Re: A saga for translation

This was fairly easy with the interlinear translation,
Pablo (I make it much harder for you guys by giving
you a glossary instead of an interlinear gloss--Teonaht
is too analytic for that to be anything but a giveaway)
but I'm stalled on the partitive particle, which
you tell us to ignore.  How can we ignore it?  It
links concepts in obviously important ways. =20

FFlores wrote:
>=20
> I wrote this right now in some spare time --
> it seems I'm inspired, or at least temporarily
> glossopoeic... :) It's original Drasel=E9q, and it
> doesn't have a title yet, but I think it may become
> part of a small saga, so to speak. It's about the
> departure of the Dr=E1selhadh from their ancient land
> (due to wars, bad harvests, etc.) and their coming
> to their new lands, which they didn't actually know
> if they were going to reach, or get lost in the sea.
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> There are some words I don't know in English, so
> please help me correct!
>=20
> There's no rhyme and the rhythm is weak. Consider
> it not poetry, but a special kind of prose with
> pauses to breathe. If you want to translate it
> *and* make it fit into metrics, be my guest.
I don't think I will put it in metrics, Pablo, or
even Teonaht (am exhausted after the many conferences
with Issytra, my Teonaht poet, who was struggling
valiantly with Mandein's "Lamay"), so I'll just do
a straight English translation here:

> Smasin au getnit on fika,
> g=E4mb b=FCrthon famp g=E9ntsimek.
> A g=E4mbal elsil sian kasal!
> T=F6m=F6n m=E9vasuit i qassonth ke?
> N=FCs sian rremath straq qinedhik
> m=FCl i dhit gl=FCrrsel meaf?
Beyond the stern of my ship, all the roots
Dry up, they all let go now.
Oh, our wheat is forever drying up;
Will I have to grasp thorns?
Why do only small, bitter fish always enter our nets?
=20
> Smasin au getnit prant padhanth,
> lostel b=FCrthon, qek k=E4s? qek i untur?
> A funin famp farqololimb olusst!
> Qreven t=F6m=F6n i =E4lan l=E1dhasuit.
> N=FCs sian =EDdanhadh i gal i stef
> nots=FCr not=FCr qualbl=FAilotaqeik ke?
Beyond the boat's stern (are) many waves;
They are cold; are they friends? foes?
Oh, no longer will the rivers be drunk from.
I know that by force I will have the dewdrops
(and here I can't follow you at all.  PRT
seems essential to the meaning of the poem,
and yet you counsel us to "ignore it.")
I know that by force or I will force the dewdrops
into our hands PRT gold, PRT steel,
Will we be dropped sometime?

=20
> Nai a! Smasin sian funt i dimel,
> dimai tanq=E9th famp navrrovuit.
> A i tamal m=E9avalth qualnail=FCn!
> Mevnen dhrithn qat=E0drefuit ta!
> N=FCs sian gevadh dhiodil l=F6'ss=F6sik
> on rroses nikerg i mairhadh!
Look! Beyond our ship's green prow
Everything green now comes near.
Oh see the white seagulls!
I so wish to grasp the shore, yes!
Into our eyes all the sea's salt
Flows quickly PRT tears.

What is this partitive particle that
we're supposed to ignore? =20


Love the word meavalth for "seagulls."
Weren't you also the author of "smalk" for
"skeleton"?  I'd love to borrow it!  I
think I'd also like to make meavalth,
spelled _meavalht_ in Teonaht, the name
of a special kind of seagull, perhaps the
"curlew."  Permission?  <G>

Sally Caves
tired out from too much Teonaht.


---------------------------------
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> Smasin au     getnit      on  fika,
> beyond behind ship's_back all roots
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>         _fika_ "root, roots (coll.)" (of a plant)
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> g=E4mb b=FCrthon  famp g=E9ntsimek.
> dry  they.all now  let_go.PV.3p
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> A  g=E4mbal elsil   sian kasal!
> oh drying forever our+ wheat
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> T=F6m=F6n    m=E9vasuit    i   qassonth     ke?
> by_force grab.1p+FUT PRT prickles.ACC QRY
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>         _t=F6m=F6n_ "by force, forced"
>         _t=F6m=F6n_ + verb =3D "have to" + verb
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> N=FCs  sian rremath straq qinedhik
> into our+ nets    why   CNT.enter.3pACT
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>         qin- =3D CoNTinual, time after time
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> m=FCl  i   dhit  gl=FCrrsel meaf?
> only PRT small bitter   fish
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> Smasin au     getnit      prant padhanth,
> beyond behind ship's_back many  waves
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> lostel b=FCrthon, qek   k=E4s?   qek   i   untur?
> cold   they.all be.3p friend be.3p PRT foe
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> A  funin famp farqololimb     olusst!
> oh after now  NEG.drink.PV.AP rivers
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>         _funin famp_ =3D in this context, "any more"
>         _farqololimb olusst_ "rivers (that)
>         (will) not be drunk from"
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> Qreven  t=F6m=F6n    i   =E4lan   l=E1dhasuit.
> know.1s by_force PRT drops* have.1p+FUT
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>         *_=E4lan_ =3D water drops consensed during
>         the night
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> N=FCs  sian =EDdanhadh  i   gal  i   stef
> into our+ hands.GRP PRT gold PRT steel
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> nots=FCr   not=FCr      qualbl=FAilotaqeik  ke?
> time.LOC moment.LOC REP.drop.MV.3pFUT QRY
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>         _nots=FCr not=FCr_ "sometime, some moment in time"
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> Nai  a!   Smasin sian funt         i   dimel,
> look EXCL beyond our  ship's_front PRT green
>=20
> dimai       tanq=E9th    famp navrrovuit.
> green.3sACT everything now  come_near.1p+
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> A  i   tamal m=E9avalth qualnail=FCn!
> oh PRT white seagulls REP.see.INF
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> Mevnen   dhrithn   qat=E0drefuit  ta!
> take.INF earth.ACC SUP.wish.1p+ yes
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>         _mevnen_ =3D "take" as in "grab, hold in
>         one's hand"
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> N=FCs  sian gevadh dhiodil l=F6'ss=F6sik
> into our  eyes   hastily flow.DUP.3pACT
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> on  rroses  nikerg    i   mairhadh.
> all sea.GEN salt.COMP PRT tears.GRP
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> -----------------------------------------
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> Well, what do you think?
>=20
> --Pablo Flores