Re: SURVEY: Scariest Short Sentences in Your ConLangs

Tom Chappell wrote:

> What are the scariest 5-word and 10-word sentences in your ConLangs?
> (Or, similar-length sentences; polysynthetic languages can use fewer words,
>  of course; isolating languages can use more.  Or you can have a
7-syllable
> and a 12-syllable sentence; or an 8-morae and a 19-morae sentence.  Or whatever)
I thought there wasn't any really scaring sentence in Shaquelingua. The
Shaqueans are very peaceful people who don't threaten nor hurt eachother
intentionally. But I found one word which can scare a Shaquean:

/bërjë/ [bE.xjE]

It's the irrational 2SG pronoun that should be used only for animals,
artificial lifeforms and things that are not people. It's hard to
translate without a context, so here comes the sentence:

/be gäre luflijër töyö'çaki bërjë./
[be: g3xe 4u.f4ijEx tOwO:'Caki bE.xjE]

be   gäre  luflijër   töyö'çaki     bërjë
QLT  DOTA  ignorance  RTSP.FUT=1PE  IRR:2SG

= We will ignore you, you which isn't a person.

What didn't go through the translation is that this "ignorance" will be
a future habit and "to ignore" actually means "to intentionally refuse
to acknowledge the presence".

It's scary because it's a sentence of banishment from the Shaquean
Collectivity. It's the last thing you want to hear and the last words
you hear --for an undetermined time, maybe forever-- if it's addressed
to you. /bërjë/ is like the last nail to your coffin. It states that
you're no longer a person according to the Shaquean Collectivity.

Scary, isn't it?

--
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Remi Villatel
maxilys_@_tele2.fr
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