Appendix B: Shemspreg Texts
In this appendix I present three short texts in Shemspreg. Each text is presented first in Shemspreg, then in an idiomatic English translation (the Tower of Babel story uses the KJV text as the idiomatic English translation), and finally in an interlinear, morpheme-by-morpheme gloss. Notes accompany the first two texts to provide commentary on interesting grammatical features.
A Sheep and Horses
owi echwoskwe
ne wilna-wesent owi eskwi echwosom: sos gwer wezho-, sos mej gem-deukentom; soskwe oochu shem-ferentom. owi wekwes echwosom: me cherd es gwer shemos echwo-ajent sekwent. echwos spreges: chleu owi! cherdes es gwer seskwent shemos, potis, apo owis wilnam khwer westro-werjentom, adkwe owim ne es wilna. chechlunt owi weuri en arum.
A Sheep and Horses
A sheep without wool saw horses: one pulling a heavy wagon, one a large load, and one bearing a human quickly. The sheep said to the horses: “My heart is heavy, seeing the human driving horses.” The horses said: “Listen, sheep! Our hearts are heavy having seen the human, the master, making warm clothing from sheep’s wool, and the sheep has no wool.” Hearing this, the sheep turned away into the field.
owi echwoskwe
| owi | echwo | -s | =kwe |
| sheep | horse | -PL | =and |
A Sheep and Horses
ne wilna-wesent owi[1] eskwi echwosom:
| ne | wilna- | wes | -ent | owi | e- | skw | -i | echwo | -s | -om |
| not | wool- | wear | -PTC | sheep | IMPF- | see:0 | PAST | horse | -PL | -OBL |
A sheep without wool saw horses:
sos[2] gwer wezho-, sos mej gem-deukentom;[3]
| so | -s | gwer | wezho- | so | -s | mej | gem- | deuk | -ent | -om |
| 3s | -GEN | heavy | wagon- | 3s | -GEN | large | load- | pull | -PTC | -OBL |
one pulling a heavy wagon, one a large load,
soskwe oochu shem-ferentom.
| so | -s | =kwe | oochu | shem- | fer | -ent | -om |
| 3s | -GEN | =and | quickly | human- | bear | -PTC | -OBL |
and one bearing a human quickly.
owi wekwes echwosom:
| owi | wekw | -es | echwo | -s | -om |
| sheep | speak | -PRES | horse | -PL | -OBL |
The sheep said to the horses:
me cherd es gwer shemos echwo-ajent sekwent.[4]
| me | cherd | es | gwer | shem | -os | echwo- | aj | -ent | sekw | -ent |
| 1s:GEN | heart | be:PRES | heavy | human | -GEN | horse- | drive | -PTC | see | -PTC |
“My heart is heavy, seeing the human driving horses.”
echwos spreges:
| echwo | -s | spreg | -es |
| horse | -PL | speak | -PRES |
The horses said:
chleu owi!
| chleu | owi! |
| hear:IMP | sheep |
“Listen, sheep!
cherdes es gwer seskwent shemos, potis,
| cherd | -es | es | gwer | se- | skw | -ent | shem | -os | poti | -s |
| heart | -PL | be:PRES | heavy | PERF- | see:0 | -PTC | human | -GEN | master | -GEN |
Our hearts are heavy having seen the human, the master
apo owis wilnam khwer westro-werjentom,
| apo | owi | -s | wilna | -m | khwer | westro- | werj | -ent | -om |
| from | sheep | -GEN | wool | -OBL | warm | clothing | make | -PTC | -OBL |
making warm clothing from sheep’s wool,
adkwe owim ne es wilna.[5]
| ad | =kwe | owi | -m | ne | es | wilna |
| to | =and | sheep | -OBL | not | be:PRES | wool |
and the sheep has no wool.”
chechlunt owi weuri en arum.
| che- | chlu | -nt | owi | we- | wr | -i | en | aru | -m |
| PERF- | hear:0 | -PTC | sheep | PERF- | turn.away:0 | -PAST | in | field | -OBL |
Hearing this, the sheep turned away into the field.
Small Light Shining
thévu léuk déyent[6]
émlai sóyo’s thévu léuk déyent
kwim sékwes wé ne;
thé swe, thé swe.
émlai sóyo’s árjint khélsh méldent
kwim áwes wé ne;
stáa swe, stáa swe.
émlai sóyo’s ánju árdi púros
en chérdom égnint;
wér som wéskwe.
Small Light Shining
They say there’s a small light shining
that we don’t see;
be prepared, be prepared.
They say there’s a silver bell ringing
that we don’t hear;
stand up, stand up.
They say there’s a pinpoint of flame
burning in the heart;
heed it and live.
thévu léuk déyent
| thevu | leuk | dei | -ent |
| small | light | shine | -PTC |
Small Light Shining
émlai[7] sóyo’s[8] thévu léuk déyent
| e- | ml | -a | -i | so | =yo | es | thevu | leuk | dei | -ent |
| IMPF- | say:0 | -PASS | -PAST | 3s:NOM | SUB | be:PRE | small | light | shine | -PTC |
They say there’s a small light shining
kwim sékwes wé ne;
| kwi | -m | sekw | -es | we | ne |
| REL | -OBL | see | -PRES | 1p:NOM | not |
that we don’t see;
thé swe, thé swe.
| the | swe | the | swe |
| place:IMP | REFL | place:IMP | REFL |
be prepared, be prepared.
émlai sóyo’s árjint khélsh méldent
| e- | ml | -a | -i | so | =yo | es | arjint | khelsh | mel | -ent |
| IMPF- | say:0 | -PASS | -PAST | 3s:NOM | SUB | be:PRE | silver | bell | sound | -PTC |
They say there’s a silver bell ringing
kwim áwes[9] wé ne;
| kwi | -m | au | -es | we | ne |
| REL | -OBL | perceive | -PRES | 1p:NOM | not |
that we don’t hear;
stáa swe, stáa swe.
| staa | swe | staa | swe |
| stand:IMP | REFL | stand:IMP | REFL |
stand up, stand up.
émlai sóyo’s ánju árdi púros
| e- | ml | -a | -i | so | =yo | es | anju | ardi | pur | -os |
| IMPF- | say:0 | -PASS | -PAST | 3s:NOM | SUB | be:PRES | narrow | point | fire | -GEN |
They say there’s a pinpoint of flame
en chérdom égnint;
| en | cherd | -om | egni | -nt |
| in | heart | -OBL | burn | -PTC |
burning in the heart;
wér som wéskwe.
| wer | so | -m | wes | =kwe |
| pay.attention:IMP | 3s | -OBL | become.animate | =and |
heed it and live.
The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11: 1-9)
babas fersh
1 ad plino dezhomom esi oino dinju oinokwe spreg. 2 esikwe, toyo eyai apo ausom, toyo weuri pelitom en shinaros khertom; tokwe eusi cha. 3 tokwe emli oi ad alyo, gwem! so somes toyo kweres fog-achmo euskwe tom pilne. sokwe es fog-achmo enstel achmom, sokwe es sleeto enstel leyom. 4 tokwe emli, gwem! so somes toyo demes polim fershomkwe, kwis ardi antenes ad deyeum; so somes toyo thes tos nomenom, geye we ambistrewas an dezhomos pelitom. 5 potikwe nigwegumi sokwe seskwi polim ferzhomkwe kwim shemesos tekes edmi. 6 potikwe emli seku! shemia es oino, adkwe potes oino dinju; tokwe eres im: nukwe so ne somes, eyo apomiras apo tom, kwim to memni toyo kweres. 7 gwem! so somes weyo niyei chakwe semwers tos dinjum, soyo ne potes toyo semthes oi ad alyos spregent. 8 potikwe ambistetrui tom an dezhomos pelitom: tokwe nistatai polidement. 9 pro som nomenswe melas baba; ge poti semweursi cha plino dezhomos dinju: apokwe so stelom ambistetrui poti tom an dezhomos pelitom.
The Tower of Babel
1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said to one another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
babas fersh
| baba | -s | fersh |
| babble | -GEN | tower |
The Tower of Babel
1 ad plino dezhomom esi oino dinju oinokwe spreg.
| ad | plino | dezhom | -om | e- | s | -i | oino | dinju |
| to | whole | earth | -OBL | IMPF- | be:0 | -PAST | one | language |
| oino | =kwe | spreg |
| one | =and | speech |
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
2 esikwe, toyo eyai apo ausom, toyo weuri pelitom en shinaros khertom; tokwe eusi cha.
| e- | s | -i | =kwe | |
| IMPF- | be:0 | -PAST | =and |
| to | =yo | e- | ya | -i | apo | aus | -om |
| 3p:NOM | =SUB | IMPF- | journey:0 | -PAST | from | east | -OBL |
| to | =yo | we- | wr | -i | pelit | -om | en | shinar | -os | kherto | -m |
| 3p:NOM | =SUB | PERF- | find:0 | -PAST | plain | -OBL | in | Shinar | -GEN | land | -OBL |
| to | =kwe | e- | ws | -i | cha |
| 3p:NOM | =and | IMPF- | dwell | -PAST | there |
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
3 tokwe emli oi ad alyo, gwem! so somes toyo kweres fog-achmo euskwe tom pilne. sokwe es fog-achmo enstel achmom, sokwe es sleeto enstel leyom.
| to | =kwe | e- | ml | -i | oi | ad | alyo | gwem |
| 3p:NOM | =and | IMPF- | say:0 | -PAST | one | to | other | come:IMP |
| so | som | -es | to | =yo | kwer | -es | fog | + | achmo |
| 3s:NOM | should | -PRES | 3p:NOM | =SUB | create | -PRES | bake | + | stone |
| eus | =kwe | to | -m | pilne |
| burn:IMP | =and | 3p | -OBL | fully |
| so | =kwe | es | fog | + | achmo | enstel | achmo | -m | |
| 3s:NOM | =and | be:PRES | bake | + | stone | in.place.of | stone | -OBL |
| so | =kwe | es | slee | -to | enstel | lei | -om |
| 3s:NOM | =and | be:PRES | slimy | -NML | in.place.of | mortar | -OBL |
And they said to one another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
4 tokwe emli, gwem! so somes toyo demes polim fershomkwe, kwis ardi antenes ad deyeum; so somes toyo thes tos nomenom, geye we ambistrewas an dezhomos pelitom.
| to | =kwe | e- | ml | -i | gwem |
| 3p:NOM | =and | IMPF- | say:0 | -PAST | come:IMP |
| so | som | -es | to | =yo | dem | -es |
| 3s:NOM | should | -PRES | 3p:NOM | =SUB | build | -PRES |
| poli | -m | fersh | -om | =kwe |
| city | -OBL | tower | -OBL | =and |
| kwi | -s | ardi | an- | ten | -es | ad | deyeu | -m |
| REL | -GEN | point | towards- | stretch | -PRES | to | heaven | -OBL |
| so | som | -es | to | =yo | the | -s | to | -s | nomen | -om |
| 3s:NOM | should | -PRES | 3p:NOM | =SUB | place | -PRES | 3p | -GEN | name | -OBL |
| ge | =ye | we | ambi- | streu | -a | -s |
| because | =if | 1p:NOM | around- | scatter | -PASS | -PRES |
| an | dezhom | -os | pelit | -om |
| on | earth | -GEN | flat | -OBL |
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
5 potikwe nigwegumi sokwe seskwi polim ferzhomkwe kwim shemesos tekes edmi.
| poti | =kwe | ni- | gwe- | gum | -i | |
| master | =and | down- | PERF- | come:0 | -PAST |
| so | =kwe | se- | skw | -i | poli | -m | ferzh | -om | =kwe |
| 3s:NOM | =and | PERF- | see:0 | -PAST | city | -OBL | tower | -OBL | =and |
| kwi | -m | shem | -es | -os | tek | -es | e- | dm | -i |
| REL | -OBL | person | -PL | -GEN | child | -PL | IMPF- | build:0 | -PAST |
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
6 potikwe emli seku! shemia es oino, adkwe potes oino dinju; tokwe eres im: nukwe so ne somes, eyo apomiras apo tom, kwim to memni toyo kweres.
| poti | =kwe | e- | ml | -i | seku | shem | -ia | es | oino |
| master | =and | PERF- | say:0 | -PAST | see:IMP | person | -COLL | be:PRES | one |
| ad | =kwe | to | -m | es | oino | dinju |
| to | =and | 3p | -OBL | be:PRES | one | language |
| to | =kwe | er | -es | im |
| 3p:NOM | =and | begin | -PRES | this:OBL |
| nu | =kwe | so | ne | pot | -es |
| now | =and | 3s:NOM | not | possible | -PRES |
| e | =yo | apo- | mir | -a | -s | apo | to | -m |
| anything | =SUB | from- | hold | -PASS | -PRES | from | 3p | -OBL |
| kwi | -m | to | me- | mn | -i | to | =yo | kwer | -es |
| REL | -OBL | 3p:NOM | PERF- | think:0 | -PAST | 3p | =SUB | create | -PRES |
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
7 gwem! so somes weyo niyei chakwe semwers tos dinjum, soyo ne potes toyo semthes oi ad alyos spregent.
| gwem | so | som | -es | we | =yo | ni- | ei |
| come:IMP | 3s:NOM | should | -PRES | 1p:NOM | =SUB | down- | go:IMP |
| cha | =kwe | sem- | wers | to | -s | dinju | -m |
| there | =and | together- | pour:IMP | 3p | -GEN | language | -OBL |
| so | =yo | ne | pot | -es | to | =yo | sem- | the | -s |
| 3s:NOM | =SUB | not | possible | -PRES | 3p:NOM | =SUB | together- | put | -PRES |
| oi | ad | alyo | -s | spreg | -ent |
| one | to | other | -GEN | speak | -PTC |
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
8 potikwe ambistetrui tom an dezhomos pelitom: tokwe nistatai polidement.
| poti | =kwe | ambi- | ste- | tru | -i | to | -m |
| master | =and | around- | PERF- | scatter:0 | -PAST | 3p | -OBL |
| an | dezhom | -os | pelit | -om |
| on | earth | -GEN | flat | -OBL |
| to | =kwe | ni- | sta- | ta | -i | poli- | dem | -ent |
| 3p:NOM | =and | down- | PERF- | stand:0 | -PAST | city- | build | -PTC |
So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
9 pro som nomenswe melas baba; ge poti semweursi cha plino dezhomos dinju: apokwe so stelom ambistetrui poti tom an dezhomos pelitom.
| pro | so | -m | nomen | -swe | mel | -a | -s | baba |
| for | 3s | -OBL | name | -REFL | say | -PASS | -PRES | babble |
| ge | poti | sem- | we- | wrs | -i | cha |
| because | master | together- | PERF- | scatter:0 | -PAST | there |
| plino | dezhom | -os | dinju |
| all | earth | -GEN | language |
| apo | =kwe | so | stel | -om | ambi- | ste- | tru | -i | poti |
| from | =and | that | place | -OBL | around- | PERF- | scatter:0 | -PAST | master |
| to | -m | an | dezhom | -os | pelit | -om |
| 3p | -OBL | on | earth | -GEN | flat | -OBL |
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Notes
- ^ The subject noun phrase contains an example of a participle phrase used as a prenominal modifier.
- ^ The pronoun is in the genitive case since it is the subject in a participle phrase.
- ^ Both wezho- and gem- are incoporated objects of the verb deuk-; the first instance of the verb has been elided.
- ^ This sentence contains nested participle phrases; the phrase shemos echwo-ajent is incorporated as an object of the participle sekwent.
- ^ This is another example of nested participle phrases. Note that in this case, the embedded participle phrase follows rather than precedes the participle of which it is an object. This is because the embedded participle phrase is lengthy and is grammatically rather complex.
- ^ The text of the poem uses acute accents to mark stressed syllables.
- ^ The verbal word emlai is technically a passive ‘it is said’, but it has been translated into English by ‘they say’ in this and parallel lines.
- ^ The contraction of the verb es to ’s is done for metrical reasons.
- ^ In normal prose, the verb awes would more likely have been rendered aus, but the full form of the tense suffix was used in consideration of the meter.
