The New Dominion

Survival Uyghur

From The New Dominion

Lesson Two (A): Basic Greetings: Peace Be Unto You

Introduction

Salam! Welcome to Survival Uyghur, Lesson Two. Last time, we learned how to order polo in a typical Uyghur restaurant. We’ll look at that again later, but, for now, it’s time to learn to say hello. The idea is not to start a conversation – at least not yet – but to signal your willingness to learn and your interest in and respect for someone else’s language and culture.

We’re going to begin with the two most common greetings, the associated body movements, and the right way to respond. This lesson is divided into two parts: male readers will find Lesson Two (A) more helpful, while both male and female learners will get use out of Lesson Two (B).[1] This first lesson introduces a common Islamic greeting.

Dialogue One: Peace Be Unto You

You: Ässalam äläykum!

Uyghur: Wä äläykum ässalam!

This is a classic Islamic greeting recognized throughout the Muslim world. The Uyghur pronunciation is a bit different from the Arabic – we’ll learn it below. The exchange means “Peace be unto you” – “And unto you peace.”

Usage notes:

- This greeting is used almost exclusively between men.

- I like to use this as a “disarming” greeting. If someone’s looking at you curiously or in apparent fear, this tends to calm the situation down. That’s why this is the first thing one says before asking a stranger for directions!

Pronunciation

ä: In Lesson One, we used ä for the hard a in English – mat, cat, stay, pay, lap. That still applies here. The regular a is for the soft a – llama, par, Lamaze, call, Duvall. The hard ä sounds short, while the soft a sounds long.

ss: The double s – ss – is really a double s. Hold it out for a little longer.

Remember, emphasis on words is like “Olé!” “Ässalam äläykúm!” “Wä äläykum ässalám!”

Body language

Uyghur greetings are attached to a set standard of body language. The general rule is, follow the other person’s lead. To fit in better, follow these… guidelines:

- For men: As you say your part of the greeting, raise your right hand to your chest, palm open, and place your palm on your chest. (This may be a universal gesture of sincerity.) This may be accompanied by a slight bow. If you are much younger than the man you’re facing, you may extend both hands to shake his single right hand. For best results, you should simply follow his lead at this point.

- For women: As noted, women don’t usually say this, with the exception of some forward-thinking young intellectuals. It may be used, though, upon entering a room. Don’t shake hands, especially with men, though exceptions may be made.

Dialog Review

Let’s look at this dialog again, integrating proper actions into them.

You: Ässalam äläykum! (Raise your right hand to your chest) Peace be unto you.

Uyghur: Wä äläykum ässalam! (He raises his right hand to his chest) And unto you peace.

(Simultaneously lower the right hand. Mutual right-handed handshake ensues.)

[1] Please forgive the apparent gender bias.