| Torch: |
wanu s tepoc nerite ntala hnaqa.
ikvesa hinaq, "selif vrata ehewm?"
ahanqa kivaq, "tuvas ehewm."
akavsa hinaq, "slife himwe umnati."
heniq, "qsara mnata?"
akavsa, "sraja slife salit mont. mjaza mutr lokt hwomo ukvari."
heniq, "huwami hwomi ihuwm ukvari?"
akvasa, "tuvasi tvise jarama wnuso bnaga jrime tavis lokt?" |
| Glossary/mini dictionary |
Nouns
bng reason
hnq a mythical beast that, according to legend, can only be ridden by a powerful
sorceror.
hwm 3rd person plural
jrm 3rd person plural
kvr shelter
kvs a birdlike creature, similar to a raven
lkt place
mjz big thing
mnt mountain
mtr brave thing
nrt story
ntl clever
qst what, that
slf 1st person singular
slt lonely thing
srj sad thing
tpq subject
tvs 2nd person singular
vrt truth
wns 3rd person plural
Verbs
12a3a be
12i3e think, believe
12o3i fight
12u3o undergo
1a2a3a laugh
1a2i3 dwell
1a2u3 change
1e2i3 ask
1e2i3e describe
1e2o3 become
1i23e hide
1o23 dwell
1u2a3 know
1u2a3i does it? is it?
a1a23a reply
e12e3 live
1i2a3 hear
i12e3a speak
i1u23 recover
u12a3i cover |
| Grammar notes |
iljena is spoken by the Leyen people, who live on the fourth planet of the Delta
Pavonis system. They are crepuscular bipeds with vibrissae all over their
bodies. As a result of their sensitivity to air movements, they perceive
themselves as being immersed in an active world, and their language reflects
this. Every word is a noun and a verb at the same time. The noun consists of a
triconsonantal root, which is interdigitated with a vowel pattern representing
the verb. Everything is seen as an participant in the overall action of the
sentence, playing a particular role. Word order is used to group together
related participants, and to indicate the overall flow of the action. |
