Re: Original text: 'Sagerd relel'
| From: | FFlores <fflores@...> |
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| Date: | Wednesday, June 9, 1999, 22:10 |
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Boudewijn Rempt <bsarempt@...> wrote:
> Please? This part was very nice - you're very prolific,
> aren't you! I'm still taking sideways glances at the
> bit of epos, but I find it hard going!
Good luck then! I'm prolific at times (writing eruptions,
so to speak) and then I go down into the Uninspiration Pit
for a while.
BTW I said 'ask me privately' -- but I thought, what the
heck, it's a good chance to show off the language. :)
Sorry for the long notes, but every one of them is important.
>=20
> (As an aside, did you succeed in filching the zipfile from
> our website?)
>=20
It's taking time, it seems -- but I've gotten large
files before, so I'll guess this will come in time. :)
Here's the full text. (Tell me if you have trouble
understanding anything.)
------------------------------------------------------------
Abbreviations:
FUT future tense (imperative in 2nd person)
ACC accusative case
LOC locative case
GEN genitive case
REL relative pronoun
SBJ subjunctive mood
UNQ unique singular
PRT 'partitive' particle (_i_ + noun phrase)
NOM 'nominalizing' particle (_i_ + participle)
QRY query particle
NEG negative ('not')
ABL abilitive ('can, be able to')
CNT continual ('time after time')
GRP group plural
MV middle voice
PRF perfective
VOC vocative / imperative (after verb root)
INF infinitive
---------------------------------------------------
Sagerd relel r=F3amtel p=F9ng
sot suek sar futur mebrat.
K=FAsnusaktaks nanv=E0n k=FCll,
qas=E1q h=E1ravil =E9nqgronthes matalthn
hil=FCr n=EDftaksel n=E1ilerev sar?
San neth=FCr bram m=FCl =E4lan.
Qes san kaf=E1k san nertl dhuar,
rin b=FCd na freth bin=E1v t=F6m=F6n s=E4n.
Be sagerd reier nagu=E8nmal fonk
fol ratsars bais =EDdhkos=E8n b=FCrr,
qgalmil kedh=E1imavir faik arsen
mi aldval besten i tegmal p=E4mthn!
Qas=E1q =E1dhderer en gal enth=F3ntentan
i thimait fartidhdel danteuvanst?
Faik pe=E1r a rin laihar sr=F9k,
faikt lif gal i kiandanqth farl=FCthek.
Famp sagerd reiek san teuth
vel kasal i f=ECrrthn qinquathtel b=FCrth.
Qas=E1q dhr=E1nteraqeik arsm=FCr olman
su g=E8n minik siakses =ECl =E4somn?
Im=E1l ku=E8vis faik fombenth
d=FAkkast=FCr tegek doik b=FCtth!
Graistel b=E4kkek nian rrimadh
mi rin niason imaltat on gaufongth!
Sram i b=E1isbrames v=E9nessal
mi sagerd reiat enaveivas mukunthn.
Be los luam en niar harav qenth?
Frar=F3rnassampek, h=E1rressampek vionaq
taus =FCs b=FCrth sipe=E1r baises nif.
=C9rendel naopf kith ailtel vars
per nef arek, fremp mat=E9dhaqeik,
per sagerd avim r=E1tsotasat sar!
---------------------------------------------------
Interlinear translation:
-----FIRST PART------------------------------------
1-1. Sagerd relel r=F3amtel p=F9ng
lazy look_at.1s yawning cow.ACC
1-2. sot suek sar futur mebrat.
while over I rush.3s morning
1-3. K=FAsnusaktaks nanv=E0n k=FCll,
cage-less singing cardinal
1-4. qas=E1q h=E1ravil =E9nqgronthes matalthn
why seriously lords.GEN courts.ACC
1-5. hil=FCr n=EDftaksel n=E1ilerev sar?
grass.LOC heat-less see.SBJ.1s I
1-6. San neth=FCr bram m=FCl =E4lan.
my head.LOC fall.3s only dew
1-7. Qes san kaf=E1k san nertl dhuar,
be.3s my flag my free hair
1-8. rin b=FCd na freth bin=E1v t=F6m=F6n s=E4n.
with it.REL to no battle by_force go.1s
NOTES:
1-1: _p=F9ng_ is ACC of _p=F9g_. This nasal infixion is not
standard, but a dialectal feature of North Thaqulm
(which is spreading).
When you have adjective/participle + verb, it
usually means the subject of the verb *or* the topic
of the sentence is modified by the adjective. So
_sagerd relel..._ means 'lazy-I look at...'. With
no explicit subject, I guess it could also refer
to the cow...
1-2: _Futur_, glossed as 'rush, rush in' is the term
used for masses of water suddenly entering a place
(as if a floodgate has been opened).
1-3: _K=FAsnusaktaks_ =3D kusnus 'lattice', -akt 'group;
equipment', -tak '-less, without', -s (verb ending).
_K=FAsnusakt_ itself means "cage".
=20
Note: _k=FCll_ has a syllabic /l/, so /ky.l/.
1-4: The usual VSO is changed here to OVS for the
sake of rhythm, but VOS is not that strange in
spoken Drasel=E9q, especially for pronouns.
_Matalthn_, glossed as 'courts.ACC', from
_matal_ '(royal) court'. _Matal_ also (and originally)
means 'sphere', generalized to 'environment' (cf.
'sphere of influence')
1-5: _N=EDf-tak-sel_ has nif 'heat', -tak '-less', so "fresh,
not feeling hot", plus the participial ending -sel.
The use of the subjunctive in an interrogative sentence
is a new development. _Qas=E1q n=E1ilerev?_ 'Why would I see?'.
The verb corresponds to the sentence beginning in line 1-4.
Here it means 'see' =3D 'regard, consider'.
1-7: _Kaf=E1k_ means both "a flag" and "a sail".
_Nertl_ 'free' could be better translated as 'loose'
(in this context).
1-8: As usual, _t=F6m=F6n_ + conjugated verb can be taken as
'have to' + verb infinitive, except the action is actually
performed. So _t=F6m=F6n s=E4n_ 'I have to go' or 'I'm going,
having to do so'. _T=F6m=F6n_ + negated verb is ambiguous,
but usually taken to mean 'not have to X (and not X)',
not 'have not to X' ('mustn't X').
-----SECOND PART-----------------------------------
2-1. Be sagerd reier nagu=E8nmal fonk
if lazy look_at.2s yoked ox.ACC
2-2. fol ratsars bais =EDdhkos=E8n b=FCrr,
under high-staying sun ploughing it
2-3. qgalmil kedh=E1imavir faik arsen
certainly QRY.prefer.2sFUT here stay.INF
2-4. mi aldval besten i tegmal p=E4mthn!
and sleeping dream_of.INF PRT running maidens.ACC
2-5. Qas=E1q =E1dhderer en gal enth=F3ntentan
why want.SBJ.2s by gold covered
2-6. i thimait fartidhdel danteuvanst?
PRT pricey NEG.young princesses.ACC
2-7. Faik pe=E1r a rin laihar sr=F9k,
here stay VOC with tiredness horse
2-8. faikt lif gal i kiandanqth farl=FCthek.
here.REL from gold PRT knives.ACC NEG.make.3p
NOTES:
2-1: _fonk_ =3D ACC of _fok_, nasal infixion again
(see note on 1-1).
2-2: In the gloss, '(ploughing) it' refers to the ox.
2-4: 'Running maidens' can be sweet or erotic according
to the context and the tone the speaker uses. In
general they're an image of vitality and beauty.
2-6: _Thim-ait_ =3D 'value-ful, valuable, precious' is
here supposed to be said in an ironic tone.
2-7: 'With tiredness horse' =3D 'a tired horse', an image
of a young strong man after a lot of physical effort.
2-8: Note the OV order again: '[from gold] [knives they=20
don't make]'. Golden knives are a metaphor I'm sure
you'll understand.
Also note _faikt_, a rare occasion were the ancient
relativization clitic _de_ appears (as /t/). Cf. 1-8
'with it.REL =3D with which'. _Faikt_ would translate
as 'here, where...'.
-----THIRD PART------------------------------------
3-1. Famp sagerd reiek san teuth
now lazy look.3p my children
3-2. vel kasal i f=ECrrthn qinquathtel b=FCrth.
among wheat PRT grasshoppers.ACC CNT.jumping them
3-3. Qas=E1q i arsm=FCr olmar dhr=E1nteraqeik
why PRT city.LOC house thank.SBJ.3pFUT
3-4. su g=E8n minik siakses =ECl =E4somn?
or moreover beside eagle.GEN nest place.ACC
3-5. Im=E1l ku=E8vis faik fombenth
eat.3p owl.UNQ here rats.ACC
3-6. d=FAkkast=FCr tegek doik b=FCtth!
rings.LOC run.3p there them.REL
3-7. Graistel b=E4kkek nian rrimadh
high grow.3p our- sprouts.GRP
3-8. mi rin niason imaltat on gaufongth!
and with honey eat.1p- all locusts.ACC
NOTES:
3-3: Here a complete English translation would be
'Why would they thank (me) (for) a house in the city'.
Note the pattern _i_ + direct object + verb +=20
(dative object).
3-4: 'A place beside an eagle nest' refers to the
powerful city people -- an eagle is considered noble,
but distant and often merciless.
3-5: The owl is here an image of common sense and simple
life -- smartly taking every chance. The rats, you can
imagine. In 3-6 they are said to run over the rings
(in rich people's hands).
3-8: Eating locusts with honey is not strange, but here
there's probably a hidden meaning, since the locusts are
an image of misfortune and poverty.
-----FOURTH PART-----------------------------------
4-1. Sram i b=E1isbrames v=E9nessal
advance.3p NOM sun-fall.GEN dark_blue
4-2. mi sagerd reiat enaveivas mukunthn.
and lazy look_at.1p- going_asleep chickens.ACC
4-3. Be los luam en niar harav qenth?
if cold.3s night for we- important.3s what
4-4. Frar=F3rnassamek, h=E1rressamek vionaq
NEG.stone-made.3p mud_made.3p walls
4-5. taus =FCs b=FCrth sipe=E1r baises nif.
and inside they PRF.stay.3s sun.GEN heat
4-6. =C9rendel naopf kith ailtel vars
crying wolves instead smiling lie.1s
4-7. per nef arek, fremp mat=E9dhaqeik,
cos far_away be.3p never ABL.get_in.3pFUT
4-8. per sagerd avim r=E1tsotasat sar!
cos lazy tomorrow high.MV.1sFUT I
NOTES:
4-1: Here we have an example of nominalizing _i_,
used with a colour name, _v=E9nessal_ (which lit.
means _ven(g)-essal_ 'black-blue'.
4-4: We find two verbs using the suffix -sam
for materials, _ornas-sam-_ 'stone-made' and
_harres-sam-_ 'mud-made'. I think _harres_ in
this context is more like 'dry mud' or even 'adobe'.
4-6: The verb _vars_ means 'I lie (on my back)'.
4-8: Here _r=E1t-s-ot-asat_ 'high-VERB-MidVoice-1sFUT'
is esentially the same as English 'I will get up'
(if 'up' is considered a state).
--Pablo Flores