Talarian text (at last!) was Re: [conculture] Writing

Am 24.01.02, eo 'scrifef:

> > I do want to see it, though, only not here.
> >
> > If you don't have web space to put it on, you can have some of mine
> > :-)
OK. It's all done, and can be seen at:
"www.geocities.com/elemtilas/conlang/text.htm"

Here's the description of what you're seeing and the
translations.

In the upper left box are some control numbers that help the
scribes find the original document in the files. In the upper
right box, with red dots around, is the price of having a copy
made (in this case, 4 tarxam or about a tenth of a Talarian
dollar).

Centered at the top is the name of the country's government and
below that the name of the issuing city.

In the columns to the right and left of the main text (A, B, C,
and D in the transliteration) are, from right to left, short
prayers wished upon the married couple.

The lines of the main text are numbered in red.

Left at the bottom is the Seal of the issuing authority; at
bottom right is the authorised signature of the governor or
mayor. Centered at bottom are the signatures of the priests (one
for the woman, one for the man; over towards the left);  and then
the woman, and her witness; and finally the man, and his witness.
People are generally illiterate, so it is a wonder that the woman
and the man's witness are actually able to write their names. The
woman's witness makes a mark (looks like an "H") and the scribe
wrote it out for her. The man wrote only the first letter (looks
like "DD") of his name, and then a line. The one letter he wrote
is backwards.

I used a different font for each type of writing in the text, and
appended a key to the bottom of the transliteration. Arrows at
the start of each line indicate which way to read in the actual
text (except for the first two headers, all transliterated text
reads left to right). Text within angled brackets indicates
inserted text to correct for a scribal error (unintentional I
might add!) wherein a whole line was left off the good copy. In
the picture, it appears as a small line of text surrounded by
black dots.

Names, as you can see, are set off in red frames followed by the
name determinative (LU). Measuring words, here "month", "day",
etc. have the measurement determinative (RWO). (KI) is the
locative determinative; (BAGA) the God determinative; (BUMI) the
tribal or regional determinative. In the priests' and governor's
signatures, though they defy analysis, you can see (BUR), the
respect determinative. It looks like "<".

As I mentioned in an earlier message, all these ideograms and
determinatives are found in the Classic of a Hundred Signs, which
is a kind of scribal dictionary listing all the acceptable signs,
their meanings and usages. It also retains the archaic names for
each sign, as well as the modern Talarian name. The ancient names
for each sign are generally somewhat altered from whatever
language they originated in.

Month names are borrowed from Roman. In this case, Yiuwunyus, or
Junius in Roman.

The City seal is read top to bottom, left to right. The headers
are read right to left; the text is boustrophedon; the small
prayers are read top to bottom, right to left (but if you
reorient the paper 90deg anticlockwise, they read left to right
with all symbols rightside up).

Does any of this make sense? The description's a bit ad hoc, and
may not cover all minor details.

The translation:

"BOUNTIFUL EARTH-LORD-COUNTRY GOVERNMENT
IN THE CITY OF ILLENERE

A. May Lord Waruwanas watch over them!
B. May Lord Mitras guide them!
C. May Lord Sewemas heal them!
D. May Lord Intaras defend them!

GREETINGS o hearer! Be thou aware now: the second day of the
month of June of the year of frozen butter passes; and in it,
Gods and Men witness the wedding between this woman, Camatos by
name, of the Horsetooth People, born at Illenere City, now living
at Illenere City; and this man, Xarctas by name, of the Five
Streams People, born at Qafas Province, now living at Illenere
City.

They have the age of marriage; twelve times they have worshipped
in the towers before marriage. Neither God nor Man gainsay the
marriage. Now therefore, may Lord Mitras guide our two hands in
blessing them.

Seal: Scribal Office of Illenere City Government"

*****

A more literal translation, taking into account how the ideograms
fit with the regular writing:

"[GREAT][AUSPICIOUS] [EARTH][LORD] government
[CITY][locative] illenere

A. May Lord Waruwanas[GOD][NAME] watch over them!
B. May Lord Mitras[GOD][NAME] guide them!
C. May Lord Sewemas[GOD][NAME] heal them!
D. May Lord Intaras[GOD][NAME] defend them!


GREETINGS o hearer! Be thou aware now: the second
day[MEASUREMENT] of the month[MEASUREMENT] of June of the
year[MEASUREMENT] of frozen butter passes; and in it, Gods and
Men witness the wedding between this [WOMAN], Camatos[NAME] by
name, of the Horsetoothpeople[TRIBE], born at
Illenere[LOCATIVE]City, now living at Illenere[LOCATIVE]City; and
this [MAN], Xarctas[NAME] by name, of the
Fivestreamspeople[TRIBE], born at Qafas[LOCATIVE]Province, now
living at Illenere[LOCATIVE]City.

They have the age of marriage; twelve times they have worshipped
in the towers before marriage. Neither God nor Man gainsay the
marriage. Now therefore, may Lord Mitras[GOD][NAME] guide our two
hands in blessing them.

Seal: Illenere City [GOVERNOR][PROVINCE][WRITING]"


Padraic.
--
Gwerez dah, chee gwaz vaz, ha leal.