Siye Texts

Babel Text

11:1 Luka ukakem tum siye yenakikeni ekimpikina.

11:2 Umlo lupomisum itulosumakem, ilo lu Sinalamekem luponu tum eyuluwepunam ilo lu mekem umhitamlosumkakina.

11:3 Ilo ilotu eyekena: lelo yetampake elenupinam lelo a nimuku elepapisumname. Ilotu yetampake yetamkem isaki tumsumtumakikem ekimsokina.

11:4 Ilo eyekena: lelo lusili sili nukepu lupatesu esupunamameni elenupinam lelo lelotu mele lelo mu ponukem luka uka mekem lamusupusumsumekuki elenupime.

11:5 Kumayam i lusili sili nukepuni umlo yaso ekesoname ekopumeki itupununa.

11:6 Kumayam eyekena: kolowima! Ilo tum yokonopu ikimlokisumham ilotu tum siye ekimpukinasum, eki me ilo anulonammasum, ilo uka ilo ekekakana enuloyamma.

11:7 Lelo lesupinumam lelo siye ilome ilo siye umsane epilomuki epilosumnume.

11:8 Kumayam ponukem luka ukakem yalo etulosumsunam ilo lusili enupunemenanu.

11:9 Samku mele lume Papale ekimpukima, Kumayam lu mekem siye lu ukane emupusumnunayam Kumayam lumesum ponukem luka ukakem yalo etulosumsunaya.

The North Wind And the Sun

Impo Kasa Pomini eyuluweputenana: palatu tutu ekimpukimumo? Sukimayam tumna kamsutu pakeke tumki emtuku ikimpukimameyamna isuputuma. Iso isotu mekem umhiyesona: i tumkem sukimayamtu kamsutu etopusumsumameyamtu tutu ekimpukime. Impo Kasa tutuku yimpoputumam. I yimpoputumakem sukimayamna pewaki imesu kamsutu etupusumtunakam. Impo Kasa yimpunemetuna. Pomi pakeki ipomipunumam sukimayamna samnikekem kamsutu etopusunakam. Impo Kasa eyepuwituna Pomitu tutu ekimpukima.

The Polar Wind and the Sun wanted to find this: to whom was the power? A traveler who was wrapped inside by means of a warm cloak approached. The two agreed (spoke to each other in this): To him who first makes the traveler remove his cloak is the power. The Polar Wind blew hard strongly but when he blew hard the traveler made the cloak move towards his body and The Polar Wind stopped blowing. The Sun shone with heat and the traveler quickly removed the cloak and the Polar Wind had to acknowledge that to the Sun was the power.

Analysis

	Impo Kasa Pomi-ni-0 e-i-uluwe-pu-te-na-na pala-tu tutu e-kim-pu-ki-ma-umo
	Polar Wind Sun-COM-NOM 4-3-find-SG-VOL-DIR.SUPER-P2 who-DAT power 4-to.be-SG-DIR.LOC-P1-Q

	sukimayam tum-na kamsutu-0 pakeke tum-ki emtu-ku i-kim-pu-ki-ma-ame-yam-na i-su-pu-tu-ma
	traveler INDEF-ERG cloak-ABS warm INDEF-INS inside-ADV 3-to.be-SG-DIR.LOC-P1-REL-AGT-ERG 3-move-SG-DIR.ALL-P1

	i-so-0 i-so-tu me-kem um-i-ye-so-na: i-0 tum-kem sukimayam-tu kamsutu-0
	3-DU-NOM 3-DU-DAT this-LOC REFL-3-speak.PFV-DU-P2 3-NOM one-LOC traveler-DAT cloak-ABS

	e-i-to-pu-sum-su-me-ame-yam-tu tutu-0 e-kim-pu-ki-me
	4-3-remove-SG-CAUS-DIR.ALL-P7-REL-AGT-DAT power-ABS 4-to.be-SG-DIR.LOC-P7

	Impo Kasa-0 tutu-ku i-impo-pu-tu-ma-am i-0 i-impo-pu-tu-ma-kem
	Polar.Wind-NOM power-ADV 3-blow.hard-SG-DIR.ALL-P1-COORD 3-NOM 3-blow.hard-SG-DIR.ALL-P1-TEMP

	sukimayam-na pewaki i-me-su kamsutu-0 e-i-tu-pu-sum-tu-na-ki-am
	traveler-ERG body 3-POSS-ALL cloak-ABS 4-3-move.PFV-SG-CAUS-DIR.ALL-P2-RES-COORD

	Impo Kasa -0 i-impo-pu-neme-tu-na
	Polar Wind-NOM 3-blow.hard-SG-TERM-DIR.ALL-P2

	Pomi-0 pake-ki i-pomi-pu-nu-ma-am sukimayam-na samni-ke-kem kamsutu-0
	Sun-NOM heat-INS 3-shine-SG-DIR.SUB-P6-COORD traveler-ERG time-DIM-LOC cloak-ABS

	e-i-to-pu-su-ma-ki-am
	4-3-to.remove-SG-DIR.ABL-P1-RES-COORD

	Impo Kasa-0 e-i-ye-pu-wi-tu-na Pomi-tu tutu-0 e-kim-pu-ki-ma
	Polar Wind-NOM 4-3-speak.PFV-SG-POS.IMV-DIR.ALL-P2 Sun-DAT power-ABS 4-be-SG-DIR.LOC-P1

New Text

Um tumna lu tupi lukelomesum sili susumsuyam Kumayamnelotutu etuputuna. Nimuku isupuyammu iya. Iya lu Atammesum Kiwasu samnike ituputuna. Im kekekem iya tutuku yimputamtumam iya tutuku yimputamsuma. Susumsuyam tumna ituki enampunam iya ya yikoputuna.

Susumsuyamna eyekena: "Pe susumsuyam leya luloya lu Atammesum yitupusumsuname pekimpukima. Letu mele leme Taniye Nusu ekimpukima. Petu mele pala?"

Um eyekena: "Letu mele leme Leyo Nusu. Yetam kutu me letu eyapu ekimpukima. Im lumekem yasakeku lekimpukima."

Taniye eyekena: "Emtu supuwitume.Lu mene emkim supusumwinume. Le petu saki pake elenupumam le petu elesupusumtuma."

Leyo silisu ituputunam Taniye ituki etampusummuna. Taniye saki pakeni yem isuputumakem Leyo itu eyekena: "Leya lo lenepiya sa yenakimsu sampukatuna. Mumnu pala sakikem ipetupusumnunamo? Pe Pem Nimulo Imlisum Siyesu epumlosumsunamo?"

A man reached the mission house from the spaceport, walking unsteadily. He had arrived very recently on Mars from Earth. In the thin air he huffed and puffed. A missionary opened the door and looked at him.

The missionary said: "You are the missionary whom the Fathers have sent from Earth. My name is Brother Daniel. What is your name?"

The man said: “My name is Brother Leo. I have an official report, bad news. In the atmosphere here I am a bit cold.”

Daniel said: “Come inside, sit down. I will make you tea and bring it to you.”

Leo entered the house and Daniel closed the door. When Daniel returned, Leo said to him: “Our mutual superiors have decided to remove you from mission work. How many have you baptized? Have you translated the Good News from English to Siye?”

Vocabulary

um - man

tum – indefinite article

-na – nunated form of the ergative suffix

lu tupi luke-me – spaceport

lu – place

tupi luke – spaceship

tupi – bird

luke – world, planet

sili susumsuyam Kumayamnelotu- mission house

sili – house

susumsuyam Kumayamnelo – missionaries

susumsuyam – missionary

Kumayam – God; the Lord

etuputuna – he reached

nimuku – well (adverb)

isupuyammu – he did not walk

iya – he

lu Atammesum – from Earth

lu Atamme – Human's Land, Earth

Kiwa – Mars

samnike – a short time

ituputuna – he had arrived

im kekekem – in the thin air

im – air; breath; spirit

keke – small

tutuku – strongly

yimputamtumam – he continuously breathed out and …

yimputamtuma – he continuously breathed out

-(a)m – connective participle

yimputamsuma – he continuously breathed in

ituki – door

enampunam – he opened it

ya – him, accusative case

yikoputuna – he looked at him

eyekena – he said (it) [N.B.: the perfective aspect of 'to say' always takes the paucal suffix -ke- when a quote follows]

pe – you, nominative case

leya lulo – fathers; Fathers

leya lu – father

leya – male

yitupusumsuname - whom they have sent (who he/they have sent him)

yitupusumsuna – they have sent him

-(a)me – relative clause suffix

pekimpukima – you (sg) are

Letu mele leme … ekimpukima – my name is

letu – to me

le – I,me

-tu – dative case suffix

mele – name

-me – possessive case suffix

ekimpukima – it is

Taniye – Daniel

Nusu – Brother

Petu mele pala? - What is your name?

pala – what, who

Leyo Nusu – Brother Leo

yetam kutu me letu ekimpukima – I have this official report

yetam kutu – official report

yetam – stone

kutu – leader, to lead

letu – for me ( letu … I have)

eyapu – as a bad thing

eya – bad

-pu – equative case suffix

im lume – atmosphere

yasakeku – a little cold (adverbial)

yasake – a little cold

-ku – adverbial case suffix

yasa – cold; polar

-ke – diminutive suffix

emtu – inside (allative)

supuwitume – come inside (imperative)

lu mene emkim supusumwinume – sit down inside

lu mene emkim – inside (inside of this place)

emkim – inside (locative postposition); governs genitive case

lu mene – of this place

lu me – this place

-ne – genitive case suffix

me – this, that

supusumwinume – sit down inside (positive imperative)

saki pake – tea

saki – water

pake – hot

elenupumam – I shall make it and …

elenupuma – I shall make it

elesupusumtuma – I shall bring it

silisu ituputunam – he entered the house and ..

silisu – into the house

-su – allative case suffix

ituputuna – he entered

etampusummuna – he closed it (he/they caused it to not be open)

saki pakeni – with tea

-ni – comitative case suffix

Taniye yem isuputumakem – when Daniel returned …

yem isuputuma – he returned

-kem – when; temporal clause suffix

yem – again

isuputuma – he entered

itu – to him

leya lo lenepiya – our mutual Fathers

leya lo lenepi- - our mutual Fathers

-ya – iotated ergative case suffix

-pi- - inclusive number suffix

leya (lu) lo – Fathers

sa yenakimsu sampukatuna – they have decided to remove you from mission work

sa – you, accusative case

yenakimsu – from mission work

yenakim – mission work, place of writing

Mumnu pala sakikem ipetupusumnunamo? - How many have you baptized?

mumnu pala – what number?

sakikem ipetupusumnuna – you have baptized (caused to go under in the water)

sakikem – in the water

saki – water

-kem – locative case suffix

ipetupusumnunamo – have you caused him/them to go under?

ipetupusumnuna – you have caused him/them to go under

(a)mo – interrogative suffix

Pem Nimulo – Good News

pem – new

nimu – good

-lo – plural number suffix

Imlisum – from English

Imli – English

-sum – ablative case suffix

Siyesu – into Siye

Siye – Siye

-su - allative case suffix

epumlosumsunamo – have you translated?

epumlosumsuna – you have translated (you have caused it to change from)

Acts 16:9-15

Nelokem yenaki nelome tum Polutu etupuna. Leya Maketoniyasum itu isiputumam eyekena: Supuwituma Maketoniyasu pam lalo koki lesupusumwimama. i yenaki nelome eyempumakem, samni tumkem Maketoniyane emtu lesukenasu, leke ukaku elemupunaya: Kumayam leke lesakesumtuna ilotu Pem Nimulo elesiketekatume. Lelo Toloasum sakiki letukesunam Samotalakesu ponuku lesukemam pomulukem Neyapolisu lesukemam lu mesum Pulipisu letukesunam e lusili kutu me lu me Maketoniyanekempu ekimpukimam e koloniya tum Lomayammeka. Lusili mene emkim pomikekem letamkekima. Pomi numuyammekem lusiline potekim sakikemhume kemhulukim eletukesuna leke elenekemkekinaya lu mekem lu sinamaki Kumayamtune ekimpukima. Lekimkesumnunam laye tumtu itulotunam leke ilotu elesiketuma. Laye tum ekimpukimam mele ime Litea ekimpukimam i sinamayam Kumayamnepu ekimpukimam i lake leyoputumam i lusili Teyatelanesum ekimpukimam I kam kiwa nelome eyapusuma. Kumayam ekiwa ime enampusumnana i yenaki Polune eyoputumaki. Yokono sili imeni ya sakikem yamutupusumnunakem, i iketu eyepokena: le Kumayamtu nimuku lekimpukima lepesikekimasum, suketumam ukekima sili lemekemham leke me elekepuna.

	nelo-kem ye-na-ki nelo-me tum Polu-tu e-tu-pu-na
	dark-LOC speak.PFV-PFV-PASS.NMLZR dark-POSS INDEF Paul-DAT 4-move.PFV-SG-P2

	leya-0 Maketoniya-sum i-tu i-si-pu-tu-ma-ham e-ye-ke-na
	male-ABS Macedonia-ABL 3-DAT 3-speak.IMPFV-SG-DIR.ALL-P1-COORD 4-3-speak.PFV-PAUC-P2

	su-pu-wi-tu-ma Maketoniya-su pe-am la-lo ko-ki le-su-pu-sum-wi-na-ma
	move.IMPFV-SG-IMV-DIR.ALL-P1 Macedonia-ALL 2-COORD 1.ACC-PL hand-INS 1-move.IMPFV-SG-CAUS-IMV-DIR.UP-P1

	i yenaki nelo-me e-i-yem-pu-ma-kem samni tum-kem Maketoniya-nemtu le-su-ke-na-su, le-ke uka-ku e-le-mu-pu-na-ya
	3 spoken dark-POSS 4-3-see.PFV-SG-P1 time INDEF-LOC Macedonia-ILL 1-move.IPFV-PAUC-P1-THEN, 1-PAUC all-ADV 4-1-know.PFV-SG-P2-EXPLAN

	Kumayam-0 la-ke le-sa-ke-sum-tu-na i-lo-tu Pem Nimu-lo-0 e-i-le-si-ke-teka-tu-me
	lord-NOM 1.ACC-PAUC 1-be.wet-PAUC-CAUS-DIR.ALL-P2 3-PL-DAT New Good-PL-ABS 4-1-speak.IMPFV-PAUC-should-DIR.ALL-P3

	le-lo-0 Toloa-sum saki-ki le-tu-ke-su-na-am Samotalake-su ponu-ku le-su-ke-ma-am pomulu-kem Neyapoli-su le-su-ke-ma-am lu me-sum Pulipi-su le-tu-ke-su-na-am e-0 lusili kutu me lu me Maketoniya-ne-kem-pu e-kim-pu-ki-ma-am e-0 koloniya-0 tum Lomayam-me-ka.
	1-PL-NOM Troas-ABL water-INS 1-move.PFV-PAUC-DIR.ABL-P2-COORD Samothrace-ALL flat-ADV 1-move.IMPFV-PAUC-P1-COORD next.day Neapolis-ALL 1-move.IMPFV-PAUC-P1-COORD land DEM-ABL Philippi-ALL 1-move.PFV-PAUC-DIR.ALL-P2-COORD 4-ABS city lead DEM land DEM Macedonia-GEN-LOC-EQ 4-be-SG-DIR.STA-P1-COORD 4-NOM colony-ABS INDEF Roman-POSS-PAN

	lusili me-nemkim pomi-ke-kem le-tam-ke-ki-ma
	city DEM-INE day-PAUC-LOC 1-remain-PAUC-DIR.STA-P1

	pomi nu-mu-yam-me-kem lusili-ne potekim sakikemhu-me kemhulukim e-le-tu-ke-su-na le-ke-0 e-le-nekem-ke-ki-na-ya lu me-kem lu sinamaki Kumayam-tu-ne e-kim-pu-ki-ma
	day do.IMPFV-P5-ACT.NMLZR-POSS-LOC city-GEN gate river-POSS bank 4-1-move.PFV-PAUC-DIR.ABL-P2 1-PAUC-NOM 4-1-think-PAUC-DIR.STA-P2-EXPLAN place DEM-LOC place praise God-DAT-GEN 4-be-SG-DIR.STA-P1

	lekimkesumnunam laye tumtu itulotunam leke ilotu elesiketuma.
	1-be-PAUC-CAUS-DIR.SUB-P2-COORD woman INDEF-DAT 3-move.PFV-PL-DIR.ALL-P2-COORD 1-PAUC 3-1-speak.IMPFV-PAUC-DIR.ALL-P1

	laye tum-0 e-kim-pu-ki-ma-am mele i-me-0 Litea-0 e-kim-pu-ki-ma-am i-0 sina-ma-yam Kumayam-ne-pu e-kim-pu-ki-ma-am i-0 la-ke le-i-yo-pu-tu-ma-am i-0 lusili Teyatelane-sum e-kim-pu-ki-ma-am i-0 kam kiwa-0 nelo-me e-ya-pu-su-ma
	woman INDEF-ABS 4-be-SG-DIR.STA-P1-COORD name 3-POSS-ABS Lydia-NOM 4-be-SG-DIR.STA-P1-COORD 3-NOM praise-P1-ACT.NMLZR God-GEN-EQ 4-be-SG-DIR.STA-P1-COORD 3-NOM 1.ACC-PAUC 1-3-hear.IMPFV-SG-DIR.ALL-P1-COORD 3-NOM city Thyatira-ABL 4-be-SG-DIR.STA-P1-COORD 3-NOM cloth red-ABS dark-POSS 4-3-market.IMPFV-SG-DIR.ABL-P1

	Kumayam-0 ekiwa i-me-0 e-i-nam-pu-sum-na-na i-0 yenaki Polu-ne-0 e-yo-pu-tu-ma-ki
	God-NOM heart 3-POSS-ABS 4-3-open-SG-CAUS-DIR.UP-P2 3-NOM word Paul-GEN-ABS 4-3-hear.IMPFV-SG-DIR.ALL-P1-PURP

	yokono sili i-me-ni ya saki-kem ya-mu-tu-pu-sum-nu-na-kem, i-0 iketu e-yepo-ke-na
	group house 3-POSS-COM 3.ACC water-LOC 3.ACC-INDEF-move.PFV-SG-CAUS-DIR.SUB-P2-TEMP, 3-NOM 3-PAUC-DAT 4-3-invite-PAUC-P2

	le-0 Kumayam-tu nimu-ku le-kim-pu-ki-ma le-pe-si-ke-ki-ma-sum, su-ke-tu-ma-am u-ke-ki-ma sili le-me-kem-am le-ke-0 me-le-ke-pu-na.
	1-NOM God-DAT good-ADV 1-be-SG-DIR.STA-P1 1-2-speak.IMPFV-PAUC-DIR.STA-P1-COND, move.IMPFV-PAUC-DIR.ALL-P1-COORD stay-PAUC-DIR.STA-P1 house 1-POSS-LOC-COORD 1-PAUC-NOM DEM 4-1-do.PFV-SG-P2

A Joke At the Market

A Siye exchange, heard at the market. A girl at a stall is talking to her friend. “umtu elapunamsunam, letu aleyeketuna: 'Lumekekem elaputumam, petu umletompusunaya.' Itu aleyekesuna: 'Letu lumekekem umpetomputunasum, petu lumepokem layumsa ilapuyammasu.'”

“So I'm giving the sales-pitch to this guy. He said to me: 'Perhaps I could get a discount, because I have sold myself to you.' I said to him: 'If you've sold yourself to me at discount, perhaps I can sell you to another girl for a profit.'”

	umtu elapunamsunam,
	um-tu e-l-a-pu-nam-su-na-ham
	person-DAT 4-1-buy/sell.IMPFV-SG-INCPTVE-DIR.ABL-P1-COORD

	letu aleyeketuna:
	le-tu a-le-ye-ke-tu-na
	1- DAT 4-1-speak.PFV-PAUC-DIR.ALL-P2

	'Lumekekem elaputumam, petu umletompusunaya.'
	lume-ke-kem e-l-a-pu-tu-ma-am pe-tu um-le-tom-pu-su-na-ya
	money-PAUC-LOC 4-1-buy/sell.IPFV-SG-DIR.ALL-P1-COORD 2- DAT REFL-1-buy/sell.PFV-SG-DIR.ABL-P2-CAUS

	Itu aleyekesuna:
	i-tu a-le-ye-ke-su-na
	3-DAT 4-1-speak.PFV-PAUC-DIR.ABL-P2

	'Letu lumekekem umpetomputunasum, petu lumepokem layumsa ilapuyammasu.'”
	le-tu lume-ke-kem um-pe-tom-pu-tu-na-sum pe-tu lume-po-kem layumsa-0 i-le-a-pu-yam-ma-su
	1-DAT money-PAUC-LOC REFL-2-buy/sell.PFV-SG-DIR.ALL-P2-if 2-DAT money-AUG-LOC other.woman-ABS 3-1-buy/sell.IMPFV-SG-ABIL-P1-then

Imno Yokonone

Imno Yokonone

Lusili tumnemkim, nuka uluwetuni, lotulu sakipokem,

Lu mekem samnulupokem kimwikimakim Kosotunime ekimpunamtuna.

Peyapomilokem tutuni

Nimulo iloya kulu me esilotamnamamesum imuluwekuyamme.

Imno Yokonone

imno-# yokono-ne

hymn-ABS group-GEN

Lusili tumnemkim, nuka uluwetuni, lotulu sakipokem,

lusili tum-nemkim nuka uluwetu-ni lotulu sakipo-kem

town INDEF-INESS full exploration-COM near lake/sea-LOC

Lu mekem samnulupokem kimwikimakim Kosotunime ekimpunamtuna.

lu me-kem samni-ulu-po-kem kimwikimakim-0 Kosotuni-me e-kim-pu-nam-tu-na

place DEF-COM time-TNS-AUX-LOC destiny-ABS Fourteen-POSS 3i-be-SG-INCEP-DIR.ALL-P2

Peyapomilokem nuyammakini tutuni

peyapomi-lo-kem nuyammaki-ni tutu-ni

year-PL-LOC strength-COM power-COM

Nimulo iloya kulu me esilotamnamamesum imuluwekuyamme.

nimu-lo-0 i-lo-ya kulu me e-si-lo-tam-na-ma-ame-sum

good-PL-ABS 3-PL-ERG story DEM 3i-speak-PL-CONT-DIR.SUPER-P1-REL-ABL

i-mu-uluwe-ku-yam-me

3-INDEF-find-NUL-ABIL-P3