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| Translated by: |
Nik Taylor |
| Torch: |
Wafkassissái waflássyasai pifnattáidu yánisnav
Lusnaváutasva wazunípaka líwanal piflítilwai
Ku liizlutátasva wasakátiv laláaka wabiikadíz
Zi kláitasva-bu sutakí zibútasva waniilástaz? |
| Smooth translation: |
Birds' songs concerning important events
The Heron washes its clothes in the dew
And the Lark worships the sky in the evening.
But does anyone exist who understands birdhood? |
| Translation of previous torch |
Missing |
| Interlinear |
Waf-kassissá-i waf-lássyasa-i pif-nattá-i-du
G6Pl-song-Pl G6Pl-of.birds-Pl G7Pl-event-Pl-ELL
yánis-na-v
be.important-3PlIrr-Hab
Birds' songs concerning important events
("events that are important")
Lu-s-naváu-tas-va wa-zu-nípa-ka l-íwan-al
Cause-be-clean-3SRat-Hab G6-Dim-water-In G5-heron-Erg
pif-líti-lwa-i
G7Pl-clothes-its-pl
"Little water" means "dew"
The Heron washes its clothes in the dew ("in the little water")
Ku lizlutá-tas-va wa-sakáti-v la-láka wa-bikadí-z
And worship-3SRat-Hab G6-evening-Loc G5-lark G6-sky-DAT
And the Lark worships the sky (literally: "place of the sun") in the evening.
Zi klái-tas-va-bu su-takí zibú-tas-va
But live-3SRat-Hab-Question G3-being understand-3SRat-Hab
wa-ni-lásta-z?
G6-nature.of-bird-DAT
ni- is roughly equivalent to English -ness.
But does anyone exist who understands birdhood?
(I should probably have glossed _klái_ as "live, exist") |
| Glossary/mini dictionary |
Abbreviations
G# = Gender#
Pl = Plural
S = Singular
ELL = Ellative, in the only occurrence of it herein, it's used to indicate
"concerning"
Irr = Irrational (non-sentient)
Hab = Habitual
Rat = Rational (sentient; human/divine, the birds are being personified
herein)
Dim = Diminutive
In = Inessive (in)
Erg = Ergative
DAT = Dative |
| Grammar notes |
Pronunciation
Apostrophe before a syllable indicates high pitch, periods indicate
syllable-divisions.
Wafkassissái waflássyasai pifnattáidu yánisnav
[wAf.kA.S:i's:aj wA'fla'S:a'saj pef.na't:aj'du 'jA.neS.nav]
Lusnaváutasva wazunípaka líwanal piflítilwai
[los.na'vAw'tas'vA wA.zu'ni'pA'kA 'li.wA.nal pi'fli'tSi'lwaj]
Ku lizlutátasva wasakátiv laláka wabikadíz
[ku li.zru'ta'tas'vA wA.sa'kA'tSev la'la'kA wA.bi.kA'deZ]
Zi kláitasva-bu sutakí zibútasva wanilástaz?
[Zi 'klaj.tas.vA.bu su.ta'Ci Zi'bu'tas'vA wA.ni'las'taz]
[C] = voiceless palatal fricative
Some brief notes: the fourth line was modified to fit into the normal poetic
pattern of Watakassí, which is four lines of four "major words" (words that
contain an accent). In a less poetic translation, the last line would've been
something like: Zi zibútasva subaa waniilástaz? (note: one change was making ni-
into nii-), which contains only two major words. (Lit: But understands who
birdhood?), so I changed the minor word subaa (who?) into the two major word
phrase kláitasva-bu sutakí (does anyone exist?) |
