Continuing the discussion from Wedding Benedictions:
A ni sogoma. I ni ce for the wise counsel.
Would it be rude to change the “hands and feet” (sen ni bolo) to “paws and tails,” as this couple loves dogs? If not rude, how might one say this or connote the sentiment?
Thanks!
Nba!
I’m no arbiter of rudeness, but it sounds to me like you are trying to playfully riff on the benediction for an audience that would likely not find it rude, but instead endearing given the context and sentiment behind it. If you are giving a speech, perhaps you could even make note of your change in a way that makes it clear to everyone.
The word for tail is ku or kukala as listed in the dictionary. I don’t know of a specific word for ‘paw’. Animals have sen (‘leg; foot’) just like people. In English, we insist on marking paired body parts as plural (foot → feet; arm → arms), but in Jula, you often hear them referred to in the singular when the context makes it clear.
So:
Ala ka sen ni kukala bɔ à la
‘May God make feet and (a) tail come out of it!’
PS - I split your post off from the original thread to respect the one question - one topic principle that guides the Forum in general. You can reply to posts as a linked topic on your own next time if need be by following these steps.