Lánc dialogues

Main article: Lánc

Here there are some dialogues in Lantian, listed according to an increasing difficulty, with some explanations.

Swé wámejis? - What's your name?

- Sofronis: Déno nóšfadžo, lástnejn!
- Marie: Déno nóšfadžo!
- Sofronis: Málajč ér³. Kí Sofronis eru. Ši rí² swé wámejis?¹
- Marie: Marie wámus¹. Málajč ér³. Swád ery, Sofronis?
- Sofronis: Elladajád. Ši rí?
- Marie: Fransád.
- Sofronis: Ši hí, mé ér?
- Marie: Hí Ana Elladajád ér. Čwesačan ér. Kí kokwe⁵.
- Sofronis: Kí kokwe⁵ čwesačan eru. Ši lak mon, mé er?
- Marie: Ó⁴ lást Petru. Ó popítačan láncu ér.

- Sofronis: Good morning, mrs.!
- Marie: Good morning!
- Sofronis: Nice to meet you (lit. It's a pleasure). I am Sofronis. What's your name (lit. How are you called?)
- Marie: My name's Marie (lit. I am called Marie). Nice to meet you. Where are you from, Sofronis?
- Sofronis: From Greece. And you? (polite form)
- Marie: From France.
- Sofronis: And she, who is she?
- Marie: She is Ana from Greece. She's student. And me too (lit. I also).
- Sofronis: And I am a student too. And this man, who is he?
- Marie: Mr. Petru. He's (the) teacher of Lantian.

• ¹ The name isn't asked as in English (even if you can build such a sentence Máke townon úk ér?, it won't sound suitable), but with the passive form of the verb wámor, to call: Swé wámecis? - literally How are you called (by name)?
• ² When two people meet and don't know each other they don't use the singular 2nd person to (thou), but make use of a polite form, which coincides with the second plural person form rí. Verbs have to agree with this person, and also pronouns, but not adjectives neither nouns: Mó toljuj? - What are you doing?; Valmu ža ply rijo znodža - I think I already know you.
• ³ To reply an introduction the polite form nice to meet you is translated as it's a pleasure to meet you - tó bejznódor málajč ér, when the first part of the sentences is dropped as implied: you simply have to answer Málajč ér!
• ⁴ The article ó comes before the word lást, which means mister, differently from English. The article comes before every definite word, only except personal and geographical nouns. Here the word lást is definite and it's not a personal noun, even if followed by a personal one, so the article is present.
• ⁵ Kokwe, meaning also, too, always follows the nouns and pronouns, which is linked to.

Máke rijunon twák ér? - What's your job?

- L. Brown: Rýžač¹, lást, popítačan ery?
- L. Asenov: Ét, popítačan ét eru!
- L. Brown: Máke² rijunon twák ér?
- L. Asenov: Indžineren³ twaču, ýbo čuk inglišoko čwesu. Ši rí, mé ery?
- L. Brown: Kí Henry Brown eru, biznesmén. Málajč ér!
- L. Asenov: Málajč ér, Hristo Asenov. Swád ery, lást Brown?
- L. Brown: Núčelačýd Mjáwejýd Amerikaw (alt.: NMA-jýd)! Ši rí, swád ery?
- L. Asenov: Bylgariajád aču!

- Mr. Brown: Sorry (lit. Excuse), mister, are you teacher?
- Mr. Asenov: No, I am not teacher!
- Mr. Brown: What is your job?
- Mr. Asenov: I work as engineer, but now I am studying English. And you, who are you?
- Mr. Brown: I am Henry Brown, business man. Nice to meet you!
- Mr. Asenov: Nice to meet you, Hristo Asenov. Where are you from, mr. Brown?
- Mr. Brown: From the United States of America (alt.: from USA)! And you, where are you from?
- Mr. Asenov: I come from Bulgaria!

• ¹ The apologizing form is expressed by the verb rýžor, conjugated in imperative form: rýž - Excuse me (to someone you know); rýžač (to someone you don't know or to many people); rýžače (to two people). The object form is optional: kijo rýž is an optional way of apologizing. A more polite form involves the optative mood as a question: kijo rýžij? - Would you like to excuse me?
• ² Here the English pronoun what (má) is replaced with máke (which), because it fits better with the sentence as an adjectival pronoun.
• ³ The verb twákor (to work) expresses its object (the kind of work) with the instrumental case, instead of a particle as English as: popítačanen twaču - I work as teacher.

Swot ó lást Petru ér? - Where is Mr. Petru?

- Ln. Peta: Déno nóšfadžo!
- L. Vine: Déno nóšfadžo!
- Ln. Peta: Ono lásto Petruwo tyrcu. Rí ery?
- L. Vine: Ét, kí ét eru¹.
- Ln. Peta: Lak ó bjuró onu lástu Petrú ér?
- L. Vine: De! Ét krópuc². Ó lást Petru lakot néremot twače, ýbo čuk ét ájér³.
- Ln. Peta: Ši swot ér?
- L. Vine: Šiko néremo sáljej?
- Ln. Peta: Mákewo?
- L. Vine: Pjuvot onot voremožot!
- Ln. Peta: De?
- L. Vine: Lak ó bjuró onu direktoru ér. Ó lást Petru kájot ér. Ýbo pu-dénum zao ájot kánjač⁴
- Ln. Peta: Dénum. Džanu!
- L. Vine: Dólbu!

- Mrs, Peta: Good morning!
- Mr. Vine: Good morning!
- Mrs. Peta: I am looking for mr. Petru. It is you?
- Mr. Vine: No, it's not me.
- Mrs. Peta: Is this the office of mr. Petru?
- Mr. Vine: Yes! You're not wrong. Mr. Petru works in this room, but now there isn't.
- Mrs. Peta: And where is he?
- Mr. Vine: Do you see that room?
- Mrs. Peta: Which one?
- Mr. Vine: On the right in the corridor!
- Mrs. Peta: Yes?
- Mr. Vine: That's the office of the director. Mr. Petru is there. Ma it's better if you wait for him here (lit. but better wait for him here)
- Mrs. Peta: Well. Thank you!
- Mr. Vine: You're welcome!

• ¹ The verb ervuč doesn't require a direct object in accusative as English to be. The object of the verb is in nominative case (as in many languages of the world), and a sentence like it's not me, should be translated as kí ét eru - I am not, with the pronoun to highlight the person.
• ² The English construction to be wrong is expressed by the verb krópuč, which also means to make an error. Valmu ža krópavec - I think you were wrong.
• ³ The English construction to be there is expressed by the single verb ájervuč, a compound form of ervuč: Króp ájér - There is an error.
• ⁴ This sentence has a different construction in the two languages. In English it is divided in two clauses, because the part it's better holds an entire second clause. In Lantian it's better to compose a single sentence, by using better (pu-dénum) as adverb, and the verb goes in imperative. It is also possible to compose two clauses as in English, building a sentences like: Ýbo pu-dén ér, ža zao ájot kánjaj, but this construction is avoided if possible.

Mó toljuc? - What are you doing?

- Hristo: Ehoj, Marie!
- Marie: Ehoj, Hristo! Dénum okátjáv! Asátj!
- Hristo: Džanu! Swé erc? Mó toljuc?
- Marie: Dénum eru. Džanu! Lójyo porejoy láncot čwesu.
- Hristo: Vnosy eruk?
- Marie: Ét! Majtaftóč minutyt¹ sgoton tekersu.
- Hristo: Vnosyo porejoy ply znodžec ši dénum lánco malžec!
- Marie: Džanu! Ervomš méske vnosum ralu ši nočalum lánco ša² láncyen vjéšajeyn malžu.
- Hristo: Gnawtum! Swot Ana ér?
- Marie: Tálenawrot ér. Skjáwandžijo čwese. Ájot na 18.00 h.³ tekerse.
- Hristo: Dénum. Ájot hijo tekánjesu.

- Hristo: Hello, Marie!
- Marie: Hello, Hristo! Welcome! Come in!
- Hristo: Thank you! How are you? What are you doing?
- Marie: I'm fine. Thanks! I'm studying new words in Lantian.
- Hristo: Are they many?
- Marie: No! I'll be ready in fifteen minutes.
- Hristo: You already know many words and speak well Lantian!
- Marie: Thank you! Maybe because I read very much and I speak only Lantian with Lantian friends.
- Hristo: Sure! Where is Ana?
- Marie: She's in the library. She's studying biology. She will be here at 6.00 pm.
- Hristo: Good. I'll wait for her here.

• ¹ When you express a period of time, which an action is carried out in, this period is stated in locative case: kájot nočot minutot tekersu - I'll be there in one minute.
• ² The preposition ša is translated with the same preposition (with) as the simple instrumental case. The preposition express a meaning of companionship, instead the simple case has a meaning of something being used (as a tool, usually a thing).
• ³ Hour time is expressed by the preposition na with the accusative case: na vát húrejoy - at 8.00 am.

Swot étoljenajot ervec? - Where were you on holiday?

- Mark: Ehoj, Pétr!
- Pétr: Ehoj, Mark! Swot étoljenajot ervec?
- Mark: Nočovum onás stuvás kijunywon lájačanetu rójevu, ši počle nwínás¹.
- Pétr: Swíz nwínot ervec?
- Mark: Ód ono tóčovo dó onas džistóč paljovás² juljú³.
- Pétr: Swé ó vréma erev?.
- Mark: Vnosum méra erev! Keldžov, lošžwin...
- Pétr: Ši ó hranu?
- Mark: Dén, ýbo undov
- Pétr: Nočen ervec?
- Mark: Ét. Bánon vámil erven, kijun milson⁴ ši kijunyn píkuj kokwe. Ši to, swás rójevec?
- Pétr: Dóčuk twačevu. Kijunon étoljena tečaldže tefadžo, ód ono džistóčovo² awgústu³ dó onás bárzás septembriw. Itáliajás ši Espanjajás terójesu.
- Mark: Oh, Itáliajás ši Espanjajás?
- Pétr: De, ýbo lako ýswo nočen tekersu?
- Mark: Ša townen milsonen⁴ ét tekersec?
- Pétr: Ét. Hí ši ony píkuj mázujás onču pralájačanetu eruk.
- Mark: Dénum. Déno étoljenawo!
- Pétr: Džanu!

- Mark: Hi, Pétr!
- Pétr: Hi, Mark! Where were you on holiday?
- Mark: First, I went in the village of my parents, and after to the beach (lit. to the sea).
- Pétr: When were you at the beach (lit. at the sea)?
- Mark: From 10th to 24th July.
- Pétr: How was the weather?.
- Mark: It was very beautiful! Warm, sunny...
- Pétr: And the feed?
- Mark: Good, but expensive.
- Pétr: You were alone?
- Mark: No. We were the entire family (lit. all the family), my wife and my children too. And you, where did you go?
- Pétr: I worked until now. My holidays start tomorrow, from 20th August until the end of September. I will go in Italy and Spain.
- Mark: Oh, Italy and Spain?
- Pétr: Yes, but this year I will be alone?
- Mark: You won't go with your wife?
- Pétr: No. She and the children are at their grandparents' home.
- Mark: Well. Have a good holiday (lit. Good holiday)!
- Pétr: Thanks!

• ¹ When you generically say that someone goes to the beach, thought as the seaside place, you have to say nwínás, to the sea, or nwínot, at the sea: nwínás terójesu - I'll go to the beach. The locative form nwínot has both meaning of at the sea and in the sea. The second meaning can be specified by a preposition: vnosy lujdaj výn nwínot skjaček - many fishes live inside the sea
• ² The date is expressed with a ordinal number as in English (as if it were implied the term fád - day), and it should be preceded by the article: lakfadžo ó paljov marcu ér - today is the 4th March.
• ³ After a date the name of the month is linked with the date by declining in genitive form: ono klikaftóčovo janváru rójev - he went the 13th of January
• ⁴ Milson - wife belongs to the group of relative nouns which don't require the definite adjective when preceded by the possessive adjective. Also the nouns nát - father, héd - mother, vokeš - son, vokšte - daughter, monson - husband, milson - wife, and other nouns of minor relatives, only in the singular: Towno nátwo sáljevu - I saw your father

Mé šik mila ér? - Who is that woman?

- Hans: Pétr, mé šik mila ér?
- Pétr: Žana Peta, vjéša kijunu máwriw
- Hans: Vnosum méra ér.
- Pétr: De, méra ér. Hijuneton nénet¹ domešvi eruke ši hijunyjon vlohšy dlyg ši vryn eruk.
- Hans: Ši šik mon blúz Žanajot?
- Pétr: Hiju monson ér. Za osterrajčar indžiner ér. Firmajot Vínot twače.
- Hans: Delwa ér. Méra džisma eruke². Ši héj mijčunon³ awto ér?
- Pétr: De!
- Hans: Ši píkuj mijču⁴ esuk?
- Pétr: Džis⁵. Pali yšy mijčuna³ vikšteja esuk ši mánéj lučery mijčuna³ vokeša esuk.
- Hans: Swot skjaček?
- Pétr: Vínot, ýbo čuk lójo firmawo vojunon malmajot páluke². Žana vnosum fami ér, méske hijuneton lájačanet¹, hijun marí ši bányjon hijuny nalájačany ájot skjaček.

- Hans: Pétr, who is that woman?
- Pétr: Žana Peta, a friend of my sister
- Hans: She's very beautiful.
- Pétr: Yes, she's beautiful. Her eyes are azure and her hair are long and black.
- Hans: And that man near Žana?
- Pétr: He's her husband. He's an Austrian engineer. He works in a company in Vienna.
- Hans: He's nice. They are a beautiful couple. And that is their car?
- Pétr: Yes!
- Hans: And do they have children?
- Pétr: Two. Their daughter is 4 years old, and their son some months old.
- Hans: Where do they live?
- Pétr: In Vienna, but now they open a new company in our country. Žana is very happy, because her parents, her brother and all her relatives live here.

• In this dialogue we can see an extensive use of the dual number, in nouns¹, verbs², adjectives³, pronouns⁴. Usually the dual number points a group of two beings or things, even if not specified by the number. The number džis, two in used only as a simple number, when there is no noun to decline in dual form⁵. The dual is used implicitly when we speak about a couple, or about nouns which usually come in pair, as nén - eye, jind - ear, ráka - hand, krawk - arm, oliš - leg, lájačan - parent: Kijuneton rákat míču - I wash my hands (I don't want to say that I have two hands, it's an implied fact, and it should not be translated I wash my two hands).
• The use of plural and dual numbers allows to express some nuances, that are not expressed in English. In this part of the dialogue:

...

- Hans: Swot skjaček?

- Pétr: Vínot, ýbo čuk lójo firmawo vojunon mjáwejot páluke. ..

As they just spoke about the entire family, Hans asks where they (all four people) live, with the plural form, but when Pétr answers that they want to open an own company in his country, he uses the dual form, because it is implied that's not their little children's intention.

Banum kijo štomec? - Do you really invite me?

- Julie: Alo, Elena, ehoj!
- Elena: Ehoj Julie!
- Julie: Mó toljuc? Vnos twák¹ toja és²?
- Elena: De.. kija és². Ono mázuwo kiwsu, onjo okanojoy míču ši ono muzikawo mwemu.
- Julie: Ono omenavo počfadžo kí kokwe onjo okanojoy míčevu ši ono mázuwo kiwsevu. Ó twák ivná³ ét fáne. Ša kolegajen eru, dérža káfewo žičan. To kokwe átj!
- Elena: Banum kijo štomec?
- Julie: De, tó stomu. Dérheja toja páwámevu⁴.
- Elena: Ši townon kolegawo? Zao znodžu?
- Julie: De! Zao znodžec.
- Elena: Ši kija mále⁵?
- Julie: Eh, ét znodžu, ýbo znodžu, ža zaja málec⁵.
- Elena: Mé za ér?
- Julie: Kija nuno ét cáž⁶! Áfgenš ér!
- Elena: Dénum! Sijo míču⁷, sijo púnemu⁷ ši kájot dimíjot hurejot tekersu.
- Julie: Tó kančen!

- Julie: Hello, Elena, hi!
- Elena: Hi, Julie!
- Julie: What are you doing? Have you got much housework?
- Elena: Yes.. I have. I clean the house, wash the windows and listen to the music.
- Julie: Last week I washed the windows and cleaned the house too. The housework never ends. I am with a colleague, to drink a coffee. You too, come!
- Elena: Do you really invite me?
- Julie: Yes, I'm inviting you. Therefore I called you.
- Elena: And your colleague? Do I know him?
- Julie: Yes! You know him.
- Elena: And I like him?
- Julie: Eh, I don't know, but I know he likes you.
- Elena: Who is he?
- Julie: Don't ask more! It's a surprise!
- Elena: Well! I wash myself, get dressed and I will be there in half an hour.
- Julie: We're waiting for you!

• ¹ Twák, has a more extended meaning than its English translation work. It encompasses a meaning of things to do, and also housework, matters
• ² The verb esor, to have as seen in the grammar page, has an highly irregular conjugation, by comparison with other Lantian verbs, and its construction is very different from the English one. The owned thing becomes the subject, nominative case, of the sentence, and the possessor is in dative case, a construction called dative of possession (even if possession is usually expressed by genitive). So the difference is deep, because what it's the object in English, it comes to be the subject of the Lantian sentence, and the English subject loses its primary role and turns into a indirect object. You should pay attention at this, expecially when another sentence is linked to a main sentence with this verb, and you have to remember that the verb has to agree with its new subject, the owned thing.

• Mr. Petru has a car - awto ona lásta Petruja és
• I have two dogs - bóget kija esuke

• ³ ivná never has a negative meaning. Its only single translation is ever. To translate never, this word must be linked with the negative particle ét (not), which always follows it before the verb.

• Have you ever been in Italy? - Itáliajot ivná ervec?
• I've never been there - Kájot ivná ét ervu

• ⁴ The verb wámor (to call) and its compounds, like páwámor (to call by phone), support the dative case to show the called thing/person: toja tepáwámesu - I'll call you. Nevertheless the verb has a normal passive counterpart.
• ⁵ The verb málor (to like) has a different construction from its English counterpart. The liked thing/person becomes the subject, nominative case, of the sentence, and the thing/persons, who likes, goes in dative case, a construction called dative of pleasure. You should pay attention at this, expecially when another sentence is linked to a main sentence with this verb, and you have to remember that the verb has to agree with its new subject, the liked thing. (In many languages of the world, the verb to like behaves in this way, so it won't be difficult to learn):

• I like you - To kija málec
• Her parents don't like me - Hijunečun lájačanetu ét málu

• ⁶ The verb caduč (to ask) has a different construction from its English counterpart. The thing, which is asked for, becomes the direct object, accusative case, of the sentence, and the person who is asked, goes in dative case, a construction called dative of request. The subject remains the same:

• I ask you for help - Toja twákwo cadžu

• ⁷ The reflexive pronoun (sí) shows that the action of the verbs falls on the subject of the action itself, like the English reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself..). But there are many more reflexive verbs in Lantian than in English, because many of them are translated in English with a different construction, like sijo púnemor, expressed in English with to get dressed. It has a reflexive meaning because it is thought as I put a dress on myself, i.e. I dress myself.

Lójo twákwo tečalžesu! - I'm going to begin a new work!

- Julie: Ehoj, Elena!
- Elena: Ehoj, Julie! Dašto vylčuc.
- Julie: De! Tefadžo ono lójo twákwo čaldžu.
- Elena: Banum? Máke twák ér? Swé hejo lwásevec?
- Julie: Turistárot agencejot tetwačesu. Ina kija páwámev ši lolev, ža nálu žók turistáru majvu láncu móru zijay és. Onás intervjujás rójevu, zí kija málevek ši kí zijay málevu.. ši tefadžo nočovon twačár fád ér!
- Elena: Ód tefadžowo townon skjá tenýnoluse. Pu-naro temebidusec ši bánon fádwo tetwáčesec.
- Julie: De, ýbo élésni ét tekerse. Pu-wažumum tetwáčesu, lójoy čésoy tebejznožesu ši lójoy zočoy tesáljesu.
- Elena: Ši ab mázujerun twáku?
- Julie: Onjo twačoy teblezdusen.
- Elena: De, čuk znodžen, mó tefadžo tetoljusec, ýbo mó čuk toljuč omšen?
- Julie: Taméske?
- Elena: Méske ó asansýr mízt klikováson ši paljováson etažás cefátev.. ši ét otwačane.

- Julie: Hi, Elena!
- Elena: Hi, Julie! You seem cheerful.
- Julie: Yes! Tomorrow I begin the new work.
- Elena: Really? Which kind of work is? How did you find it?
- Julie: I'll work in a tourist agency. Ina called me and said, that they had a free place as tourist guide of lantian language. I went to the interview and I liked them and they liked me.. and tomorrow is my first working day!
- Elena: From tomorrow your life is going to change. You will wake up earlier and will work all over the day.
- Julie: Yes, but it won't be difficult. Most important is that I'm going to work, I'm going to meet new people and I'm going to see new places.
- Elena: And about the housework?
- Julie: We well divide the duties.
- Elena: Yes, now we know, what you're going to do tomorrow, but what can we do now?
- Julie: Why?
- Elena: Because the lift stopped between the third and the fourth floor.. and it is not working.

Mó toljuč omšej? - What can you do?

-L. Marku: Lástnejn Kaste, rí firmajot sekretáren twačij. Sekretáren ply otwačevej?
-Ln. Kaste: Ét!
-L. Marku: Mósej yšy rijay esuk?
-Ln. Kaste: Džistóč nók.
-L. Marku: Dérža ša vojen twačaj, mánejay úskovijay fánor omšej.
-Ln. Kaste: Mákejay?
-L. Marku: Hóžvoy móroy znódor, dér próméra. Inglišoko malžej?
-Ln. Kaste: De! Dojčoko kokwe malžu. Pólkor ši raluč omšu, ýbo nálujum ét malžu.
-L. Marku: Nuno toljuč omšej?
-Ln. Kaste: Ono kompjutero nósor omšu. Polju ši mánéjoy programoy nošu.
-L. Marku: Vnosum dénum! Rí lójyo čésyo trefor ši šamálzor tenjubesec
-Ln. Kaste: Problém ét ájér! Kija mále ža onjo čésyo tetrefasu, ža tešamalžasu.
-L. Marku: Ši káfewo toljuj?
-Ln. Kaste: De, vnosum déno káfewo tolju!
-L. Marku: Dénum.. káfewo dér kija toljač!

-Mr. Marku: Miss Kaste, you would like to work as a secretary in (our) firm. Had you already worked as secretary?
-Ms. Kaste: No!
-Mr. Marku: How old are you?
-Ms. Kaste: Twenty one.
-Mr. Marku: To work with us, you have to answer some conditions.
-Ms. Kaste: Which one?
-Mr. Marku: To know foreign languages, for example. Do you speak English?
-Ms. Kaste: Yes! I speak German too. I can write and read, but I don't speak freely.
-Mr. Marku: Can you do (something) other?
-Ms. Kaste: I can use the computer. I write and use some programs.
-Mr. Marku: Very well! You will have to meet new people and to converse.
-Ms. Kaste: That's no problem (lit. There is no problem)! I like to meet people and to talk.
-Mr. Marku: And do you make coffee?
-Ms. Kaste: Yes, I make a very good coffee!
-Mr. Marku: Well.. make me a coffee!