Siųa

[R.Rusanov]

Is the -sk- infix in Siųa locative?

[MONOBA]

The -sk- is ablative, though it is also part of other derivative endings (namely abessive -skon). The locatives are fairly simple:

in : -ia
into : -(i)ta
out of : -(i)ka

on : -ima
onto : -ibma
off : -iska

[MONOBA]

2. Totõka
Totõka oa suingeoten sokuroakkenta Siustagi. Da on attįaita tontavvi koṡigi attįa-nen sahra lillu, da on svottaita tontavvi toabigi svotta-nen sahra vilo, utatski kõ oatari nůirhi. Sůite utatski, oa kemamomi-nen hokoakimi-hi. Adda attįaįa-nen tobori sahra koalgi, nỏ takeri svattaįa-nen sahra pẻsi (tveliu), utatski kõ oa tveluri ki kvesi sahra tyry koaltsa nỏ kvena sahra ṡini koaltsa, sůite pyddįi sahra tyry pẻta nỏ pydna sahra ṡini pẻta. Orirra ungitegįi epieibma te tůlrimoibma Siuragi.




2. Family
The basic social unit of the Siwa is a family (totõka). The brothers of one’s father (lillu) and sisters of one’s mother (vilo) are considered parents, and their children are one’s siblings (kemamomi). If the father has a sister (koalgi), or the mother a brother (pẻsi), they are considered uncles or aunts (tveliu), and their children are cousins (tveluri, or kvesi for son of father’s sister, kvena for daughter of father’s sister ~ pyddįi for son of mother’s brother, pydna for daughter of mother’s brother). Siwa always distinguish older siblings from younger siblings.

[R.Rusanov]

you should have -sk- be locative. and -ts- agentative. and -(d)l- to mean a tool. and so on

just some advice

[MONOBA]

what?

[R.Rusanov]

it's a slavistics joke :/

-i(d)lo means "tool" in Slavic, ex. lepi(d)lo "glue", from lep- "to stick"
-ets is one of many agentative and noun-formative endings, ex. borets "fighter" from bor- "to fight"
-ski/ska/sko forms a locative adjective (or substantive) from a root, ex. "gorski" from gora "mountain, forest"

[Herr Dunkel]

But the "-ets" can also be a deminutive don't forget

[MONOBA]

Phew, I did not get that at all.

In Siwa:

-idla is an inchoative 'to start (to do something that you don't control)

-Vts is a high-register marker that can be added to most any noun to make it more honorific, e.g. atri 'father' > atruts 'O Father'.

-ska is ablative, as I explained before.


I had no idea siwa used similar endings to Slavic languages!

[MONOBA]

2.1 Veimna
Oveimiuts e Siuragi, otis ketsġo totõrita riekumi-nen sahra tatikkita to nalbi. Tobimitta tatsůi onta oti totonta balha sagva-nen somi estoi oveibmu sahra esetvi, oni įu otoabġuloti ki ỉskigi-ůt. Hanni kõ otoabġuli sagna te tobimi boaltta. Sapru tamġusoti eskvarre maggįa totonta mủbma nalumi-hõ, sahra nelimitta ki kosomi, oni įu okoasġuloti ki somigi-ůt. Oveimiuts e Siuragi, keulari soangi. Soantįa tevu, saibba boalsagvaita nuįa gaiskkita deikoi. Sidniuts mai a ůat, kesa rebomni, toḥḥa nalumi te riekumi halkaita. Atai on miasġi soantįaima siųikodi, ukvari kõ sagva riekumi kevta te umeitvi boaltta nelumi kevta. Kommil on hagįen te moġiįen, rodlủli ka ṡoṡi. Soantįa ahha, etsa kemỉngi deita omna kỉ. Ketsġo on sytẻu ikůkůa tatikkita-nen sindu atana (õska mahhįi) nalbi kỉ, ỉlka nelimittaita-nen rolotta riehpi kỉ.



2.1 Marriage
Generally, when Siwa marry, the husband (nalbi) will join the wife’s (riehpi) family (tatriki). The first man to get married (esetvi) usually unites with his bride’s family along with his sisters. It is then said that these women ‘become sisters’ (o·toabġul·i), such that the bride and a man’s sisters ‘become sisters’. If a woman gets married first (eskvari), her brothers may be sent to her husband’s family (nelimi). It is then said that these men ‘become brothers’ (o·koasġul·i). When Siwa marry, they observe wedding (soangi). Before the wedding, bride (sagna) and groom (boalhi) may not see each other for a month. During that time, each will learn the skills to honor (the title of) wife and husband. Siwa marriage is a big celebration, as the bride is crowned wife (u·kvar·i ‘to be crowned’), and the groom is knifed husband (um·eitv·i ‘to be knifed’). People eat and drink a lot, and everyone wears fine clothes. After the wedding, the new married couple (omna) begin their life together. It is the tradition that the new husband offers a large catch (often a bear) to his family as a thank, and the new wife offers her husbands' family new clothes.


-


Here it is all as it grows.

[Herr Dunkel]

What does it mean to be married "first"?
First in the familiy?

[Burke]

... the groom is knifed husband (um·eitv·i ‘to be knifed’). People eat and drink a lot, and everyone wears fine clothes. After the wedding, the new married couple (omna) begin their life together. It is the tradition that the new husband offers a large catch (often a bear) to his family as a thank, and the new wife offers her husbands' family new clothes

"That's why daddy has a huge scar on his belly!"

But really, catching a bear, kickass

[MONOBA]

I should probably make it clear that he is offered a knife, not stabbed with it!

[Herr Dunkel]

"The groom is stabbed, then everybody eats and drinks and much joy is had; the stabbed husband then goes to stab a bear in turn, who doesn't eat and drink from that date onwars"

[MONOBA]

Siwa life is a lot of fun!



-
Suikiltsa
Suikildi kobai soakkia atakka unokkųi okna Siuragi. Soake on ůbůhma totonta, õskaḥõ motta keitta, da ka okna etta totõrita, unokkųi vangoko. Da įeita ṡiaggelibmis birgira te kehhura oknua. Ųara ongamo tatakkia kekila pipid-nen gagi, iokota panraka te liarkodi, opůtsti ogauldõ neni sa maski. Oaki on nonutta ‘kekila’ tontavvi keulmi, orirra de uoli, kįokota įaingoka-nen kekilli aṡṡi Siuragi.
Heįetįai on eitaįo sủpimo, osviri nỉdika nỏ mulįomika oda, isẻumaįo ka sasakkibma saldamġa otġamo kvekkotsta.

Housing
In the summer, Siwa live in large houses called okna. A single okna may house several families, usually 3 or 4, though okna for two families exist, called vangoko (lit. small okna). Okna are permanant structures, made from logs and bark. Inside the okna, there is a hearth (kekila) and its smoke hole (pivpi) surrounded by the homebench (panra) and the guestbench (liarkko), where people sit and discuss (kekli ‘to sit around the hearth’). From the word kekila, there is also keula ‘to observe a ceremony’, because Siwa people have always centered (lit. ‘weaved’) their lives around the fire.
In the winter, winter camps (sủvpi) are built, which consist of cabins for keeping (nỉ) or smoking meat (mulįo). The tents (sasame) are covered by thick warm caribou skins (saldamu).

[MONOBA]

Ṡỉnkate eppi soakna gįaungika da Siuragi, tsatsaupri eytkůltse. Eitaṡi ůngůsti eiddu-uli Siura. Tįoti avvi sa totõka kadlka ketsġo unidlis osokenta. Kisġilontemġů kukkįuhko toḥḥabmolla Siusta neidnobi ṡigįu nỷlly.
Õska udįiki te umehi ongamo. Sapru on ue koṡtet tatamanisbirhoima etta unokkųi alppot karakka įeibmotima, dįikmua ka teukue iemiskena. Sủbmil umehi ketsġo sogvilmamo meimeri gala salulkika te asġakika.
Ongamo siġa, õska ųara nehon, auhneni mi na ogauldi te ogetildi saįo tvatả te ỉṡpa. Usotsi ihha sõkkita, kvarruttaita te nảtįaita nios tatimannin. Kidli oa ihha niosia natġa sahra ketġuska keltari akka. Uṡemi on, utakona mi keltaribma tamiditse sa, mevka kõ ůrůddįa, tsuogga mimi manta hįeudi-ha deita Siuragi.
Nios siġa, gamahha ongamo eltari nỏ hủnamo, omei, ukedi, utigi te niki saįo Siustagi.

Siwa people are so good at building shelters that dying out is nearly unheard of. A Siwa man knows how to build any type of house. Building a house is generally done by whole families cooperating. It is said that even the best beaver cannot outdo a well learned Siwa.
Okna are often decorated and painted. There may be carvings on the two entry beams (alppot) which form the door (karaka), they often display animal carvings. The front of a house (sokvilma) will generally be painted black with paint made from tar or sap and black ashes.
Besides okna, there is often a speaking house (nehon), where elders and leaders meet and discuss side-by-side. Only men, married women and widows may enter the nehon. The nehon is traditionally the only building where there is an above ground floor (natġa). It is believed that by avoiding to thread on the ground, Siwa show respect to the environment, and therefor hope to gain its favor.
In addition to the nehon, okna are also accompanied by a steam house (eltta) or a steam tent (hủdna), where Siwa bathe, are born, are cured and die.

[Herr Dunkel]

If there are multiple parrallel incidents of women going into labour, injuries and people in want of a bath, what would happen?
Are there multiple hủdna-s and eltta-s (hủdd-something & el-something? how does one form plurals in Siwa?) in the village?

[MONOBA]

There is usually only one eltta (plural elttua) per village, but there may be a single hủdna (pl. hủdnua) for each okna (they are much smaller). If someone is sick, there may be a hủdna erected for that single person.

[Herr Dunkel]

(so, it's "-ua" at least for "-a" nouns I guess)

Is it possible that, if certain villages were to grow to a large enough size, multiple elttua would be erected, or would an eltta be expanded upon?

[MONOBA]

I'd imagine it'd be possible to find two elttua in a village, but most likely one would find more hủdnua, since they are much easier to build.

[MONOBA]

Gagolkon
Da tamosi radeddõ atįehtsġotuma lolmahhotuma sesveṡieika omoḥimo-nen ailit ṡoṡi Siuragi. Katiġari sasli enesti kįutįi unokkųi movpi. Mahhumi onta mopikoima-nen sikken, pihhu katta kůtůhrõ sikkes-ne gakỏmi. Gatkeitsġa aġmika Siuragi tegįonta rumu imisi, lolmahhauts daġe de imisti ola sikken, įalki kįuṡpa-ne ogat, usotiti kõ ihha en vůlommi. Unokki vůsitas ůatta.
Tįiba ki gagulkua-ůt atana kemobiġota Siuragi, imůkvi nỉvka-ḥa mopiko-nen te inoaksi nỉvta-ḥa mopiko enehmõ-ne. Kvaulis ketsġo ůrkolohrõ-nen gagi saslusikken. Da komo senni tunna meġie ůrůųen teukeknami. Gaulkkika ỉska de iįomu tamottaitagi sahne otina, ỉdmi mopiko oųaltanna, sahne geudlusta meġie-hi osatari, netvua ka gagolkon. Kemotoatġuli avvi Siustagi mumma nỏ kinaubi ġųe a on, piusti ka gaulkka atantanna, ųara ka somigi te ỉskigi toḥḥeli seppen otarvodlimi.
Tvata on gaulkka nįelli, ugoaka kõ nįelta eṡmi, somigi on ỉskigi on. Diehko on ogetildi te ogaulda soġemme te movpuremme eṡmi, lolmahha ka ototġulenta-nen ednet kekna keųulos te moadġula taga svaltonta nįaṡṡitseka. Utatski oa niṡka enedni elio nidma. Nįaṡṡiuts daġe de somi, gasůivvi-mi vivtenra, irõra nỏ aykõra, sapru usikkote katubiahta, tįiba oda, sadnu dona ůhõ movpi-ha sẻ usotsi ỉngisa ỉngi sġaįota. Pihhu sidnote totta gįekehi, etta nỏ motta gįekehi, medde singelote. Unokki ubiobba tomma katubiahia.


Communities
The majority of Siwa are hunters who must constantly stalk and follow the animals over great distances. Siwa inherit responsibility (sasli) for a known territory called movpi. A band must hunt on their movpi, but may make deals with other bands. Siwa uphold the belief that animals see no boarders, and if a band has been hunting an animal that crosses into someone else territory, they may pursue it, but only it. This is called vůsitas.
These large territories mean that Siwa must agree with each other on where one’s territory begins and another’s starts. Usually, the band responsible for a land will summer with his neighbors. Thus, summering is an important time for the planning of the coming winter hunting season. Communities are important because they allow hunters to be better organized, have access to larger areas, which renders their hunting more efficient. Larger communities thrive through trading within Siwas and with other non-Siwas and often, one can find able men and women with very specialized skills.
A community is headed by a chief (nįelli). The chief is chosen by a council of elders (eṡmi), women and men alike. The council meet regularly and discuss the economy (soġemmy), their territories, keep track of trading relations, organize ceremonies and also maintain order by advocating punishments for crimes. Siwa consider certain offenses to be crimes (niṡka). If a man commits a niṡka, such as stealing, killing or hurting someone, he may be placed in exile (katubias, lit. ‘being thrown out’), which means his hunting territory is no longer his and he cannot live where he used. This can last one, two or three years, or even be permanent. A person in katubias is called ubiobba.

[bulbaquil]

I love that you are providing your cultural explanations in Siwa as well as in English. A rather useful way of building the language, that.

[MONOBA]

It's the most fun I've had actually conlanging probably ever.

[MONOBA]

I've finally gotten to writing a little bit about syntax. I'm completely out of my element when it comes to describing syntax, so I'm keeping it short. It's section §15 on page 421 HERE.

I'm totally unsure whether I've forgotten a lot of things, so do let me know !

[MONOBA]

Kůkiket Ůrkolohrõ Keu
Totta ekue kevta įasukka damġa, nůųetsta, tulmuma, usatahi enetsi mopikoibma te nitįakadi taga mangosvamo balha hemme te omobmo ki Siuragi. Ųara uįomaskka mannįa ailit ṡoṡi ta ototġulen-ůt. Sarai de ůrkona Sigotįagi te Onotįagi ůn Saṡkaba, sahne svysġiti gagokỏi e. Totta on ůrkolohrõ-nen keu siarįaka te sehkahka Siuragi, ehmi kõ sauhhįahita, soaġġokita te nỉldita kįõhõ, sarai de hįayt ůrkonaįa Siustagi hįaydde sarai otoatġuliri. Iriragi unokkųi siarįakva te Ġůġůragi sehkahkaųa. Kůlmalagįen medde mopiko, opohmi katta syngyhmõ atarkelgie tavtedna samnarõ. Ỉnta on utkagįen enemma kohko kintuttta kevta, ỉlubiġumi de nalonta. Oveimi on Siura enemni kůtůtsi soaġġokita-ne, oveimi sůite kinagi enemni totõrita siųikodi. Utatski sarone tamosi-ůt kỏtotiṡi tammi sauhhįahi nonga imisti on tamottagi on.



Relations With Neighboring Tribes
Siwa trade goods such as furs and leather, tools, clothes, rights to certain territories and information on the migration of birds and game. The majority of this trading happens within the Alopian tribes (uįomaski). Because the Siwa language is closely related to the Sigori and Onori, it is easier for them to communicate together. Siwa trade with their neighbors to the south-west and south-east. Their languages, cultues and faces are different, such that Siwa are not closely tied to them, nor are their trade relations. Siwa call these people Iriragi (cf. iri ‘bark’) in the south-west and Ġůġůragi in the south-east. There have even been wars fought over territory. No one lives on from the last great war. Some boys are still trained as warriors, because the skills must be passed on. Some Siwa marry into other ethnicities, and some foreigners have been married into Siwa families. It is said that a good hunter will know how to deal the many languages of animals and the hunters.

[MONOBA]

First printed version of the Siwa grammar! Now begins proofreading.