Even if he did not prepare his lesson, I am quite happy that you are satisfied with me. NINTH CHAPTER (Bálint Yisediikci nom, Kalm. yisdgc nam)"' How old are you? I will be fourteen years old soon. How old is your sister now? She is fifteen now. 1 did not think she was so old. Do you have any more sisters and brothers? I do (have a brother/sister); he/she is three years younger than me. You do not have an elder brother, do you?"

1* I have got, he is seventeen years old. When I will be twelve, I will go to the secondary school.'"" From what age did your younger brother go to school? He went there since nine years old age. It is really good to go to school from that age. TENTH CHAPTER (Bálint Arbadukci nom, Kalm. arwdgc nom

)'

1

0 Give me a needle and a thread! What are you going to sew? I am going to border'

'' the kerchief and put a symbol on it. What colour of thread do you need? White and red. When you have finished the kerchief, 1 will give you more work. What kind of work? Padding the blanket. Bálint biyän 7 deptekiilarän, Kalm. biyän dewtxläran lit. "in order to wet herself'. 10

3 Bálint icűlj'i, Kalm. icülx "uverjaf

, zaverjat', obnadjozivat' " (Mun. 275), icxe, icxa "hoffen, vertrauen, glauben" (R. 211). 10

4 Manuscript p. 4-5. 10

5 This conversation probably refers to Bálint's teaching Latin and Greek to Kalmyk school-boys, The mentioned language might be one Bálint taught them or even the Hungarian he possibly spoke in order to show how it is pronounced. Cf. "The last passage of my collection comprises articles demonstrating the main features of the Kalmyk life, written by Muuchka Baldir the best student in the upper level at secondary school and my teacher, the surgeon for me for [some] presents and the teaching help I offered the Kalmyk pupils at secondary school in learning Latin, Greek and French languages." Bálint: Jelentése, p. 12. In details cf. in chapter Ethnographica Calmycica. ""' Bálint Liji is proper name, according to (Basangova) Bordlanova: Lij in contemporary Kalmyk. 1

0 Manuscript p. 5. 111

8 Bálint bolüza, is a dubitativus abhorrens form (R. XVII). "

w Bálint gimnäzedü odxu. 11

0 Manuscript p. 5. "' Bálint alöür imkerekü, cf. Kalm. imkrxe 2. "umbiegen (und festnähen), einfassen" (R. 208), imkrx "zagibat', skaldyvat' v skladku (kraja tkani)" (Mun. 269). 29