| Smooth translation: |
The great father gives words (i.e., tells) about story-making.
He makes a little wind strong.
He hears it.
Water grows food.
He hears it.
He hears from afar and begins to be sad.
Thus we say: "O, Father
Hear us well!"
Trees make a healthy house.
He sees it.
Children fear the dark.
He sees it.
The great father sees that we have sex with our mate.
Thus we say: "O, Father
See us well!" |
| Glossary/mini dictionary |
beloe -- night.
dono -- a person with whom one has strong emotional ties, and with whom one
chooses to raise children, whether adopted or "natural". "Mate", but without the
connotation of exclusivity. (Again, an arbitrary choice, because it's the
closest I can come to the original)
gadea -- to be strong
guva -- to have sex with for the purpose of reproduction
hivia -- to see (hivi -- informal imperative)
i -- vocative particle "O"
kape -- wind
katea -- to be far away, extreme, distant
kave -- word
mea -- to grow (transitive)
nea -- to be, to exist (here, idiomatically, "to be about to, to begin to")
nehasa -- to be good, to be complete
oade -- and
omaka -- to give
opa -- therefore, thus, so
ova -- to say
pasua -- to hear (pasu -- informal imperative)
pazhue -- water (n.)
pede -- about, concerning
pula -- to be slightly sad, melancholy (this is an arbitrary choice among
several verbs for "to be sad". It has a connotation of thoughtfulness and a
certain bitter pleasure in sadness)
puzia -- to be young. Puziono means "child" ("being-young-one")
saba -- to be big, great (sabo -- active animate participal)
sapoteapo -- food (lit. the thing that is eaten)
semufazea -- to tell a story (semu-fazea = story-make) (semufazeono -- gerund)
tete -- a hut built out of reeds and mud (here, "house")
tevua -- to fear, transitive
tikia -- to be small (tikie -- active inanimate participal)
tobo - father
upe -- tree
zoa -- to be healthy |
| Grammar notes |
Prefixes, suffixes, and infixes
Pronominal prefixes would probably be easiest given in a table. I don't
necessarily use all of them here, but at least this way we're not missing any.
Subjective (singular and plural) Objective (singular and plural)
1st pers. o- mo- 1st pers. -a- -ta-
2nd pers. ne- ne- 2nd pers. -ken- -ken-
3rd ani. se- sen- 3rd ani. -du- -tu-
3rd ina. ra- ran- 3rd ina. -lo- -no-
relative ni- relative -ni- |
