The vocabulary of sharp implements in Xinjiang
Language Log 2017-10-10
Public notification posted in villages of Makit County (Màigàití xiàn 麦盖提县; Mәkit nah̡iyisi / Мәкит наһийиси مەكىت ناھىيىسى) near Kashgar, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR):
A few key terms: kěn 垦 means "reclaim; reclamation". Sìshíwǔ tuán 四十五团 refers to a particular military-agricultural bīngtuán 兵团 ("corps; brigade") in Xinjiang. Some of my archeological investigations in Xinjiang were carried out in areas belonging to such bingtuan. Life in these bingtuanis usually harsh and the land is generally stark. One of the main tasks of the bingtuan is to reclaim desert land and make it suitable for agricultural use.
Jǐnjí tōngzhī
Guǎngdà jūmín tóngzhì:
Xiàn jiē dào kěnqū gōng'ān jú yāoqiú, yào duì běn xiáqū jūmín jiāzhōng suǒyǒu lìqì, jí càidāo, fǔzi, tiěqiāo, chútóu, tiěchā, gāngguǎn, pí jiákè xiǎodāo děng lìqì shàng jìnxíng dǎyìn shēnfèn zhèng hàomǎ, xiànqí 10 yuè 5 rì zhì 8 rì sān tiān, dìdiǎn zài gè xiǎoqū dàmén chù, fán bù jìnxíng dǎmǎ de dāojù, yījīng jiǎnchá yīlǜ mòshōu, wèi pèihé hǎo dǎmǎ gōngzuò, jūmín xūyào xiédài běnrén shēnfèn zhèng, bìng měi jiàn dǎmǎ yòngjù shōufèi 4 yuán, tècǐ tōngzhī.
Sìshíwǔ tuán yī shèqū
2017 nián 10 yuè 5 rì
紧急通知
广大居民同志:
现接到垦区公安要求,要对本辖区居民家中所有利器,即菜刀,斧子,铁锹,锄头,铁叉,钢管,皮夹克小刀等利器上进行打印身份证号码,限期10月5日至8日三天,地点在各小区大门处,凡不进行打码的刀具,一经检查一律没收,为配合好打码工作,居民需要携带本人身份证,并每件打码用具收费4元,特此通知。
四十五团一社区
2017年10月5日
Urgent Notice
All residents-comrades:
Now, in responding to the reclamation area Public Security Bureau’s requirement, it is necessary to stamp national ID numbers on all sharp implements, such as kitchen knives, axes / hatchets, shovels / spades, hoes, pitchforks, steel pipes, leather jacket knives (VHM: presumably knives that are small enough to be put in the pocket of a leather jacket), etc. in the houses of all community residents in this jurisdictional area within the time limit of three days between October 5th and October 8th. The location is at the main gate of all communities. All tools which are not stamped with ID numbers will be confiscated upon examination. In order to coordinate with the task of stamping ID numbers, community residents must bring their own national ID card and will be charged 4 Yuan for each implement that is stamped. It is hereby announced.
The 45th Corps Community No.1
2017.10.5
[h.t. Geoff Wade; thanks to Jinyi Cai]