Re: A Charyan Brothel Song in Teonaht

On Thu, 27 May 1999, Sally Caves wrote:

> > Nemre.men    ryabay, qoi.qoi    e.do
> > separate.AMA grasses finger.DUP poss.1sMGH
> > Separate the grass, my fingers
> >
> >   (This is a difficult point. As soon as stalks, blades
> >   of grass or anything like that is mentioned, a Charyan
> >   indeed does think of hair, but not on the head.)
>
> One other in private note has said same.  And indeed, if
> I have wisdom at all, this is where the fingers should be
> in continuum to do the trick, yes?  But this is not on-color
> for this list, and I retract it.  <G>
>
Exactly, but only at the end of song. While a good song should
grab the listeners attention, and we all know where that on
average is located, a bit of leading-up to is considered better
form...

> A question; this association is not made of every mention of
> _mimhsaves_ outside of the erotic poems, yes?  Otherwise we have
> as Freud gave us such an intolerable monotony of association.
Oh, no, but in the context of the song, the association is
inevitable.

> >
> > dena.men  tan bay.garir   logh
> > waver.AMA TAN stick.magic like
> > Wavering like a magic wand
> >
> > harul tebi.tebi
> > gold  smell.DUP
> > that smells gold
> >
>
> Ah! Very nice interpretation of mimrddispr! I.S.
>
I pondered, wavered and hesitated, and suddenly I struck
gold, so to say...

>
> Well, you are forgetting the rabbit hole, my
> friend.  And also the rabbit in the rabbit hole.
> But nevermind!  I.S.  Very excellent.
>
As you can see from the Dutch translation, ('leger', although
properly more suited for a hare, but let that pass), I was
quite aware of it - it's just that I couldn't find any Denden
simile for it. Nature imagery, while popular, is quite limited
because the Charian are for the most part city-dwelling folk, who
wouldn't know a rabbit warren if you'd present it them on a salver
with watercress around it.

>
> Wow... one could learn Dutch this way!  S.C.
>
Try it - then you could translate the Dutch translations of the
other songs from the _Brahir_ on my webpage for Issytra.


Boudewijn Rempt  | http://www.xs4all.nl/~bsarempt