Certain conventions are used in the annotation of performances. Luhaya, like English, uses the Roman alphabet. Textual conventions apply to both Haya transcriptions and English translations. Lines of text that begin with capital letters at the left margin mark the singer's pause for breath. These naturalistic units are "breath lines." Lines that are left-indented and begin with capital letters are lines that - for reasons of syntax, semantics and/or poetic pattern - I separate. These interpretive units are "poetic lines." Breath lines are enumerated (for the purpose of referring to them) by whole integers. Poetic lines are enumerated by the integer of the breath line of which they are part plus a number indicating their order, e.g., a breath line composed of three poetic lines would be, say, 44, 44.1, and 44.2.

Finally, and most importantly, italic text is used to mark words and passages of lyric poetry; images that praise or adorn a person, place or concept; names that commemorate legendary events; or epithets regularly associated with eminent natural or supernatural figures. Words in italics are related thematically to the elements of the narrative. Roman text, on the other hand, directly tells the main story.

Two kinds of context frame the meaning of performed words. In an immediate, living context of performance . . .