Re: _Seven Last Words of Christ_

Derian ometa Giristien:
1. Estagoraisel aito, gu belan mali kuan la.
[esta-gora - ise - l] [aito] [gu] [be-la-n] [mali] [kua-n] [la]
[forgive - polite imperative - ergative aux - 3pp object] [father] [since]
[negative aux - 3pp - relative suffix] [know] [do - relative suffix] [3pp
aux]

2. I arua ilmalaia duan dima ra.
[i] [aru-a] [ilma-la-a][duan][dima][ra]
[this][day-locative][great star-land-locative][predictive future
term][with-me][aux.2p]
Notes: (a) Since the Auleri have no concept of an afterlife or 'better
place' I have had to use some appropriate term, ilmala "land of the
firstborn stars".
(b) There is no future tense in Omeina, but the word duan conveys the idea
of a predicted state.

3. Aima, berku engore
[aima] [ber-ku][en-go-re]
[mother] [see-imperative][child-male-your]

4. Alariesto, alariesto, uri lagaise diruauko?
[alariesto] [uri][lagaise] [ri-rua-uko]
[greatest of all mothers] [why] [leave-behind-fail][me-thou-interrogative
suffix]
Notes: (a) Alariesto is one of the many epithets of the 'presence' to which
the Auleri are most devoted. Literally it is [alari-esto]
[beautiful-hyperlative] "Most beautiful of all". Since it was her tears of
loneliness at the beginning of time which became the stars, it seems a
fitting epithet for 'Creator God' here.
(b) Lagaise is a haplological compound of laga 'leave behind' and gaise
'fail' thus giving the sense of "why have you failed me?"
(c) In questions involving both subject and object, the normal SO order
becomes OS when the interrogative ending -uko is present.

5. Lotua da.
[lotua] [da]
[thirst] [aux.1ps]

6. Na derina.
[aux 1ps] [end-abstract]
Notes: (a) The very common morpheme -ina turns verbs into abstract nouns,
here der-ina "an ending".
(b) The auxiliary in declarative sentences nearly always comes at the end,
but reversing it here gives 'na' the force of "there is" so "there is an end
of it"
7. Ali dirminarde rielde logire daisen
[ali] [diru-ina-rde][rielde] [logi-re] [da-ise-n]
[give] [guard-ing-dative] [for-thee] [spirit-my] [Aux.1ps Subj.-Erg-3p Obj]
Notes: (a) There are many possible words for 'spirit'. Logi is the soul
between death and its rebirth.

This has been a really interesting translation exercise! Thanks very much.
Mike



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