Re: _Seven Last Words of Christ_

So, I finally got some time to carry through on my own proposal.
I realized, though, how vastly underdeveloped C'ali is in comparison
to Phaleran, and so I won't be presenting C'ali versions here.

1.  Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
    Atherwa, ellei ta:xswacca,  feioþáswateintan u:nagwassi:
    ather-wa   ellei ta:x-swa-cca
    father-1Sg 3SgO  forgive-TR-2SgProsIrr*

    feioþá-swa-te-V:nta-n          u:na-gwa-sni-i
    know-TR-NEG-3PlProxProgIrr-COG do-REL-3PlProxProg-SEN

Notes:  Imperatives in Phaleran are formally irrealis verbs, except
that they obligatorily lack evidentiality markers following the
person marker.  Negatives are distinctly marked, but they likewise
trigger irrealis marking on the agreement.  In prior translation
exercises, I don't think I consistently marked some NPs as obligatorily
possessed, as with "father".  Here I will do so.

2.  Today you will be with me in paradise.
    Swotli gerenu: tharilštan hwânto uchaionu:

    Swotli      geren-u:     tha-ri-šta-n
    this.INV.ST day-DAT.INAN be-INTR-2SgProgIrr-n

    hwânto  uchaion-u:
    1SgINST paradise-DAT.INAN

The deictic here _swotli_ refers to contemporaneous invisible things,
such as the day. (The visible demonstrative would refer specifically
to daylight, rather than a general timeframe.)  The datives are datives
of location, spatial or temporal.  Again, basic future reference is
denoted by the irrealis, this time with evidential marker.

3.  Woman, behold your son.
    Lomi, skethasyošta þreula
    Lomi,  s-kethasyo-šta          þreu-la
    woman, ANTIPASS-see-2SgProgIrr son-2Sg

4.  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    þa:xeuwa, þa:xeuwa, axes aphes hwumirsa:swancus?
    þa:xeu-wa, þa:xeu-wa, ax-es    aphes hwumirsa:-swa-ncu-s?
    god-1Sg    god-1Sg    what-DAT 1SgO  forsake-TR-2SgPfRe-QUOT

The verb here has received quotative evidentiality to highlight
the fact that Jesus was quoting from the 22 Psalm, which is a
Psalm about divine salvation.  Any first century Jew would have
recognized this immediately, much as we today would immediately
pick up on someone using "To be or not to be, that is the question"
from Shakespeare.  (This is not to deny other theological implications
of the phrase in context.)  All such quotes, especially proverbs,
are marked as such with quotative evidentiality.

Phaleran:

5.  I thirst.
    tþenoristi.
    tþeno-ri-st-i
    be.thirsty-INTR-1SgProgRe-SEN

SEN = evidence comes from immediate sensation.

6.  It is finished.
    A'tha:nnupronton
    átha:n-nu-pro-nt-o-n
    be.transacted-CAUS-DETR-3SgProxPfRe-HYP-COG

This particular verb in Phaleran has exactly the same sense of the
NT Greek _tetelestai_, meaning to finish a transaction, roughly "it has
been paid in full".  Different verbs are used of completing a work
of art, or life coming to an end.  Obviously, the sense of the original
Greek is loaded with significance, which should if possible carry over
into translation.  The "in full" reading is supplied by the hyperdynamic
suffix, which implies the action has been carried to its logical end.

7.  Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
    þaisnâku nu:, eltri, éixwa íralasyompai
    þais-nâ-ku  nu:,  eltri, éix-wa     íral-asyo-mpa-i
    hand-PL-DUR into  lord   spirit-1Sg release-TR-1SgProxPfRe-SEN

Like most postpositions, "into" takes the durative case.

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Thomas Wier	       "I find it useful to meet my subjects personally,
Dept. of Linguistics    because our secret police don't get it right
University of Chicago   half the time." -- octogenarian Sheikh Zayed of
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Chicago, IL 60637