A random bit of Telona

I seem to be establishing a pattern of semi-lurking and just poking my
head out from time to time to ask silly questions.  So, I thought I'd
actually take an active part in proceedings for a change and post a
bit of Telona now that it's shaping up a little.  I can't believe it's
five years old this month ... and I still can't get the phonology just
right. :)

Anyway - the exercise is a quotation from 'The Little Prince' (hommage
à nos amis Francais):

'The eyes are blind. One must look with the heart.'

De vúpe luvala, de cihinlà véres lodanvè.
[De Pu:b@ lu:Pala De t_ji:hinla Pe:res l_wo:DaFP@]

Interlinears:
d vupe luvala, d cihi - la veres loda - ve
all eye(s) (are) blind, all (who) search therefore (who) do-the-right-
thing (are being) heart as

Nice example of a modal in the second clause - 'veres' means 'someone
who is doing the right thing in that situation, who knows what's good
for them and is doing it'.  So, 'de cihi véres' means 'all those who
seek while doing things right', or just 'one must seek'.

'Lodanvè' shows how, in matters of perception and suchlike, Telona
prefers to identify the perceiver with the organ of perception.  The
idea of 'I', 'you' and so forth is quite elastic in Telona.  One can
refer to a group of people as 'I', if one identifies oneself with them.
Similarly, if I see something, the eye seeing it is just as much 'I'
as I am, as far as Telona is concerned.

The enclitic '-nve' means 'acting as'.  Without it, 'cihi loda' would
mean 'seeking while being a heart'; but with it, 'cihi lodanvè' means
'seeking while acting as a heart' - or bearing in mind the flexibility
of personal reference, 'seeking with one's heart'.

Jonathan.

[reply to jonathan underscore knibb at hotmail dot com]
--
'O dear white children casual as birds,
Playing among the ruined languages...'
Auden/Britten, 'Hymn to St. Cecilia'
--
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