I really like doing translations... I got a couple from CALS. They aren't particularly difficult, especially the first one, but I like seeing narrative conlang translations so I felt like posting these.
"The Talking Rock"
Yesterday I was walking along the beach when I tripped over a rock that could talk. I picked up the talking rock and said, "Hey! Are you a talking rock?"
The talking rock said, "Yes, I am a talking rock."
I asked the talking rock, "Why didn't you tell me to avoid you?"
The talking rock replied, "Because I'm a mean talking rock."
The talking rock's words made me angry, so I threw it into the ocean. I never saw the talking rock again.
Beware of the Baby!
O dear, what's happened? Yesterday, a pretty young girl came to our house to watch over the baby. She did what she could to entertain the child: she played with it, sang songs for it, etc. But nevertheless, the baby attacked her, tore her into pieces, devoured her, and it threw the rest out the window. What to do, what to do? I really don't know. And so, for the time being, we keep the affair silent, in order to prevent the police from starting to ask annoying questions.
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In my latest language Seede, may it live a long life:
Qhoc zi silébe nå
U cek' oslo uszuq'i u ezoo i szrowgley såå graayt'i u qhoc zi leeye siléb nå. Cyaszi qhoc zi silébe nå lénuki, «Ii! ¿Nga iwa qhoc zi silébe nå?»
Qhoc zi silébe nå lénuke, «Iwe, iwi qhoc zi silébe nå.»
Nwilééye qhoc zi silébe nå, «¿Quyor ul ågråq'a ho szlarawi gaa?»
Qhoc zi silébe nå mleq'åye, «Az iwi qhoc unya zi silébe nå.»
Adyec i qhoc zi silébe nå eroye ho iwi ewngé, uy szliyheki ås éyk'aas. Luswég asi srit qhoc zi silébe nå.
rock REL talk-3 REL
at day last walk-1 on side of beach and.then trip-1 on rock REL be.able-3 talk REL. Pick.up-1 rock REL talk-3 REL say.1 "DIRECT.ADDRESS! INTERROG be-2 rock REL talk-3 REL?
rock REL talk-3 REL say-3 "be.3, be-1 rock REL talk-3 REL"
ask-1 rock REL talk-3 REL "why not tell-2 COMPL avoid-1 2?"
rock REL talk-3 REL reply-3 "because be-1 rock mean REL talk-3 REL"
speech of rock REL talk-3 REL cause-3 COMPL be-1 angry, so.then throw-1 to ocean. Never see-1 since rock REL talk-3 REL.
REL is a relative clause marker (Seede uses two to begin and end each clause) and COMPL is a complementizer.
¡Eq'ulat soo!
¿Éé, osåw ima déwseye? U cek' oslo, p'apa ålooyk' uk'ruyn åcobe ås szåws i szimi ho ewdlé soo. P'apa oke lew eq'aw ho ok syugyo med soo: éére go ye, eszase eszasmi med ye, tu oke zååk'. Kro, éy soo retlawsze p'apa, awbe i ye eyqeemi, musziye u szrawgo ye, såå soo syiiq'e zååk' maw sråpo. ¿Osåw hooyimi ok, osåw? Ul nodi swow. Såå aa szluyimi ing ew qrasayk', ho et'åy ebéw-menléqh léé nwiléé u ngweh nå.
Ah, what already occur-3? at day last, girl pretty young come-3 to house of 1-PL PURPOSE attend.to baby.
girl do-3 all possible PURPOSE do fun for baby: play-3 with 3, sing-3 song-PL for 3, and do-3 rest.
but, anyway baby attack-3 girl, make-3 of 3 pieces, eat-3 furiously 3, and.then baby throw-3 rest through window.
what should-1-PL do, what? NEG know-1 truly.
and.so now keep.quiet-1-PL about this matter, PURPOSE prevent official-order begin ask ADV annoying NOMINALIZER.
The Constructed Languages Guild
