Help your conlang fluency (2)

[KathTheDragon]

I'm just sixteen.

Jah þu sehstøhun jára alda is? Ek náƕóþ ahtótøhun jára alda im.
You're 16 years old? I'm nearly 18 years old.

[YourFace]

I'm just sixteen.

Jah þu sehstøhun jára alda is? Ek náƕóþ ahtótøhun jára alda im.
You're 16 years old? I'm nearly 18 years old.

Mê? Ésè y ka'ir dek, é agorandu y pinkwé dek om Mey.
[mai? eˈsɜ iː kaʔˈir dɛk, eː agoˈrandu iː ˈpiŋkwe dɛk om mei.]
astonishment? to.be.1-sing-pres pron.1-sing four ten, and become.1-sing-futr pron.1-sing five ten in May.
Really? I'm fourteen, and I'll be turning fifteen in May.

[Imralu]

Fáth them kbau hai tai rom wí Mhakh Thandim, hu hai tai sai kbau "ki yen ísó thim."
[faθ θɛm kʰpaʊ̯ haɪ̯ tʰaɪ̯ rɔm wi m̥əx θənˈdɪm | hʊ haɪ̯ saɪ̯ kʰpaʊ̯ kʰɪ jɛn ˈiso θɪm]
happen event SUB 1PL.AN say language out.of First Tribe, just 1PL.AN say word SUB "1S.AN have.sex.with some person."
When we speak Mhakh Thandim, we just say "I have sex with somebody."

Mro ham t’a ná fi ganggen cí.
[mrɔ həm t'ə na fɪ kəŋˈgən ʔi]
3S.IN seem be.easy exceed that.IN different way.
It seems easier than those other ways.

ahe
Yes.

jeu inu lo zoi ho zuma
same NOM.1p.ICS ADV say QUOT have.sex
We say "have sex" too.

maju ha ila ju mos eji mo xua mo to
different.in.type Q/if speak NOM.3s.ICS.DEF what DAT.3s.ICS.DEF what LOC.3s.INAN.DEF what thus
It depends who's talking to who and where.

I'm twenty seven years old.

Wowa man, yu ol! Mi glat glat mi af jos ten-an-sis. Wen yu af tu-ten-an-sevn, yu a ol ol!
Wow man, you're old! I'm so glad I'm just sixteen. When you're twenty seven, you're so old!

ere buji to xeva kos euo tahus u muja
DAT.3s.INAN.NSPC bug thus seen similar two kapok.tree NOM.3s.ANIM.NSPC initiated.man
To a bug, a man looks like two kapok trees. (= It's all a matter of perspective.)

Yu mari? Yu af pikin?
Are you married? Do you have children?

kka teuos ahe
not second yes
No and yes, respectively.

Jahu stopped here until I prodded him to tell more. The Ngolu tend towards laconicity and, unless they feel like a chat, they will often answer your question literally and nothing more. It would be very slow going in a forum.

baru nema uni
many offspring GEN.1s.ICS
I have many children.

ava xuttia ija mahu igombo
ten and-four NOM.3p.ACS.DEF known state
Officially, I have fourteen.

baru azo banini iuje
many other biological.mother GEN.3s.ACS.DEF
They have many different mothers.

zuvu xu tie veji balu
normal NOM.3s.INAN.DEF this1 TOP.3p.ANIM.NSPC royal.guardist
This is normal for balu.

jai taqu to xume zuo kue nema inu hueva bala xue bas o uoqu
ABL.3s.ACS.DEF king thus necessary NOM.C cause offspring NOM.1p.ICS more-all strong also very entity Uoqu
The king has decreed that it necessary for us, who are the strongest and are devoted to the god, Uoqu, to sire many children.

tilu zuo kue neme iju hueva kisi xue kkas o uoqu
forbidden NOM.C cause offspring NOM.3p.ICS.DEF more-all weak also not entity Uoqu
The weakest, who are not of Uoqu, are not allowed to have children.

lo tieie to ka hue bala iju goqu xue xaba ieji kie qu.
ADV do.this1 thus PROS more strong NOM.3p.ICS.DEF Ngolu also happy.situation DAT.3p.ICS.DEF source world
In this way, the Ngolu will be stronger in future and those who are the source of this world (the gods) will be happy.

kka lima uni
not wife GEN.1s.ICS
I'm not married.

kka xume ieni balu zuo kue lima
not necessary DAT.1p.ICS royal.guardist NOM.C cause wife
It's not necessary for us balu.

nnaia ieji nema balu ju igombo taqu
father-do DAT.3p.ICS offspring royal.guardist NOM.3s.ICS.DEF group-AUG king
The children of balu are provided for by the state.

tuua zos autaia nu to xua va le itoi kka mue nnaia nu
of.course PROG be.LOC.Earth NOM.1s.ICS thus LOC.3s.INAN.DEF all situation PRED-thus.IRR not able father-do NOM.1s.ICS
Of course now I'm on Earth so in any case, I wouldn't be able to provide for them.

touas ahe te ieje zuo balu nu
therefore yes favourable DAT.3p.ACS.DEF NOM.C royal.guardist NOM.1s.ICS
So it is indeed lucky for them that I am a balu

Royl gah? Kul bwo, rispek pon yu! Mi fogot yu nem. Mi kol Jego.
Royal guard? Cool man, respect! I forgot your name. I'm called Diego.

teua vexi ele
thank TOP.3s.INAN.DEF name
Nice to meet you. (Literally more like Thank you for your name.)

zozo ho jahu na mie maju xu ele mahu igombo
nowadays QUOT rowdy NOM.1s.ACS* but different NOM.3s.INAN.DEF name known state
These days, people call me Jahu but my official name is different.

eua tieko iha ua ixo ua
VOC.2s.ACS Jego** PRED-Q NOM.2s.ACS PRED-work NOM.2s.ACS
And what about you, Diego: Do you work?

ha ko nos etu
Q similar receive teach***
Or do you go to school?

ha vaua laiminie ua
Q always laymin-do NOM.2s.ACS
Or are you always doing laymin?

* Jahu has dropped the dominant stance and used accessible here. He's interacting with Jego in a more friendly way - probably because Jego showed respect for Jahu's (former) position.

** How is Jego pronounced? I assumed [ˈdʒego] and adapted it to Ngolu phonology as [tʃekó].

***Ha nos etu would mean "Are you a student at an azikuo?" a school where adolescent boys are taught how to be men. Because the meaning of etu is so specific, the ko "similar" is needed to make it more general.

[jal]

You're 16 years old? I'm nearly 18 years old.

Just for the record, green text = "in character". So Jego is 16, I'm quite a bit older :).


JAL

[KathTheDragon]

Ah, that figures

[jal]

To a bug, a man looks like two kapok trees. (= It's all a matter of perspective.)

Ye, mi si. Mi gona af tu-ten-an-sevn ye fo mi eva de. Ova dis de, mi a swit fi af ten-an-sis!
Yeah, I suppose. I'm gonna be 27 myself some day. But currently, I'm happy to be 16.

I have many children. Officially, I have fourteen. They have many different mothers. This is normal for balu. The king has decreed that it necessary for us, who are the strongest and are devoted to the god, Uoqu, to sire many children. The weakest, who are not of Uoqu, are not allowed to have children. In this way, the Ngolu will be stronger in future and those who are the source of this world (the gods) will be happy. I'm not married. It's not necessary for us balu. The children of balu are provided for by the state. Of course now I'm on Earth so in any case, I wouldn't be able to provide for them. So it is indeed lucky for them that I am a balu

So yu kan soso fok aron no af wori wori bo yu go mek preyna pon dem uman? Bwo... dis a sem evan... Yu balu man a dem bos!
So you can just fuck around without worry about whether you'll get the women pregnant? Dude... that seems like heaven... You balu guys are boss!

And what about you, Diego: Do you work? Or do you go to school? Or are you always doing laymin?

Ye, mi stodi de skul, ova mi in smah, so mi in gona stodi de yuni. Mi swel wohk don di poh, mi won dola. Wen taym mi in stodi o wohk, mi a laymin geda fi bwo dem.
Yes, I go to school, but I'm not smart, so I'm not going to study at the university. I'm also working down the harbour, I need money. When I'm not studying or working, I'm hanging out with my pals.

** How is Jego pronounced? I assumed [ˈdʒego] and adapted it to Ngolu phonology as [tʃekó].

Yeah, it's indeed [ˈdʒego], although Jego himself might say [ˈʒego], as deaffricatization is the trend amongst the younger people.


JAL

[Matrix]

Ueictoh! Megezitozamtoi kex̌ euḹop kfi uidu, se, ezeǧoi. Ezei korns kuuda?
[wejθtoħ ‖ meɣezitozamtoj keχ ewɮop kfi wiðu | se | ezeʁoj ‖ ezej ko^ʁːns kuwða]

Ueid

discover

-toh!

-2SG.ABS

Megezi

close.distance

-to

-PASS.IND

-sam

-3SG.NOM.M,1SG.ACC

-toi

-3SG.LOC

kex̌

the.NOM

euḹop

fox

kfi

the.LOC

uidu,

dense.forest

se,

now

es

be

-eǧoi.

-1SG.NOM,SG.ACC.PROX

Es

be

-ei

-SG.NOM.PROX,SG.ACC.PROX

korns

the.ACC

kuuda?

where

Greetings! I was chasing a fox in the forest, but now I am here. Where is this?

[jal]

Greetings! I was chasing a fox in the forest, but now I am here. Where is this?

Dis a majik pah kol setbibi :)
This is a magic place called zedbibi :).


JAL

[CatDoom]

Ueictoh! Megezitozamtoi kex̌ euḹop kfi uidu, se, ezeǧoi. Ezei korns kuuda?
[wejθtoħ ‖ meɣezitozamtoj keχ ewɮop kfi wiðu | se | ezeʁoj ‖ ezej ko^ʁːns kuwða]

Ueid

discover

-toh!

-2SG.ABS

Megezi

close.distance

-to

-PASS.IND

-sam

-3SG.NOM.M,1SG.ACC

-toi

-3SG.LOC

kex̌

the.NOM

euḹop

fox

kfi

the.LOC

uidu,

dense.forest

se,

now

es

be

-eǧoi.

-1SG.NOM,SG.ACC.PROX

Es

be

-ei

-SG.NOM.PROX,SG.ACC.PROX

korns

the.ACC

kuuda?

where

Greetings! I was chasing a fox in the forest, but now I am here. Where is this?

Na yeth them kbau hai yeng gyai ngú fi hong, bap’ekh.
[nə jɛθ θɛm kʰpaʊ̯ haɪ̯ jɛŋ kjaɪ̯ ŋu fɪ hɔŋ | pəp'ɛx]

Na

1SG.AN

yeth

think

them

event

kbau

SUB

hai

1PL.AN

yeng

sleep

gyai

imagine

ngú

see

fi

this.IN

hong,

place

bap'ekh.

maybe

I think we might be dreaming of this place.


Mro ba se hong kambum mro ngú ta na wo gē, o hai hiph sai wí hai, tha hai tai ni rōm.
[mrɔ pə sɛ hɔŋ kʰəmˈbʊm mrɔ ŋu tʰə nə wɔ kɛ̤ || ɔ haɪ̯ hɪɸ saɪ̯ wi haɪ̯ | θə haɪ̯ tʰaɪ̯ nɪ rɔ̤m]

Mro

3SG.IN

ba

resemble

se

no

hong

place

kambum

REL

mro

3SG.IN

ngú

see

ta

PASS.PFV

wo

use

gē,

eye.PL

o

and

hai

1PL.AN

hiph

understand

sai

words

wí

out.of

hai,

1PL.AN

tha

although

hai

1PL.AN

tai

speak

ni

many

rōm.

language.PL

It is like no place I've seen with my eyes, and we understand each other's words, although we speak many languages.


Ganggen thú kambum to ba fi thú ngú ta hu fáth them kbau hai yeng gyai ngú to.
[kəŋˈgɛn θu kʰəmˈbʊm tʰɔ pə fɪ θu ŋu tʰə hʊ fəθ θɛm kʰpaʊ̯ haɪ̯ jɛŋ kjaɪ̯ ŋu tʰɔ]

Ganggen

unusual

thú

things

kambum

REL

to

3PL.IN

ba

resemble

fi

this.IN

thú

things

ngú

see

ta

PASS.PFV

hu

only

fáth

happen

them

event

kbau

SUB

hai

1PL.AN

yeng

sleep

gyai

imagine

ngú

see

to.

3PL.IN

Unusual things such as these are seen only when we dream of them.

[CatDoom]

Dákadap! Eseiidáušigil ta šúbatawilaŋaili, taabé ugáubaušigil ta néyuayamali gátali.
[ˈda.ka.dap || e.ze.iːˈda.u.ʒi.gil ta ˈʃu.ba.tɑ.wi.lɑ.ŋa.i.li | taːˈbe uˈga.u.ba.u.ʒi.gil ta ˈne.ju.a.jɑ.mɑ.li ˈga.tɑ.li]

Dákadap!

nonsense

Eseiidá

see

-uši

-IPFV

-gil

-IRR

ta

2SG

šúba

strange

-taw

-nominalizer

-(i)laŋaili

-many.ACC

taabé

when

ugáuba

eat

-uši

-IPFV

-gil

-IRR

néyuayama

mushroom

-li

-ACC

gáta

correct

-li.

-ACC

Nonsense! You can see many strange things, when you eat the right mushrooms.

[Nortaneous]

Laumann leurcera. Kemutwe amann kett arey ḩalcera; mancrian bei cacre kennah, ang ve fay kettann arey ngeir, ḩateung, Settw Tesenng bei terayt, ve letakre cencanre am merancann ḩeng eir, bura, vec nia ḩalcera.
[ˈlomɐʰn̥ luʂtsɪɾa. ˈkemuɸj ˈamɐʰn̥ kɪʰt ɐˈɾy ˈhaltsɪɾa; ˈmadʑɐn ɓi ˈtsatʂɪ ˈkeʰn̥ɐχ, ɐŋ vɪ fø ˈkeʰtɐʰn̥ ɐˈɾy ŋiʑ, hɐˈtuŋ, seʰɸ ˈtesɪʰŋ̥ ɓi tɪˈɾøt, vɪ ˈletɐkʂɪ ˈtsedzɐɳj ɐm mɪˈɾadzɐʰn̥ heŋ iʑ, ɓuˈɾa, vɪts ɲɐ ˈhaltsɪɾɐ]
that=INSTR=TOP get-IPFV.PASS | mushroom-PL INSTR=TOP 1PL MODAL go-IPFV.PASS | hierarch-COLL=TOP but order-COLL 1PL.DAT, NEG TOP.NONF DEM.PL MODAL 1PL-use.GER NEG-NONF, PST-give-IPFV.ACT Settw Tesek=TOP but recently, TOP.NONF person.COLL common.COLL GEN preach <be_like>priest-GER do NONF, therefore MODAL go-IPFV.PASS.
That's right. We do that sort of thing all the time; in the past, such things were reserved for the holy men, but Settw Tesek said that their practices ought to be brought to the masses, so.

[masako]

na ke nahokala moyame omo
I'm thinking of rewriting Kala grammar.

kola yoteue ka
Does anyone want to help?

[jal]

Does anyone want to help?

Sat mi af soso likl taym.
Unfortunately, I have little time...


JAL

[Imralu]

So yu kan soso fok aron no af wori wori bo yu go mek preyna pon dem uman? Bwo... dis a sem evan... Yu balu man a dem bos!
So you can just fuck around without worry about whether you'll get the women pregnant? Dude... that seems like heaven... You balu guys are boss!

jahe jo jahe
honour/respect ACC.C honour/respect
Your respect is well noted/appreciated.

xue kui zuo kue nema
also goal NOM.C cause offspring
Getting them pregnant is the aim too.

mie vahe jo gueua zola bio kui kela na — ha joi
but admit ACC.C sometimes just want goal cook NOM.1s.ACS — Q understood*
But, to be honest, sometimes I just want to be cooked for, you know?

*I can't think of a better way to gloss this. Joi is emotional rather than purely intellectual understanding, understanding someone's point of view whereas lumi is simply about comprehending the ideas. Joi is pretty much like the German nachvollziehen (except in the passive voice). To contrast this, ha joi is like "Do you get me?" / "Can you relate to my feelings on this matter?" and ha lumi would mean "Do you understand?" as in "Have I expressed myself clearly?" / "Do you understand the content of what I have just said?"

Ye, mi stodi de skul, ova mi in smah, so mi in gona stodi de yuni. Mi swel wohk don di poh, mi won dola. Wen taym mi in stodi o wohk, mi a laymin geda fi bwo dem.
Yes, I go to school, but I'm not smart, so I'm not going to study at the university. I'm also working down the harbour, I need money. When I'm not studying or working, I'm hanging out with my pals.

xumes eue ia bani kuaxi mo
necessary DAT.2s.ACS NOM.3p.INAN.NSPC money BEN.3s.INAN.DEF what
What do you need money for?

ha tei loe ua xua mala hala gune
Q still sleep NOM.2s.ACS LOC.3s.INAN.DEF kin COP-GEN.2s.ACS
Do you still live with your family?
(Literally: Do you still sleep at your family house)

mmo ua ijas ali akuo uhu bege ieue
do.what NOM.2s.ACS NOM.3s.ACS.DEF same.ranked.friend LOC.TEMP.C time play DAT.2s.ACS
What do you and your friends get up to in your free time?
(Literally: "What do you and your friends do when there is play time to you?")

ha vuja
Q hunt/fish
Do you hunt or fish? (Read this as the inclusive "or")

ha zaha bege
Q fight.without.weapons play
Do you engage in mock combat?

** How is Jego pronounced? I assumed [ˈdʒego] and adapted it to Ngolu phonology as [tʃekó].

Yeah, it's indeed [ˈdʒego], although Jego himself might say [ˈʒego], as deaffricatization is the trend amongst the younger people.

Ah, in that case maybe jeko [ʒekó] is better. /k/ is generally /k/ but may be pronounced [g] in non-initial positions by some speakers.

By the way, where does the word fi come from?

Ueictoh! Megezitozamtoi kex̌ euḹop kfi uidu, se, ezeǧoi. Ezei korns kuuda?
Greetings! I was chasing a fox in the forest, but now I am here. Where is this?

Na yeth them kbau hai yeng gyai ngú fi hong, bap’ekh.
I think we might be dreaming of this place.

Mro ba se hong kambum mro ngú ta na wo gē, o hai hiph sai wí hai, tha hai tai ni rōm.
It is like no place I've seen with my eyes, and we understand each other's words, although we speak many languages.

Ganggen thú kambum to ba fi thú ngú ta hu fáth them kbau hai yeng gyai ngú to.
Unusual things such as these are seen only when we dream of them.

nu iautaia nu
NOM.1s.ICS PRED-be.LOC-world-demon NOM.1s.ICS
Myself, I'm on Earth.

zau nu vejo mo xu zoe nzuo huue nu mie kka mueniu eni
ignorant NOM.1s.ICS TOP.C what NOM.3s.INAN.DEF manner COP-NOM.C move-this1 NOM.1s.ICS but no dream DAT.1s.ICS
I have no idea how I got here, but I'm not dreaming.

ti gehuo nu ja ntu
PRF meet.without.arrangement NOM.1s.ICS NOM.3s.ACS.DEF walk
I met Imralu.

mainiu ja xi ilia guni xe nu xi ilia guje
learn.deliberately NOM.3s.ACS.DEF ACC.3s.INAN.DEF language COP-GEN.1s.ICS and NOM.1s.ICS ACC.3s.INAN.DEF language COP-GEN.3s.ACS.DEF
He's learning my language and I'm learning his.

zara jas exiie jo zoi mo nu
write NOM.3s.ACS.DEF DAT.3s.INAN.DEF-this1 ACC.C say what NOM.1s.ICS
He writes what I say here.

teuo zoi jas eni ixi hitoba lo ilaqu
second say NOM.3s.ACS.DEF DAT.1s.ICS ACC.3p.INAN.DEF response ADV speak-world
Then he tells me the responses in Ngolu.

ha kka jeu iua los autaia to kka mau eni ixu lu giua
Q no same NOM.2p.ACS ADV be.LOC-world-demon thus no known NOM.1s.ICS
If you are not on Earth too, then I don't know where you are.

ha mueniu ieua to tehi havi mueniu iua.
Q dream DAT.2p.ACS thus maybe share dream NOM.2s.ACS
If you are dreaming, maybe you are dream sharing.

xes autaia iju zara
and be.LOC-world-demon NOM.3p.ICS.DEF write
And those who write are on Earth.

ieue to ha tehi matta xuue
DAT.2p.ACS thus Q maybe true NOM.3s.INAN.DEF-this1
Do you think this could be true?

na ke nahokala moyame omo
I'm thinking of rewriting Kala grammar.

kola yoteue ka
Does anyone want to help?

kue maju lo ha xi tiuuiga ilia lo ha mola xi zoe zara
cause different ADV Q ACC.3s.INAN.DEF rule‹COLLECTIVE› language ADV Q merely ACC.3s.INAN.DEF method write
Are you changing the language itself or just how the grammar is presented?

aio lo mmo
help ADV do.what
Help how?

[awer]

na ke nahokala moyame omo
I'm thinking of rewriting Kala grammar.

kola yoteue ka
Does anyone want to help?

I've read a bit of your blog but how do you render e.g. subordinate clauses, "there is/are", and do you use compounding? where can I see the complete grammar?

[Dē Graut Bʉr]

Dákadap! Eseiidáušigil ta šúbatawilaŋaili, taabé ugáubaušigil ta néyuayamali gátali.
[ˈda.ka.dap || e.ze.iːˈda.u.ʒi.gil ta ˈʃu.ba.tɑ.wi.lɑ.ŋa.i.li | taːˈbe uˈga.u.ba.u.ʒi.gil ta ˈne.ju.a.jɑ.mɑ.li ˈga.tɑ.li]

Dákadap!

nonsense

Eseiidá

see

-uši

-IPFV

-gil

-IRR

ta

2SG

šúba

strange

-taw

-nominalizer

-(i)laŋaili

-many.ACC

taabé

when

ugáuba

eat

-uši

-IPFV

-gil

-IRR

néyuayama

mushroom

-li

-ACC

gáta

correct

-li.

-ACC

Nonsense! You can see many strange things, when you eat the right mushrooms.

Knï šar rtëki ru, ňat, mïto npïra zid, lü, dpëto rqäťu nrö ňat tkarxïr. Xtüra mki dë rat?
If you eat mushrooms, you'll either die or become a wizard. Didn't you know that?

[YourFace]

Dákadap! Eseiidáušigil ta šúbatawilaŋaili, taabé ugáubaušigil ta néyuayamali gátali.
[ˈda.ka.dap || e.ze.iːˈda.u.ʒi.gil ta ˈʃu.ba.tɑ.wi.lɑ.ŋa.i.li | taːˈbe uˈga.u.ba.u.ʒi.gil ta ˈne.ju.a.jɑ.mɑ.li ˈga.tɑ.li]

Dákadap!

nonsense

Eseiidá

see

-uši

-IPFV

-gil

-IRR

ta

2SG

šúba

strange

-taw

-nominalizer

-(i)laŋaili

-many.ACC

taabé

when

ugáuba

eat

-uši

-IPFV

-gil

-IRR

néyuayama

mushroom

-li

-ACC

gáta

correct

-li.

-ACC

Nonsense! You can see many strange things, when you eat the right mushrooms.

Knï šar rtëki ru, ňat, mïto npïra zid, lü, dpëto rqäťu nrö ňat tkarxïr. Xtüra mki dë rat?
If you eat mushrooms, you'll either die or become a wizard. Didn't you know that?

Ā, pëtsi? Devos mardenè y sal metsenqi...
oh curiosity? must try.1.sing pron.1.sing.subj pron.3.sing.obj sometime
Oh, really? I should try it sometime, then.

[Matrix]

Geneguueitah korns seuomefǩeḷ kuu korns phaǩu ǩeḹatahteu uaḹox̌toh, se, aux̌tod, x̌uuetahteu.
[ɣeneɣuwejtaħ ko^ʁːns sewomefqeɬ kuw ko^ʁːns pħaqu qeɮataħtew waɮoχtoħ | se | awχtoð | χuwetaħtew]

Genegu

know

-ueitah

-1PL.NOM,3PL.ACC.N

korns

the.ACC

seuomefǩeḷ

mushroom

kuu

with

korns

the.ACC

phaǩu

few

ǩeḹa

turn

-tahteu

-3PL.NOM.N,2SG.ACC

uaḹoǧ

wander

-toh,

-2SG.ABS

se,

now

auǧ

add

-tod,

-3SG.ABS.N

x̌uue

kill

-tahteu.

-3PL.NOM.N,2SG.ACC

We know of some mushrooms that make you confused, but they also kill you.

Sekutoueuors feḹeǧueitah korns koieno kuu korns eǧz.
[sekutowewo^ʁːs feɮeʁwejtaħ ko^ʁːns kojeno kuw ko^ʁːns eʁz]

Seku

follow

-to

-PASS.IND

-euors

-SG.NOM.PROX,2PL.ACC

feḹeǧ

burn

-ueitah

-1PL.NOM,3PL.ACC.N

korns

the.ACC

koieno

grass

kuu

with

korns

the.ACC

eǧz.

good

We prefer to burn the good grasses.

[Bristel]

22 (caleñ ca) ʼok ñansa anmalak.
[ɕalɛn̠ʲ ɕa ʔɔk n̠ʲansa ammalak]
I am 26 (twenty-six) years old.

[Lambuzhao]

Geneguueitah korns seuomefǩeḷ kuu korns phaǩu ǩeḹatahteu uaḹox̌toh, se, aux̌tod, x̌uuetahteu.
[ɣeneɣuwejtaħ ko^ʁːns sewomefqeɬ kuw ko^ʁːns pħaqu qeɮataħtew waɮoχtoħ | se | awχtoð | χuwetaħtew]

Genegu

know

-ueitah

-1PL.NOM,3PL.ACC.N

korns

the.ACC

seuomefǩeḷ

mushroom

kuu

with

korns

the.ACC

phaǩu

few

ǩeḹa

turn

-tahteu

-3PL.NOM.N,2SG.ACC

uaḹoǧ

wander

-toh,

-2SG.ABS

se,

now

auǧ

add

-tod,

-3SG.ABS.N

x̌uue

kill

-tahteu.

-3PL.NOM.N,2SG.ACC

We know of some mushrooms that make you confused, but they also kill you.

Sekutoueuors feḹeǧueitah korns koieno kuu korns eǧz.
[sekutowewo^ʁːs feɮeʁwejtaħ ko^ʁːns kojeno kuw ko^ʁːns eʁz]

Seku

follow

-to

-PASS.IND

-euors

-SG.NOM.PROX,2PL.ACC

feḹeǧ

burn

-ueitah

-1PL.NOM,3PL.ACC.N

korns

the.ACC

koieno

grass

kuu

with

korns

the.ACC

eǧz.

good

We prefer to burn the good grasses.

ʔol beθen huv ˤēzurvasærai ˤeumatrazaʔōyasviθya.
PRP house-LOC holy <FUT><CAUS>burn-1SG proper.grass-ACC
I shall burn good grass in the House of the Holy.


Θiχyefunmenefueni no vu ˤuestkostræqš kēz bieye .
plant.mud.horse NEG.INDEF PROH kill<POT> COVRB<OBLIG> be<OBLIG>
No llamas shall be harmed.

[YourFace]

ʔol beθen huv ˤēzurvasærai ˤeumatrazaʔōyasviθya.
PRP house-LOC holy <FUT><CAUS>burn-1SG proper.grass-ACC
I shall burn good grass in the House of the Holy.


Θiχyefunmenefueni no vu ˤuestkostræqš kēz bieye .
plant.mud.horse NEG.INDEF PROH kill<POT> COVRB<OBLIG> be<OBLIG>
No llamas shall be harmed.

Ni, viršīmês yn san lamamitanî
no | kill.3.plur.futr pron.1.plur.subj the llama.plur
No, we will kill the llamas.

[Imralu]

johua zuo uo golu iju lama
usually NOM.C kill.wantonly person NOM.3p.ICS.DEF llama
Usually it's llamas killing people.

Edit: I just realised what an excessive amount of [w] Ngolu has. Xue kui zuo kue nema.

[YourFace]

johua zuo uo golu iju lama
usually NOM.C kill.wantonly person NOM.3p.ICS.DEF llama
Usually it's llamas killing people.

É, ésgwà dê imirti viršīmês yn san lamamitanî
and | to-be.3.plur.pres that why kill.3.plur.futr pron.3.plur.subj the llama.plur
and that is why we kill the llamas.

[Imralu]

É, ésgwà dê imirti viršīmês yn san lamamitanî
and | to-be.3.plur.pres that why kill.3.plur.futr pron.3.plur.subj the llama.plur
and that is why we kill the llamas.

ttu zuo kka mula eui lo zola jo kau ju kala ie moxo
believed NOM.C no liked DAT.2s.ICS ADV solely ACC.C eat NOM.3s.ICS.DEF Carl ACC.3p.INAN.NSPC
I think you just don't like the fact that Carl eats faces.

[jal]

Getting them pregnant is the aim too. But, to be honest, sometimes I just want to be cooked for, you know?

Ye, mi si, it sem yu a bwiding bok steda osban. So yu du kuk imsef?
Yeah, I understand, it's like you are a breeding buck (= male goat) instead of a husband. So do you cook yourself?

(Btw, I just found that "get belly" is Jamaican for "pregnant", something I'm definitely going to adopt in Sajiwan :).)

ha joi is like "Do you get me?" / "Can you relate to my feelings on this matter?" and ha lumi would mean "Do you understand?" as in "Have I expressed myself clearly?" / "Do you understand the content of what I have just said?"[/size]

That's a pretty cool (and useful) distinction.

What do you need money for?

Mi won dola fi bay ting. Ting sem gahmn an fut an dwingk an smok an kandi an an. A mi it mi paran gi mi, an mi lif de fi yah, ova dem in stuc, an a olda bling mi af bay imsef.
I need money to buy stuff. Things like clothes and shoes and (alcoholic) drinks and sigarettes and (soft)drugs (litt: candy*) and so on. I get my food from my parents, and I live in their home, but they aren't rich, and I need to buy all fancy stuff myself.

*"Real" candy is for children. If Jego would've meant actual candy, he'd probably say "ray kandi" ("real candy") or "cuga kandi" ("sugar candy") or the like.

Do you still live with your family?

Ye, de Sajiwa it a kostom dem cal u lif de paran yah til dem ya mari. Ova dis de dem, wen man got af stedi jop, im me lif paran yah an kac imsef os.
Yes, in Sajiwa it's custom for children to live with their parents until they [the children*] marry. But these days, when someone get's a stable job, they may leave their parent's home and get their own house.

*This is actually present in the source, as the "ya" ("here") after "dem" denotes the topic. If the parents were meant, "da" ("there") would be used.

What do you and your friends get up to in your free time?

Nof taym minu soso laymin. Dis min minu sit o stan o lay de som laymin ples geda fi fwen dem, an tok an dwingk an smok an lisn myusik, an ay ay o swit dem gal. Som taym, misa fi man af dem swel laymin geda, som taym it a soso fi boy dem an dem gal a laymin soso imsef. Som taym, minu me swim de bic o di poh, o laymin de poh an luk pon di turis. Minu swel me wok sket, o ray ron yus ti, ova nof taym minu in af ti fi ray.
Most of the time we're just hanging out. This means we're sitting or standing or lying at some hanging site with our friends, and talk and drink and smoke and listen to music, and look at or flirt with girls. Sometimes the girlfriends of those that have them are also hanging with us, sometimes it's just my homies and the girls are hanging out together [i.e. not with us]. Sometimes, we may go swimming down the beach or at the harbour, or hang out at the harbour looking at the tourists. We may also go skateboarding, or drive around in a car, but most of the time we don't have a car to drive around with.

Do you hunt or fish?

It in bis fi kac de Sajiwa, ova fi aylan, im af long long taym twadicon fi kac fis. Mos taym, it a kac yus sel. Mi af ongkl im u fis kaca, an som taym wen olide mi sel geda im.
There aren't any animals you can hunt on Sajiwa, but it being an island, it has a long tradition of catching fish. Mostly it's caught by boat. I have an uncle [i.e. some older male relative] who's a fisherman, and sometimes during the holiday I sail with him.

Do you engage in mock combat?

Minu in ple fay sem wo fay, ova nof man mek dans o rap bakl. Mi dans i rap moc gut. Ova yu u Balu, so yu wil af dis masif bik fay no? An yu wil bos olda taym?
We don't play fight like war fight [i.e. we don't have the war-type mock combat], but many people compete in dance or rap battles. I dance and rap pretty good. But you are Balu, so you must have this really big fights, right? And you must be the boss [i.e. the winner] all the time?

By the way, where does the word fi come from?

Mmm, I'm pretty sure someone asked that exact same question recently, and I even provided a link in the answer, but I can't find it. Frustrating... Anyway, as I understand it, the common CEC word "fi" (or it's variant "fu") ultimately derives from English "for". That's the "fi" that is used in possesive constructs (although in Sajiwan, I also use "fo", though both that and the use of "fi" may change) and as an invinitive marker, and in many other grammatical roles. In Sajiwan, there's also "fi" as a generic possesive pronoun, which derives from "fo im", which became a generic possesive pronoun, after which "fo im" was again created by analogy to the other "fo" + pronouns.


JAL