Re: translation exercise

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On Wednesday 09 October 2002 20:09, Amanda Babcock wrote:
> Translation exercise:
>
> In your language, express a native speaker's opinion of the appropriateness
> of the cat (or other domestic animal) peeing (or other disgusting action)
> on the bed (or other inappropriate place).
When talking to the cat:

Quna! Yanir  tautau.musau.yara gusir.tayr!
cat!  2fsLGH SNEG.piss.DSP     bed.TEG
Cat! Don't you piss all over the bed!

Yanir is the second person feminine low grade honorific pronoun. Usually
people will use the affective pronouns for their cats, but in view of the
situation... Not that the situation is all that bad, Charyan beds are mere
reed mattresses and easily cleaned at the nearest _lauye_, The verb is
strongly negated with the duplicated form of the ordinary negative _tau_. The
despising verbal attitudinal suffix indicates that the action is viewed as
disgusting. Finally, the tegumentive case suffix <-tayr> TEG is used to
indicate that the cat is pissing all over the bed.

Talking about this action to, say, ones spouse:

Yumir, qunu e.te       ka, rai   gusir.tayr musau.yara. Zi.tayeh!
wife,  cat  POSS.2sAFF TOP 3sLGH bed.TEG    piss.DSP.   AUG.disgusting
Wife, that cat of yours, it has pissed all over the bed. Yech!

Even if the wife is possessed of a disgusting spraying tom, she will still
be addressed using the affective pronouns. The rest of the grammar is
pretty plain.

- --
Boudewijn Rempt | http://www.valdyas.org
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