User:Cedh audmanh/CBBCRVIII
Ndok Aisô text
Mêgagoi eutodeu, ntonadadeu, od upeutadeu ngugoi:
"Gegeu tsênot'esteu deu woilul, roits deu nga na-ôldos dôlbitad noiskoi?"
– "Tsêdebristeu ik dos."
– "Igeuloi meutas gak o-ôldos ga?"
– "Ok lusitas meulad pop robeu wôt'isisteu êp'ux rig auseu nte lasaineu mbêp'oi ok agoisus."
– "Pauhôkseudad deu is, nêd ditoi ik paup'uxabe rai geutseubeu deu tsog wôltsêheu ngol. Dol paubahaisosteu deu oga pautôspabasteu is, nêd tsoneutsasteu dog ntsex. Ispolteu ga sêtik!"
– "Ngixeutosteu deu od ngixêxaspusteu a!"
– "Ik oitasteu ois o-sêtseu igêd guseu kêd wôdôxag nggoiloi!"
– "Eulisisteu tsihe ditoi, dol ugoi ik ndêgoiteulad nte moboi ngu ik dos dôstonas."
Bisoi luhap'êd, kelboi pôspudadeu.
Translation
English translation of Ndok Aisô text
The general came, saw, and asked this:
"What do you want to achieve here, having brought a handful of warriors only?"
– "We want to destroy you."
– "Where are your other warriors?"
– "They are trying to find out who can swim through the river most quickly while fighting."
– "If you had helped us, we might even have decided to let you govern this province. But if you turn against us and betray us, you must die. Put away your bow!"
– "You will have to come and take it!"
– "We have enough arrows to change the sky to black!"
– "That may be true, but we will be protected by the shadow when we attack you."
Having spoken, the messenger left.
English translation of previous text
- (Däldlen, by loglorn)
He came, saw, and asked this:
"What do you want to do in this way, having such a small number of warriors?"
– "I want to defeat you."
– "Where are the other warriors?"
– "They are finding out who can swim through the river most quickly while fighting."
– "If you had helped us, we would have made you rule this place. But if you want what belongs to other people, you must die. Put away the bow that you have!"
– "I have come, and I have taken it."
– "We have enough arrows to change the sky to black!"
– "If that happens, I will fight covered by the shadow."
The messenger left.
Orthography / Phonology
- p' t' k' are aspirated plosives /pʰ tʰ kʰ/
- x is a glottal stop /ʔ/, which sometimes appears epenthetically between two vowels
- ê ô are lax mid vowels, approximately /ɛ~ɜ/ and /ɔ~ɞ/ respectively
- ng is /ŋ/, ngg is /ŋɡ/
Interlinear gloss
- Mêgagoi
- mêgagoi
- commander
- eutodeu,
- euto-deu
- come-LEG.SG
- ntonadadeu,
- ntonad-deu
- watch-LEG.SG
- od
- od
- and
- upeutadeu
- upot-deu
- ask-LEG.SG
- ngugoi:
- ngugoi
- thus
- "Gegeu
- gegeu
- which_thing
- tsênot'esteu
- tsê-not'e-steu
- OPT-reach_for-IPFV.SG
- deu
- deu
- 2SG.NOM
- woilul,
- woilul
- here
- roits
- roits
- SUB.ADV
- deu
- deu
- 2SG.NOM
- nga
- nga
- few
- na-ôldos
- na-wôldos
- PC-warrior
- dôlbitad
- dôlbit-d
- bring-PFV.SG
- noiskoi?"
- noiskoi
- only
- –
- "Tsêdebristeu
- tsê-ebri-steu
- OPT-destroy-IPFV.SG
- ik
- ik
- 1PL.NOM
- dos."
- dos
- 2PL.ACC
- –
- "Igeuloi
- igeuloi
- where
- meutas
- meutas
- COP.IPFV.PL
- gak
- ga-k
- other-NOM.PL
- o-ôldos
- o-wôldos
- PL-warrior
- ga?"
- ga
- 2SG.GEN
- –
- "Ok
- ok
- 3PL.NOM
- lusitas
- lusit-s
- try-IPFV.PL
- meulad
- meulad
- discover[INF]
- pop
- pop
- man
- robeu
- robeu
- REL.NOM
- wôt'isisteu
- wôt'isi-steu
- be_able-IPFV.SG
- êp'ux
- êp'ux
- swim[INF]
- rig
- rig
- through
- auseu
- auseu
- river
- nte
- nte
- INSTR
- lasaineu
- lasai-êneu
- quick-SUP.NOM.SG
- mbêp'oi
- mbêp'oi
- while
- ok
- ok
- 3PL.NOM
- agoisus."
- agoisu-s
- fight-IPFV.PL
- –
- "Pauhôkseudad
- pau-kôksod-d
- COND-help-PFV.SG
- deu
- deu
- 2SG.NOM
- is,
- is
- 1PL.ACC
- nêd
- nêd
- if/then
- ditoi
- ditoi
- maybe
- ik
- ik
- 1PL.NOM
- paup'uxabe
- pau-mbuxa-be
- COND-decide-PFV.PL
- rai
- rai
- SUB.ACC
- geutseubeu
- ga-tseubi-Ø
- PERM-govern-HAB.SG
- deu
- deu
- 2SG.NOM
- tsog
- tsog
- this.ACC.SG
- wôltsêheu
- wôltsêheu
- province
- ngol."
- ngol
- even
- "Dol
- dol
- but
- paubahaisosteu
- pau-mahaisô-steu
- COND-turn_against-IPFV.SG
- deu
- deu
- 2SG.NOM
- oga
- oga
- and.GAP
- pautôspabasteu
- pau-tôspab-steu
- COND-betray-IPFV.SG
- is,
- is
- 1PL.ACC
- nêd
- nêd
- if/then
- tsoneutsasteu
- tso-nots-steu
- OBL-die-IPFV.SG
- dog
- dog
- 2SG.ACC
- ntsex."
- ntsex
- EMPH
- "Ispolteu
- is-bolta-Ø
- IMP-lay_down-HAB.SG
- ga
- ga
- 2SG.GEN
- sêtik!"
- sêtik
- longbow
- –
- "Ngixeutosteu
- ngi-euto-steu
- ADM-come-IPFV.SG
- deu
- deu
- 2SG.NOM
- od
- od
- and
- ngixêxaspusteu
- ngi-êxaspu-steu
- ADM-seize-IPFV.SG
- a!"
- a
- 3SG.ACC
- –
- "Ik
- ik
- 1PL.NOM
- oitasteu
- oit-steu
- have-IPFV.PL
- ois
- ois
- many
- o-sêtseu
- o-têtseu
- PL-arrow
- igêd
- igêd
- suitably
- guseu
- guseu
- so
- kêd
- kêd
- DYN[MID.NPST.SG]
- wôdôxag
- ódôxa-g
- black-ACC.SC
- nggoiloi!"
- nggoiloi
- sky
- –
- "Eulisisteu
- eul-isi-steu
- DUB-happen-IPFV.SG
- tsihe
- tsihe
- that_thing
- ditoi,
- ditoi
- maybe
- dol
- dol
- but
- ugoi
- ugoi
- then.FUT
- ik
- ik
- 1PL.NOM
- ndêgoiteulad
- ndêgoita-lad
- protect-PASS.NPST.PL
- nte
- nte
- INSTR
- moboi
- moboi
- shadow
- ngu
- ngu
- when
- ik
- ik
- 1PL.NOM
- dos
- dos
- 2PL.ACC
- dôstodas."
- dôstod-s
- attack-IPFV.PL
- Bisoi
- bisoi
- after
- luhap'êd,
- lu-uhap'i-d
- NMLZ-announce-PFV.SG
- kelboi
- kelboi
- messenger
- pôspudadeu.
- pôspud-deu
- leave-LEG.SG
Vocabulary
| word | part of speech | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| a | pron. | (3rd person singular, accusative) |
| agoisu- | v. | fight, struggle, strive |
| auseu | n. | river |
| bisoi | pp. | after |
| bolteu- | v. | lay down, put away |
| deu | pron. | (2nd person singular, nominative) |
| ditoi | adv. | possibly, maybe |
| dog | pron. | (2nd person singular, accusative) |
| dol | cj. | but, however |
| dos | pron. | (2nd person plural, accusative) |
| dôlbit- | v. | bring |
| dôston- | v. | attack, march forward |
| ebri- | v. | defeat, destroy, annihilate |
| euto- | v. | come, arrive |
| êp'ux- | v. | swim, float |
| êxaspu- | v. | capture, seize |
| ga | pron. | (2nd person singular, genitive) |
| ga- | adj.dem. | other, next, subsequent |
| gegeu | pron. | what, which thing (interrogative) |
| guseu | cj. | so |
| igeuloi | pron. | where, which place (interrogative) |
| igêd | adv. | perfectly, suitably |
| ik | pron. | (1st person plural, nominative) |
| is | pron. | (1st person plural, accusative) |
| isi- | v. | happen, occur |
| kelboi | n. | messenger, herald |
| kêd- | v. | become, do to oneself |
| kôkseud- | v. | help, support, be allied with |
| lasai- | adj. | quick, fast |
| lusit- | v. | try, attempt |
| mahaiso- | v. | terminate an agreement, turn against |
| mbêp'oi | cj. | while, in between |
| mbuxa- | v. | decide, choose |
| meulad- | v. | notice, find, discover |
| meut- | v. | be (copula) |
| mêgagoi | n. | general, military commander |
| moboi | n. | shadow |
| ndêgoiteu- | v. | protect, safeguard |
| neuts- | v. | die (takes accusative subject) |
| nêd | cj. | if/then, therefore (introducing a consequence clause) |
| nga | qu. | a few; some of |
| ngol | adv. | even, indeed |
| nggoiloi | n. | sky |
| ngu | cj. | as, when |
| ngugoi | adv. | thus, as follows |
| noiskoi | adv. | only, merely; in vain |
| not'e- | v. | reach, achieve, accomplish |
| nte | pp. | with, by, using (instrumental) |
| ntonad- | v. | watch, check, examine |
| ntsex | adv. | really, indeed, definitely |
| od | cj. | and |
| oga | cj. | and (object-gapping) |
| ois | qu. | many, more, an exceptionally large number of |
| oit- | v. | have, own, be equipped with |
| ok | pron. | (3rd person plural, nominative) |
| pop | n. | man |
| pôspud- | v. | leave, go away |
| rai | cj. | that (complementizer, accusative) |
| rig | pp. | through, via, across |
| robeu | pron. | (relative pronoun, nominative) |
| roits | cj. | (adverbial subordinator) |
| sêtik | n. | longbow |
| têtseu | n. | arrow |
| tôspab- | v. | denounce, betray |
| tseubeu- | v. | rule, govern, supervise, control |
| tsihe | pron. | that thing |
| tsog | dem. | this (accusative singular) |
| ugoi | adv./cj. | then (in the future), soon |
| uhap'i- | v. | speak, declare, announce |
| upeut- | v. | ask, inquire |
| woilul | adv. | here (near 1st person) |
| wôdôxa- | adj. | black, dark |
| wôldos | n. | warrior, soldier |
| wôltsêheu | n. | province, county, region |
| wôt'isi- | v. | be smart, be competent, know how to do sth. |
Morphology
| Derivational prefixes | |
|---|---|
| l(u)- | (nominalizer, forms action nouns) |
| Modality prefixes | |
| eul- | (dubitative mood; indicates that the speaker doubts the reality of the action) |
| geu- | (permissive mood; indicates that the action is allowed to happen) |
| is- | (imperative mood) |
| ngi- | (admonitive mood; indicates that the action should happen) |
| pau- | (conditional mood; indicates that the action is hypothetical) |
| tsê(d)- | (optative mood; indicates that the speaker or subject hopes for the action to happen) |
| tso- | (obligative mood; indicates that the action must happen) |
Note:
| |
| Tense-aspect-number-voice suffixes | |
| -Ø | (habitual singular) |
| -Ø | (infinitive) |
| -be | (perfective plural) |
| -(a)d | (perfective singular) |
| -(a)deu | (legendary past singular) |
| -(a)s | (imperfective plural) |
| -(a)steu | (imperfective singular) |
| -l | (passive non-past plural) |
| Number prefixes | |
| na- | (dual/paucal; causes lenition of a following consonant) |
| o- | (plural; causes lenition of a following consonant) |
| Adjective suffixes | |
| -g | (adjectival suffix: accusative singular) |
| -k | (adjectival suffix: nominative plural) |
| -(ê)neu | (adjectival suffix: superlative, nominative singular) |
Grammar notes
Word order
The default word order in Ndok Aisô is SVO, but the parent language was verb-initial, and VSO order is preserved in several types of subclauses and as a stylistic variant in main clauses, especially if the subject is a pronoun. Intransitive main clauses also often have VS order. Some types of adverbial clauses may exhibit SOV word order.
Nouns
Nominal morphology is fairly minimal, marking only number and possession (the latter with an "antigenitive" enclitic on the possessed noun, which doesn't occur in this text). Personal pronouns are fusionally marked for number and case; a peculiarity of the possessive pronouns is that they agree in number only with the possessed, not with the possessor. Possessive pronouns precede the noun in free-standing noun phrases, but follow it when the NP is part of a possessive or prepositional phrase. Prepositions, as the label indicates, precede their object.
Adjectives
Adjectives inflect for case and number of their referent by means of fusional suffixes. They normally follow their head noun; however, deictic adjectives usually precede it. Adjectival predicates use a zero copula for static situations and the verb kêd- 'become' for change-of-state situations, and they follow (Cop)-Adj-N word order. Adjectives can also be used adverbally; this is done by subordinating them to an appropriate preposition.
Verbs
The main verbal distinctions of Ndok Aisô are aspect, mood, and voice. Tense is unmarked in the active voice. Verbs also agree with the subject in number, but not in person. The morphosyntactic alignment is technically a variant of split-S; however, the vast majority of verbs follow a NOM-ACC pattern, and the text contains only one instance of an intransitively-used "ergative verb", which (for simplicity) I've treated in the glossary as lexically requiring an accusative-marked subject. Certain verbs may take another verb as their object, which appears in the infinitive form.
Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions have special "object-gapping" forms, which indicate that the coordinated clauses have the same direct object (the latter can therefore be dropped from one of the two clauses). Identical subjects can be dropped from either clause even when normal conjunctions are used; clauses without an overt subject are assumed to have the same subject as the main clause of the previous sentence.
Links
A grammatical sketch of Ndok Aisô can be found at http://akana.conlang.org/wiki/Ndok_Aisô
