Elasin Translations
The Babel Text: Genesis 11:1-9
1. Huana! Yevopa (Yeneva votelor pali) fathieneth avute vesotham dofa li mabienen sotheram thoshi.
listening-IMP. "Once upon a time" (past-LOC(illative) epoch-PL many) speaking-PAST-they-it everyone language-ACC one and having-PAST-they-them word-PL-ACC few
Listen! Many ages into the past, all the people spoke one language and had few words.
2. Uitukieneth vuanana maku'ii hadarova mi'iamem Shinaroth li panamiene parshoth ka.
Finding-PAST-they-it people/nation walking-MODIFIER east-LOC(illative) plain-ACC Shinar-LOC(inessive) and "settling/making one's home"-PAST-they place-LOC(inessive) that
An eastward-walking people found a plain in Shinar and settled in that place.
3. Vasieneth. Ti Fana. Sathitudison mosuanoram li kathitudison pivani ti. Sathitiene avu mosuanorsa hau kivashersa le'i ratemsa hau molesa le'i.
"talking/holding a conversation about"-PAST-they-it (quote) coming-IMP "building/constructing"-FUT-we-them brick-PL-ACC and baking-PAST-we-them complete/ly (quote). "building/constructing"-past-they (conjunction) brick-PL-INSTR (negation) stone-PL-INSTR (negation) ('i=conjunction) tar-INSTR (negation) mortar-INSTR (negation) ('i=conjunction)
They talked among themselves. "Come. We will construct bricks and bake them completely." They built with bricks not stones, and with tar not mortar.
4. Vasieneth. Ti Fana. Sathitudisoth maram hapamef ludanu'ii kalathem shasta sathitudisoth manalam ebas ko. Hau kanitudiso lafonesa le ti.
"talking/holding a conversation about"-PAST-they-it (quote) coming-IMP building-FUT-we-it city-ACC tower-LOC(comitative) touching-MODIFIER sky-ACC "in order to, because" "building/constructing"-FUT-we-it name-ACC us-DAT "in order to - ending particle". (negation) scattering-FUT-we wind-INSTR (negation) (quote).
They talked among themselves. "Come. We will build a city with a "touching the sky" tower so that we will build a name for ourselves. We will not be scattered by the wind.
5. Palakieta somara uhanin panamesh. Fanieta shasta faruthuditu tashemun avu marami hapamemi ko.
"descending/climbing down"-PAST-he lord world-GEN home-LOC(elative). coming-PAST-he "in order that, because" "be possible/able"-FUTURE-it his-seeing-them (conjunction) city-ACC-('i=conjunction) tower-ACC-('i=conjunction) "in order that - ending particle".
The lord of the world descended from his home. He came so that his seeing the city and tower was possible.
6. Vasieta takaleba. Ti Shemath. Iene vuanana dofa li mabuaneth vesotham dofa. Uatu sathitu ka uamuineth nekuare shipa dofani. Faruthudito shado avunash aben.
talking-PAST-he servant-PL-DAT. (begin quote) Seeing-IMP-it. Being(PAST)-they people/nation one (conjunction) having-PRES-it langugae-ACC one-ACC. Being-PRES-it building beginning-MODIFIER-they-it their-work only/just first. Being possible/able-FUT-it now everything them(DAT).
He talked to his servants. "See it. They are (ie+ne) one people and have one language. This building that they are beginning (it) is only their first work. Now everything will be possible for them.
7. Fana. Shibaludisoth nivesotham ko hau wevakudinen le ko ti.
Come-IMP. Mix up-FUT-we-it their-language-ACC (so) that (negation) understand-FUT-they-them (negation) (phrase closing particle) (end quote).
Come. We will mix-up their language (so) that they will not understand themselves/each other.
8. Kanitietan somara uhanin li sathitievinen avu nimarami nihapamemi.
Scatter-PAST-he-them lord world-GEN conjunction build-PAST-PAUSATIVE-they-them (conjunction) their-city-ACC-('i=conjunction) their-tower-ACC-('i=conjunction).
The lord of the world scattered them and they have stopped building (for a while) their city and tower.
9. Mabietoth mar manalam shibalu'in kashko shibalietan parshoth ka somara uhanin vesotharam uhanin ko.
Hold-PAST-it-it city name-ACC "mix up"-GEN because "mix-up"-PAST-he-them place-LOC (inessive) that lord world-GEN language-PL world-GEN "because-ending particle".
The city held the name of Shibalu(Babel) because in this place the lord of the world mixed-up the languages of the world.
McGuffey's First Reader
The idea of using McGuffey's came from Gary Shannon on the CONLANG listserv.
More coming soon!
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