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Re: TRANS: flutes in PIE

From:Matt Pearson <jmpearson@...>
Date:Wednesday, February 2, 2000, 22:05
raccoon wrote:

>> Here's another example of Aredos (I'm sure Padraic will provide us with >> another example of Tallarian if we ask nicely. What does Tallarian mean, >> BTW?). This is one of many Aredos proverbs: >> ne ommis cuí caenans habent, caenatores senti "Not all who have flutes are >> flautists".
In Tokana: Tun na yite paimo athpamota paia not the.ERG every(one) pipe-COMIT make.music-cannot-DEP pipe-INST "Not all (those) with pipes can make music with pipes" That seems the most natural way to translate it. However, I'm a bit unclear on the meaning. If the proverb is supposed to be about identity (as opposed to ability), then a better translation might be: Tun na yite paimo hotia athpaka paia not the.ERG every(one) pipe-COMIT is-NEG-DEP player pipe-INST "Not all (those) with pipes are players (of) pipes" The first translation connotes: "Merely possessing pipes is no guarantee that you'll be able to play them." The second one connotes: "Merely possessing pipes is no guarantee that you'll have the right to call yourself a piper." Matt.