Month: May 2018

In Calintese, based on this text. The god Mendu is an old Calintese deity (Mendu being his Keševan name).

Deláemo áelie. Yòdi hólpaeva.
king there-M.SG. 3-M.SG.DAT child-PL=NEG
Once there was a king. He was childless.

Deláemos ustìlie holpá. Yo ròtitie uòstelrapro:    
king=ART want-IPFV child-ACC. 3-M.SG ask-PFV-M.SG priest-DAT=REFL
The king wanted a son. He asked his priest:

“Céfo yòdi nóstoe!”
son 1SG-M.DAT birth-PASS-M.SG.IMP
“May a son be born to me!”

Uòstelso imítie deláemòdis: “Cléani aestòdis Mieddòdi.”
Priest=ART say-PFV-M.SG king-DAT=ART pray-M.SG.IMP god-DAT=ART Mendu-DAT
The priest said to the king: “Pray to the god Mendu.”

Deláemos géitie aestòdislo Mieddòdi cléanra haùvie aestòdis.
king=ART come-PFV-M.SG god-DAT=ART=to Mendu-DAT pray-INF-DAT god-DAT=ART
The king approached the god Mendu to pray now to the god.

“Lásti cú, bàvan Miéddo!”
listen-M.SG.IMP 1SG-M.ACC father Mendu
“Hear me, father Mendu!”

Áestos Mièddo géitie tlièttitiego uxàus.
god=ART Mendu come-PFV-M.SG descend-PFV-M.SG=and sky-ABL=ART
The god Mendu came down from heaven.

“Í ro ùstie?”
what 2SG-M want-M.SG
“What do you want?”

“Co ústie cefú.”
1SG-M want-M.SG son-ACC
“I want a son.”

“Ha géi,” imítie yúi aèstos Miéddo.
this-N come-N.SG.IMP say-PFV-M.SG bright-M.SG god=ART Mendu.
“Let this be so,” said the bright god Mendu.

Deláemuvas giènis nostíta cefú.
king-GEN-F.SG=ART lady=ART give.birth-PFV-F.SG son-ACC
The king’s lady bore a son.

For the past couple weeks I’ve been participating in a translation challenge on the r/conlangs subreddit to translate Fitzgerald’s translation of the Odyssey, with a few new lines given every few days. (The latest post is here.)  Here is my progress so far, beginning partway through Book 1:

Yàuti yú yelé bavànco ènitie yá.
love-M.SG 3-M.SG.ACC much-INS father=1s give-PFV-M.SG 3-N.SG.ACC
My father gave it, for he loved him well.

Co ústie hìxi amattònei déyin ròsin áexi hònaye amattús.
1SG wish-M.SG this-GEN.PL man-GEN.PL-N.ACC able-INF meet-INF that-GEN.PL day-GEN.PL-M.ACC man-ACC=ART
I wish these men could meet the man of those days

Ya grieccáziae navàziaego àstorápra: uscèi alefá.
3-M.PL quick-FUT-M.PL know-FUT-M.PL=and fortune-ACC=3PL cold-N.SG.ACC bed-ACC
They would know their fortune quickly: a cold bed.

O! la aestònienis ílieni orgéansa
Ay but god-GEN.PL-F.PL.LOC=ART great-F.PL.LOC knees-PL.LOC=ART
Ay! but on the gods’ great knees

càtei yúve dèyin páyin dèxingo àstiná
lie-N.SG 3-GEN.SG-N able-INF return-INF make-INF=and outcome-ACC
lies his ability to return to force a reckoning

prùvemi hiettetí
REFL-GEN.SG-N.SG.LOC house-LOC
in his own home

Cu ru, co dexázie yèstinié plùvaedirra hiàu amattún
1SG-M.INS 2SG-M.INS 1SG make-FUT-M.SG beginning-N.PL.ACC scatter-INF-DAT this-M.PL.ACC man-PL.ACC
If I were you, I should take steps to make these men disperse

Lastí, hàuvie, tleimígo imuèis cu,
listen-IMP now heed-MP=and say-PASS.N.SG.=ART 1SG-INS
Listen, now, and attend to what I say:

texínie oefí tòladún rosòrara,
dawn-INS call-IMP islander-PL.ACC assembly-DAT
At daybreak call the islanders to assembly,

yeccanígo ustinàra, oefígo aestún àrirra:
speak-IMP=and will-ACC=2SG call-IMP=and god-PL.ACC see-INF-DAT
And speak your will, and call the gods to witness:

canadòden àstin plùvaedongo hiettétranpra.
suitor-PL.DAT depart-INF scatter-PASS-INF=and house-PL.DAT=REFL
The suitors must go scattering to their homes.

Ahàuvie rózi ròdi hèa, ru yeyóu:
then path 2SG-M.DAT be.here-F.SG, 2SG-INS agree-M.SG-INS
Then here’s a course for you, if you agree:

exí stalè címu mòsloneá pesnixéral
take-INF strong-M.SG.ACC ship-ACC oar-PL.GEN-N.SG.INS twenty-INS=with
get a sound craft afloat with twenty oars

àstígo clàttígo banòtixa bavánayimiro bestìnara–
go-INF=ART travel-INF=ART father-GEN-N.SG.DAT=2SG news-DAT
and go abroad for news of your lost father—

dè clàttaduvimi imiòdi, grèvaradi
perhaps traveller-GEN-M.SG.DAT story-DAT, rumor-DAT=or
perhaps a traveller’s tale, or rumored fame

Zenuò clàttimi amattònieni lònéan.
Zeus-ABL travel-M.SG.ABL man-PL.GEN-N.PL.LOC land-PL.LOC
issued from Zeus abroad in the world of men.

Yeccaní áemi iximi mòdrimi Pulúa Nestoròdi,
speak-IMP that-M.SG.DAT noble-M.SG.DAT wise-M.SG.SAT Pylos-LOC Nestor-DAT
Talk to that noble sage at Pylos, Nestor,

àstígo Menalaùdi, rieggimi oránòdis
go-IMP=and Menelaos-DAT, red.haired-M.DAT.SG king-DAT=ART
then go to Meneláos, the red-haired king

Spartéa, axayònexa haláyimi òlmimi amattòdis géitimi hiettètra.
Sparta-LOC, Akhaian-PL.GEN-N.SG.GEN all-GEN-M.SG.DAT last-M.SG.DAT man-DAT=ART come-PFV-M.SG.DAT house-DAT
at Sparta, last man home of all the Akhaians.

Xàdditi bavanayèi rèmin
know-PFV-M.SG father-GEN-N.SG.ACC live-INF
If you should learn your father is alive

géingo hiettètra, ro deyázie cèdi payàulie.
come-INF=and home-DAT, 2SG-M can-FUT-M.SG remain-INF year-INS.
and coming home, you could hold out a year.