Re: A theatre play for translation

On Sat, 24 Apr 1999, FFlores wrote:

> Some time ago I discovered some details about
> Dr=E1selhadh theatre, and then I tried to write
> a short play -- original, not translated. As the
> current trend seems to be translation projects from
> non-English langs, here's the first part, for those
> who'd like to try.

See: I tried. I don't know whether it's worth more than a B-minus,
though :-)

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!

I left the original in only if necessary to make a point. The
nominative singular, where self-evident, is unmarked. Running Valdyan
text follows at the end.

Abbreviations:

nom  - nominative case
gen  - genitive case
abl  - ablative case
acc  - accusative case
loc  - locative case
ill  - illative case
ins  - instrumental case
s    - singular
p    - plural
1s   - first person singular
1p   - first person plural
3s   - third person singular
3p   - third person plural
PRS  - present tense
FUT  - future tense
IRR  - irrealis
INF  - infinitive
IMPR - imperative
INC  - inceptive aspect
PRF  - perfective aspect
PNC  - punctual aspect
RFL  - reflexive pronoun
IMP  - impersonal pronoun
REL  - relative pronoun
COMP - comparative
AUG  - augmentative
NEG  - negation
NEGV - verbal negation


Laysinan:   Palmalhei     crashein    laysin
storyteller Palmadhel-gen curse-gen-s story-nom

Storyteller: The story of Palmadhel's curse

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).


Laysinan    le  fulat.       Palmadhel donat.
storyteller RFL take-PRS-3s  Palmadhel enter-PRS-3s

The storyteller leaves. Palmadhel enters.

_le fulat_ "takes himself away".


P: Ei, lone   inin! Lei cracha    veren.=20
   oh  spouse my    him curse-INF can-IRR-1s

P: Oh, my husband! I could curse him.=20


Lei hune    le  denenat,       lonen      hernen    farenat!
he  because RFL put-PRF-PRS-3s spouse-ill other-ill go.to-PRF-PRS-1s

Because he has gone, he's gone to his other wife!

_le dena_ "to go" is a general going, _fara_ "to go (to)" has a
specific goal.


[lea turnat]      =20
 IMP thunder-PRS-3s

[there's a roaring noise]

_Lea turnat_ can also mean "it's thundering", "there's a
thunderstorm".


esh    yat  acul      i  sherenat         naleaz!
due.to this like.this me leave-PRF-PRS-3s alone

because of this he has left me alone like this!

_Na.le.az_ "no.one.with".


laui     lea nashenesat                  havien,   lien, =20
moon-gen REL NEG-become.light-INC-PRS-3s night-loc far-loc=20

in the night of the moon that gets dark, far away,=20


nafalei        liz     i  sherenat         so  le denenat.
protection-abl without me leave-PRF-PRS-3s and RFL put-PRF-PRS-3s

he has left me unprotected and gone.


Havin broyi    acraz!
night hole-abl COMP-black

Night as black as a hole!


> I   thanim farninslur=F9sel  sar ens=E4nnat   porrn, be farkirrg=E9nt.=20
> PRT jugde  NEG.getting_sad I   send.1sFUT he.ACC if
NEG.become_widow.1s

Lunenen     parien lei fulin       an na   hilynesen.
judge-ill-p gladly him take-FUT-1s if NEGV be.widowed-PNC-INC-IRR-1s

I'll gladly take him to the judges if I'm not (suddenly) widowed.

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).


> Thuber=F3k      dhr=E1nostel antherg.
> POS.happen.3s *thankable this.COMP
Yat  an lea dilynet       li del          hyn.
this if IMP happen-IRR-3s it thankfulness FUT

If this should happen there will be something to be thankful for.

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).


Rostyin mili     hine    le  denayt.    P. le  fulat.=20
insects delicate upwards RFL put-PRS-3s P. RFL take-PRS-3s =20

The butterflies go upwards. P. leaves.  =20

What's this about the butterflies?


Lea fulat       laua.
IMP take-PRS-3s moon-acc

The moon is brought (in).


Shenan      lea duzat        rathe. Fensil donat.
light-acc-p IMP cover-PRS-3s slowly Fensil enter-PRS-3s

The lights are covered slowly. Fensil enters.


Fensil: Shen  host  lea laui     nylat         le  fulenat
Fensil  light white REL moon-abl escape-PRS-3s RFL leave-PRF-PRS-3s

The white light that escapes from the moon has gone away.


Ynsyth! Cathesayn           lea arlene    astinayt.
Ynsyth  surprise-INC-PRS-1p REL world-loc dwell-PRS-3p

Ynsyth! We're going to surprise those who inhabit the world.

There's no "=FC" (rounded high front vowel) in Valdyan, and having to=20
decide between "u" (rounded high central) and "y" (unrounded high
front)
I went for the latter because that makes the name conform to Valdyan=20
names, which can end in -yth.

I chose the present inceptive rather than the future, because
obviously
it refers to the immediate future.


sera custesan        rastinen duz    golene      so  yahavien=20
fear take-INC-PRS-1p people   around overwhelmed and tonight =20

li lochesan=20
it increase-INC-PRS-3p

I'm going to take fear and increase it around overwhelmed people=20
tonight.


Le  fulay,      Ynsyth, faray!
RFL take-IMPR-s Ynsyth  go.to-IMPR-s

Set out, Ynsyth, go (in order to arrive)!

I used the two different kinds of "go" again for emphasis.


Nashenie      ti  nagranie   cornesan.
NEG-light-loc you NEG-sanely wear.out-INC-PRS-3s

In darkness I'll madly wear you out.


Halin        [Ynsyth tay   donat]:
singer-nom.p  Ynsyth while enter-PRS-3s

Singers (while Ynsyth enters):


Ynsyth Fensilei   bulen=20
Ynsyth Fendil-gen mount

Ynsyth, Fensil's mount


Nestyenen leanen    varin  dylayt.
eye-loc-p its-loc-p heroes drown-PRS-3s

In its eyes heroes drown.


Ruzie    rhisie   lea disat,        grinie    lea disat.
fire-ill cold-ill IMP change-PRS-3s blood.ill IMP change-PRS-3s

It turns into cold fire, it turns into blood.

I took "it" to mean =DCns=FCth, and "turn into" to mean that the beast
changes itself (not whatever it looks at).


Lazi lazena dynat dilynat.
It causes the firmament to lose the stars.


Rostyin mili     vyste lea naduzat.
insects delicate fast  IMP NEG.cover-PRS-3s

The butterflies are uncovered quickly.

Or _rostyin mili vyste li naduzayt_ "the butterflies quickly uncover
it"
(i.e. the sky, that's just been mentioned).


Fensil Ynsyeth    pole      ferynat.
Fensil Ynsyth-ill on.top.of jump-PRS-3s

Fensil jumps on top of Ynsyth.


[tay   lea turnat         F. so  Y. le  denayt.      =20
 while IMP thunder-PRS-3s F. and Y. RFL take-PRS-3p

[while it roars F. and Y. go.=20


Hapsereth donat. ]
Hapsereth enter-PRS-3s

Hapseret enters. ]

The -th is, again, to conform to Valdyan names.=20


Hapsereth: Parne   in le  denenat.       =20
Hapsereth  sibling my RFL put-PRF-PRS-3s =20

Hapseret:  My brother has gone.=20


Lau  ich     pyrenet!
moon if.only stay-PRF-IRR-3s

If only the moon had stayed!


Muryes      yat  aselie   nalastie       do  anashenie,=20
surface-ins this grey-ins NEG.flower-ins but as-NEG-light-ins

shen  datay nuset,        parina         naverin.
light until return-IRR-3s enjoy.self-INF NEG-can-FUT-1s

With this grey flowerless surface, however, so dark, until the light=20
comes back, I won't be able to enjoy myself.=20

Another tough one.


[Dorychat]  Nalea  leaz     losten      donapylan!
sigh-PRS-3s nobody RSM-with talk-IRR-1s AUG-NEG-like-PRS-1s

[She sighs] I hate having nobody to talk to!



Laysinan: Palmalhei crashein laysin

Laysinan le fulat. Palmadhel donat.


P: Ei, lone inin! Lei cracha veren. Lei hune le  denenat, lonen=20
   hernen farenat!=20
  =20
[lea turnat]      =20

   Esh yat acul i sherenat naleaz. Laui lea nashenesat havien, lien,
   nafalei liz i sherenat so le denenat. Havin broyi acraz! Lunenen
   parien lei fulin an na hilynesen. Yat an lea dilynet li del hyn.

Rostyin mili hine le denayt. P. le fulat. Lea fulat laua.
Shenan lea duzat rathe. Fensil donat.


Fensil: Shen host lea laui nylat le fulenat. Ynsyth! Cathesayn lea=20
   arlene astinayt. Sera custesan rastinen duz golene so yahavien li
   lochesan. Le fulay, Ynsyth, faray! Nashenie ti nagranie cornesan.


Halin [Ynsyth tay donat]:

   Ynsyth Fensilei bulen=20
   Nestyenen leanen varin dylayt.
   Ruzie rhisie lea disat, grinie lea disat.
   Lazi lazena dynat dilynat.

Rostyin mili vyste lea naduzat. Fensil Ynsyeth pole ferynat.

[tay lea turnat F. so Y. le denayt. Hapsereth donat. ]

Hapsereth: Parne in le denenat. Lau ich pyrenet! Muryes yat aselie=20
   nalastie do  anashenie, shen datay nuset, parina naverin.
  =20
[Dorychat] Nalea leaz losten donapylan!


            Varsinen an laynynay, saraz no arlet rastinay.
                     irina@rempt.xs4all.nl (myself)
     http://www.xs4all.nl/~bsarempt/irina/frontpage.html (English)
    http://www.xs4all.nl/~bsarempt/irina/backpage.html (Nederlands)