Re: A theatre play for translation

Irina Rempt <ira@...> wrote:
>=20
> See: I tried. I don't know whether it's worth more than a B-minus,
> though :-)
>=20
> It was very difficult, a real challenge. Net result: a lot of new words=
,
> some insights in Valdyan syntax and word order, and great enjoyment.
> Thanks!

> Laysinan:   Palmalhei     crashein    laysin
> storyteller Palmadhel-gen curse-gen-s story-nom
>=20
> Storyteller: The story of Palmadhel's curse
The word "curse" fits, but the actual translation would
have been "The story of resentful P=E1lmadhel" or something
like that... but I repeat, it fits, because of the part
of the story that follows (which I haven't written yet).

> I treated _Palmadhel_ as a Class III noun: the genitive is
> Palmadhelei
> -> Palmadhlei (elision of weakest vowel) -> Palmalhei (assimilation;
> Valdyan has no voiced lateral fricative so it becomes voiceless as=20
> well).
I'm totally OK with that.

> laui     lea nashenesat                  havien,   lien, =20
> moon-gen REL NEG-become.light-INC-PRS-3s night-loc far-loc=20
>=20
> in the night of the moon that gets dark, far away,=20
If there's a word or phrase for "new moon", you should use
it here; the original word meant "darkened".

> I'll gladly take him to the judges if I'm not (suddenly) widowed.
>=20
> This was very difficult to understand; the best I could make of it
> was
> something like "I'll gladly sue him if I don't become a widow" or "I=20
> won't regret suing him if I don't become a widow" (meaning that if
> she=20
> does become a widow, it's no use anyway).
You've got it right. If she doesn't become a widow
(which would be an obstacle), then she will take him to court.


> > Thuber=F3k      dhr=E1nostel antherg.
> > POS.happen.3s *thankable this.COMP
>=20
> Yat  an lea dilynet       li del          hyn.
> this if IMP happen-IRR-3s it thankfulness FUT
>=20
> If this should happen there will be something to be thankful for.
>=20
> Another obscure sentence; I still can't make head or tail of it, but
> at least the translation makes some sense (though I don't know
> whether
> "this" means becoming a widow or being able to sue the husband
> because
> she doesn't).
Sorry for this :( . The meaning is

thuber=F3k =3D "it is possible that it happens"
dhr=E1nostel =3D "thankable, that can be thanked for"
antherg =3D "something like this"

In whole, "It's possible that something as thankable as this happens".
(Roughly).

> Rostyin mili     hine    le  denayt.    P. le  fulat.=20
> insects delicate upwards RFL put-PRS-3s P. RFL take-PRS-3s =20
>=20
> The butterflies go upwards. P. leaves.  =20
>=20
> What's this about the butterflies?
I forgot about the butterflies! The butterflies are very strong
broad-shouldered men which are strapped to a kind of harness
supporting a par of "wings" made of paper or bamboo, sometimes
three meters wide each. They seat in front of the stage, and
they bow or rise to uncover or cover it (the stage), thus
functioning as the curtain in our theatres.

>=20
> Lea fulat       laua.
> IMP take-PRS-3s moon-acc
>=20
> The moon is brought (in).
Well, a round whitish screen.


> Fensil: Shen  host  lea laui     nylat         le  fulenat
> Fensil  light white REL moon-abl escape-PRS-3s RFL leave-PRF-PRS-3s
>=20
> The white light that escapes from the moon has gone away.
Well, the red pen has to work here ;-)
The original sentence was:

_Vuosuv=FCaq ises tamal h=E0p aus b=FCd=FCr bramedhet_

which means "the white of the moon from which I escape has gone away".



> Ynsyth! Cathesayn           lea arlene    astinayt.
> Ynsyth  surprise-INC-PRS-1p REL world-loc dwell-PRS-3p
>=20
> Ynsyth! We're going to surprise those who inhabit the world.
The name Ynsyth looks really nice, and it sounds nice too.


> Ruzie    rhisie   lea disat,        grinie    lea disat.
> fire-ill cold-ill IMP change-PRS-3s blood.ill IMP change-PRS-3s
>=20
> It turns into cold fire, it turns into blood.
>=20
> I took "it" to mean =DCns=FCth, and "turn into" to mean that the beast
> changes itself (not whatever it looks at).
That's right.


> Lau  ich     pyrenet!
> moon if.only stay-PRF-IRR-3s
>=20
> If only the moon had stayed!
Oh God, I made a mistake! (see what happens when
you write directly in your conlang and skip the gloss?)

_M=FCl qat=E0s=E1r is_ "only mine is the moon"
(with qat=E0- for superlative emphasis on "be mine").

I glossed _qat=E0s=E1r_ as SUP.stay.3s, but *that*
would be _qat=E0r=E1r_ (epenthetic -r- between qat=E0-
and -ar).


> Muryes      yat  aselie   nalastie       do  anashenie,=20
> surface-ins this grey-ins NEG.flower-ins but as-NEG-light-ins
>=20
> shen  datay nuset,        parina         naverin.
> light until return-IRR-3s enjoy.self-INF NEG-can-FUT-1s
>=20
> With this grey flowerless surface, however, so dark, until the light=20
> comes back, I won't be able to enjoy myself.=20
>=20
> Another tough one.
And yet you managed it and got a sensible sentence out of it.
But (I should have let you know) _th=E4n anth tadh_=20
"with this however" is an idiom, meaning "nevertheless, no
matter that thing I just say".


I'm glad this has been useful for your lexicon.
Now I'll move on to unread message number 423...


--Pablo Flores