Various translations

I have a short breather from the business of this month, so here are
the three translations from the list, and a fourth one for others to
translate.

1. Never tickle a sleeping dragon.
ilwae sema antálne mo matérja maxéja;

ilwae = never
sema is the transaction relational: [se] [object] [source
phrase] [goal phrase]. Here we have antálne as an object, and
mo matérja maxéja as the goal phrase. Also, se has an obligatory
pronoun renaming the goal, so se+3p-sg-goal.
antálne = trouble, the state of being troubled or bothered
mo = goal marker
matérja = dragon, an animate singular noun
maxéja = someone who is asleep, renaming matérja.
So,
"Never give trouble to a sleeping dragon."

2. When I say a word, it means exactly what I want it to mean, no more
and no less.
il salla jasóra il pa ja é jasówre ci ew ná jawae ew pé jawae;

il ... il is a coordinating conjunction operating on the clause
level, meaning roughly "when ... then"
salla is the transactional relational: [se] [object] [source phrase]
[goal phrase]. Here we have jasóra as an object, and
no overt source or goal phrases. However, se has an obligatory
pronoun renaming the source, so se+1p-sg-source.
jasóra = word, singular noun
"When I say a word..."

pa is a whole/part relational: [pa] [whole] [part]. Here, ja is the
whole, and the entire rest of the phrase is the part.
ja is an inanimate pronoun, standing in for jasóra for clarity. It
can be omitted.
é ... ew ... ew is a coordinating conjunction operating on the phrase
level, meaning and ... and not ... and not.
jasówre = meaning, a singular noun
ci is the 1p (singular) pronoun as a voluntary agent or source, so
the phrase jasówre ci is "meaning (gotten) from me" or "meaning I
give".
ná = more
pé = less
jawae = nothing, inanimate singular pronoun.
"... it has the meaning I give it and nothing more and nothing less."

3. The important thing is not to have a thousand ideas, but to live
one of them.
wa járnaren pa ma jaTéLi Nó; la ja salla anlá mo janahan án;

wa is the negative of la, the relational of existence: [la] [object].
Here, the object is járnaren.
járnaren = important thing, a singular noun
pa is a whole/part relational: [pa] [whole] [part]. Here, ma is the
whole and jaTéLi Nó is the part.
ma = 3p animate pronoun, can be singular or plural
jaTéLi = ideas, plural noun
Nó = 96 or 150 in Base 8, a moderately large number.
"The important thing is not to have 150 ideas..."

la is the relational of existence: [la] [object]. Here, the object is
ja, and it cannot be omitted, since it refers back to járnaren.
salla is the transactional relational: [se] [object] [source phrase]
[goal phrase]. Here we have anlá as an object, and mo janahan án as a
goal phrase. Also, se has an obligatory pronoun renaming the source,
se+1p-sg-source.
anlá = existence, the state of being in existence
mo = goal marker
janahan = inanimate pronoun
án = one.
"It is to give existence to one of them."

4. That which is taught, I will learn. That which is to be
discovered, I will seek.
la anattúti ñi á mawálanen; réha anpóññi ñi á maróñón;

la is the relational of existence: [la] [object]. Here, the object is
anattúti.
anattúti = a set of teachings or of things taught, a collective noun
ñi is the relational of action: [ñi] [patient] [agent phrase]. Here
the patient is omitted because it is equivalent to the object of the
main clause.
á = agent marker in a ñi clause
mawálanen = learner, animate singular
"That which is taught, I will learn (it)."

réha is a future form of la, implying inevitability. Here the object
is anpóññi.
anpóññi = a set of things found
ñi is the relational of action: [ñi] [patient] [agent phrase]. Here
the patient is omitted because it is equivalent to the object of the
main clause.
á = agent marker in a ñi clause
maróñón = seeker, animate singular
"That which will be discovered, I will seek (it)."

-Sylvia

P.S. I like these translation exercises, even though I don't always
have time to do them.

--
Sylvia Sotomayor
sylvia1@ix.netcom.com

The Kélen language can be found at:
http://home.netcom.com/~sylvia1/Kelen/kelen.html

This post may contain the following characters:
á (a-acute); é (e-acute); í (i-acute); ó (o-acute); ú (u-acute);
ñ (n-tilde);