Conlang Relay 12/Calénnawn
The Text
Zévo órmulxo óhucsìnu-qi.
O re-gíxe$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu múla-qoy!1"
O tawvágu$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Réfno, áymo-qoy!1 Stu astóri-benco!1 Épanaleya so sten uráronur iw lúdi. Sónnti orgre astórivra."
O re-gíxe$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu múla-qoy!1"
O sten$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Épanaleya zévo rofíltu."
O re-gíxe$e qúmpatme itt "Ay!2"
O réfni$e qúmpatme itt "Qo?3"
O tawvágu$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu hi búhu-qoy. Áymo-benco!1 Áymo-qoy!1"
O re-gíxe$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu múla-qoy!1"
O sten$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Ílmon losówp-benco pélo byu ðálbo-qoy."
O réfni$e gárpu be qúmpatme itt "Fa$e qúmpatme!2"
O sten$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Iw re-ganúno, hi lúxci-qoy s-nalástuxo sum e pélo 'Cúnucs' pso-zóro fa ópalc."
O réfni$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Qo séffiðes?1 El or nalétuvra f-óttu móri."
O tawvágu$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Émafo qod-gáwna s-heðérro."
O sten$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "El orgla áduxavran fáygann égla úceyl sno Pétergla dópi iw nalástuxo. Épalemo se hínnod s-nalétuxo pey sófa égla hi nalétu f-ttizáfe."
O re-gíxe$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu hi túggat-dal glaz sínu bórmo zizawpósse níñciv."
O sten$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Épalemo sen úrmed fh tar óttu pélo or sotáwvra$ úggu-úmper xo el."
O re-gíxe$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu múla-qoy!1"
$e zelétt dull o gréra awn itt "O sten bánxa be qúmpatme itt 'Ze$e úyfin lúxcixo.'"
Interlinear
Zévo órmulxo óhucsìnu-qi. This tale marvel-like-very.
O re-gíxe$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu múla-qoy!1" ART.NOM FEM-priest-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "2SG.DEONT hope-IMP"
O tawvágu$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Réfno, áymo-qoy!1 ART.NOM midwife-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "Woman-VOC, push-IMP! Stu astóri-benco!1 2SG.DEONT give_birth-need!
Épanaleya so sten uráronur iw lúdi. Sónnti orgre 1SG-see ART.ACC baby with my eyes-PL. 2SG.EPIST PERF.IMM_FUT astórivra. give_birth.PERF.
O re-gíxe$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu múla-qoy!1" ART.NOM FEM-priest-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "2SG.DEONT hope-IMP"
O sten$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Épanaleya zévo rofíltu." ART.NOM baby-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "1SG-see this world."
O re-gíxe$e qúmpatme itt "Ay!2" ART.NOM FEM-priest-PAST said QUOTE "Huh?"
O réfni$se qúmpatme itt "Qo?3" ART.NOM woman-PAST said QUOTE "What?"
O tawvágu$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu hi búhu-qoy. ART.NOM midwife-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "2SG.DEONT not fear-IMP. Áymo-benco!1 Áymo-qoy!1" Push-need! Push-IMP!"
O re-gíxe$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu múla-qoy!1" ART.NOM FEM-priest-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "2SG.DEONT hope-IMP"
O sten$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Ílmon losówp-benco pélo byu ART.NOM baby-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "1SG.DEONT have-blanket-need and ðálbo-qoy." 3SG.DEONT thick-SBJNC."
O réfni$e gárpu be qúmpatme itt "Fa$e qúmpatme!2" ART.NOM woman-PAST shouted and said QUOTE "3SG-PAST spoke!"
O sten$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Iw re-ganúno, ART.NOM baby-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "My FEM-parent, hi lúxci-qoy s-nalástuxo sum e pélo 'Cúnucs' pso-zóro not give-IMP ART.ACC-name to 1SG.NOM CNJNC 'Cunucs' because-of-fact_that fa ópalc." 3SG ordinary."
O réfni$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Qo séffiðes?1 El or ART.NOM woman-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "What happen-CONT? 1SG PERF nalétuvra f-óttu móri." drink-PERF ART.MASS.ACC-wine too_much."
O tawvágu$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Émafo qod-gáwna ART.NOM midwife-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "1SG-now cut-can s-heðérro." ART.ACC-umbilical_cord."
O sten$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "El orgla áduxavran fáygann ART.NOM baby-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "1SG PERF-FUT die<PERF> when égla úceyl sno Pétergla dópi iw nalástuxo. Épalemo 1SG-FUT military_general and Peter-FUT honor my name. 1SG-need se hínnod s-nalétuxo pey sófa égla hi nalétu ART.INDEF.ACC monster ART.DEF.ACC-drink and but 1SG-FUT not drink f-ttizáfe." ART.MASS.ACC-milk."
O re-gíxe$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu hi túggat-dal ART.NOM FEM-priest-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "2SG.DEONT not flop-should glaz sínu bórmo zizawpósse níñciv." about like [ART.INDEF.NOM] fish on dock."
O sten$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Épalemo sen úrmed ART.NOM baby-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "1SG-need ART.INDEF.ACC cup fh tar óttu pélo or sotáwvra$ úggu-úmper xo el." ART.MASS.ACC of wine CNJNC PERF ripen<PERF> month-during ten two."
O re-gíxe$e bánxa be qúmpatme itt "Stu múla-qoy!1" The FEM-priest-PAST spoke and said QUOTE "You.DEONT hope-IMP"
$e zelétt dull o gréra awn itt "O sten bánxa be qúmpatme PAST write on ART.NOM next day QUOTE "ART.NOM baby spoke and said itt 'Ze$e úyfin lúxcixo.'" QUOTE 'This-PAST sacred gift.'"
Abbreviations used
- 1SG
- first person singular
- 2SG
- second person singular
- 3SG
- third person singular
- ACC
- accusative
- ART
- article
- CNJNC
- conjunction
- CONT
- continuitive aspect
- DEONT
- deontic
- EPIST
- epistemic
- FEM
- female
- FUT
- future tense
- IMP
- imperative
- MASS
- mass, uncountable
- NOM
- nominative
- PAST
- past tense
- PERF
- perfective aspect
- PRES
- present tense
- QUOTE
- particle introducing quote
- SBJNC
- subjunctive
- VOC
- vocative
Vocabulary
áduxan verb to die astóri verb to give birth awn noun day ay interj. (exclamation indicating surprize) áymo verb to push bánxa verb to speak (to someone) be conj and (see note (11)) -benco suffix need to (see note (5)) bórmo noun fish búhu verb to fear byu pron he/she/it (3SG, nominative, deontic) Cúnucs name (foreign name) -dal suffix should din verb to have beneficial effect for dínnur prep for, in behalf of, having a beneficial effect for dópi verb to honor drámor prep with dull prep on (time) ðálbo adj thick e- proclitic I (1SG, nominative, epistemic) e(l) pron I (1SG, nominative, epistemic) el numeral two (see note (20)) en pron me (1SG, accusative) -(e)s suffix (continuitive aspect) f- proclitic the, a (accusative, uncountable) fa pron he/she/it (3SG, nominative, epistemic) fáygann conj when (see note (15)) fésni verb to eat fh /f@/ art the, a (accusative, uncountable) ganúni noun parent gárpu verb to scream, to yell gáwna verb to be able gíxe noun priest gla adv (or enclitic, see note (10): tense: future) glaz adv around, about gre adv (or enclitic, see note (10): tense: immediate future) gréra adj next (in time) h /@/ art the, a (nominative, uncountable) heðérro noun umbilical cord hi adv not hínnod noun monster hn /@n/ art the, a (nominative, uncountable) ílmon pron I (1SG, nominative, deontic) itt prep (introduces quotation) iw poss.pron my lo- prefix to have (see note (8)) lúda noun eye (see note (7)) lúxci verb to give sth. máfo adv now (or enclitic, see note (10): tense: present) móri numeral too much (mass numeral) (see note (13)) múla verb to hope nalástuxo noun name nalétu verb to drink sth. níñciv noun dock -nur suffix (gerund as preposition, see note (6)) o art the (nominative, definite, countable) óhuc noun marvel ópalc adj ordinary, common or adv ("or .. -vra": perfective aspect) (see note (14)) órmul verb to tell, narrate (see note (17)) óttu noun wine palémo verb to need sth. panaléya verb to see pélo conj and (see note (9)) Péter name (proper name) pey conj and, also (see note (16)) pso prep because of -qi suffix very qo pron what qod verb to cut qoy verb to do (as enclitic: imperative or subjunctive, see note (3)) qúmpatme verb to say sth. re- prefix female réfni noun woman (see note (4)) rofíltu noun world s- proclitic the (accusative, definite, countable) se(n) art a (indefinite, accusative, countable) séffið verb to happen, to occur sínu prep like -sìnu suffix -like (converts noun to adj) so art the (accusative, definite, countable) sófa conj but sónnti pron you (2SG, nominative, epistemic) sotáw$ verb to ripen sówp noun blanket sten noun baby stu pron you (2SG, nominative, deontic) sum prep (when used with lúxci:) to $e adv (often used as enclitic, see note (10): tense: past) tar prep (amount: see note (19)) tawvágu noun midwife ttizáfe noun milk túggat verb to flop úceyl noun military general úggu noun month -úmper prep during (enclitic) uráro verb to use Úrða noun Earth úrmed noun cup, beaker úyfin adj sacred, holy -vra suffix ("or .. -vra": perfective aspect) (see note (14)) xo numeral ten (see note (20)) -xo suffix (converts verb to noun, see note (17)) zawpósse prep on, on top of ze pron this (3SG) zévo adj this zelétt verb to write zi- prefix (see note (18)) zóro conj the fact that (see note (12))
Interpunction
!1 used for commands etc. !2 used for exclamations belonging to an emotional reaction ?1 informing question ?3 question intended to verify the speaker's own knowledge
Pronunciation of the sounds occurring in proper names
|p| /p/ |e| /e/ |t| /t/ |r| /R\/ |c| /k/ |u| /u/ |n| /n/ |s| /s/
Grammar
Introduction
Calénnawn is a pro-drop language with SVO word order. Pronouns may be elided. Adjectives precede the nouns, but can also occur standalone (e.g. the big [one]). In compound words, the first part is the modifying part. Absence of an article in the nominative indicates indefiniteness. All prepositions govern the nominative. There is no copula "to be": the noun or adjective may be used as predicate directly.
Grammar notes
The dollar sign is an alternative spelling for s-caron for non-UTF-8 environments. These represent the same letter (/S/).
Acute and grave accents denote primary and (in compounds) secondary stress, respectively. The letters a, á and à are not fundamentally different, since the stress can shift when words are combined into compound words.
The imperative and subjunctive are both formed by suffixing the verb with "-qoy". The imperative then requires the subject to be epistemic, the subjunctive requires a deontic subject: Sónnti panaléya-qoy! See! Stu panaléya-qoy. May you see.
The vocative singular is formed by adding an "-o" suffix, replacing any final vowel: Tawvágo! Midwife!
The expression "need to <verb>" is expressed by the suffix "-benco" on the verb and forces a deontic subject: Stu bánxa-benco. You need to speak.
"-nur" forms the gerund of a verb. If the verb is transitive, the gerund can be followed by its direct object; however, the gerund is then considered a preposition, therefore its object takes the nominative. If the gerund is used standalone, then it functions as an adverb. Examples: Sónnti din en. You have_a_beneficial_effect_on me. Sónnti bánxa dínnur e. You speak for(benefactive) me. Sónnti bánxa dínnur. You speak, having_a_benificial_effect.
The plural forms are formed by replacing the last vowel in a word with |i|: lúda - lúdi eye - eyes sten - stin baby - babies
The prefix "lo-" is used to create verbs expressing arbitrary rela-
tions ("to have"). The formed verb is transitive, and its object
can be used to specify who or what fulfills the indicated role.
Sónnti loóttu. You have_got_wine.
Sónnti lorofíltu Úrða. I have_for_world Earth.
(i.e. Earth is my world).
"pélo" is a conjunction that indicates that the object of the first sentence is identical to the subject of the second sentence.
Tense is indicated by the particles "$e" (past), "máfo" (present), "gla" (future), or "gre" (immediate future), which are often used as an enclitic on the subject or on the particle "or". They are never used on the verb.
"be" is a conjunction that indicates that the subject of the first sentence is identical to the subject of the second sentence. Sometimes this constitutes a fixed expression, e.g.: X bánxa Y be qúmpatme Z X says Z to Y
"zóro" is a conjunction that is always compounded with a preposition. It indicates that the prepositional object of the first sentence is identical to the _fact_ described by the second sentence.
Numerals are placed after the noun they modify.
The perfective aspect suffix "-vra" is used as an infix if the verb ends in a consonant: El or qovrad. I have cut.
The conjunction "fáygann" is translated as follows: X fáygann Y. when X, Y.
The conjunction "pey", in the meaning "and", follows the two noun phrases (postfix notation): hn óttu h ttizáfe pey wine and milk
"-xo" creates nouns which can function as object of the verb: órmul - órmulxo to narrate - a narration
"zi" indicates that the next prepositional phrase is not attached to the entire sentence, but to the previous noun phrase instead: Éfesni fh bórmo zidrámor h baranúya. I eat fish with bread. Éfesni fh bórmo drámor Bóbo. I eat fish with Bobo.
"tar" indicates an amount/quantity. Its position may be "crossed over" with the article of the following noun phrase: úrmed h tar ttizáfe a cup of milk As direct object, both noun phrases are put in the accusative.
Counting in Calénnawn is base-6. xo el twelve élxo twenty
Smooth translation
This is a very marvelous story.
The priestess said, "May you hope!"
The midwife said, "Woman, push! You need to give birth! I see the baby with my eyes. You will soon complete giving birth."
The priestess said, "May you hope!"
The baby said, "I see this world."
The priestess said, "Huh?"
The woman said, "What?"
The midwife said, "You should not fear. You need to push. Push!"
The priestess said, "May you hope!"
The baby said, "I need a blanket and it should be thick."
The woman shouted, "He spoke!"
The baby said, "My mother, do not give me a name like 'Cunux' because that one is ordinary."
The woman said, "What is happening? I drank too much wine."
The midwife said, "I can now cut the umbilical cord."
The baby said, "When I will die, I will be a military general and Peter will honor my name. I need a monster and the drink, but I will not drink milk."
The priestess said, "You should not flop about like a fish on a dock."
The baby said, "I need a cup of wine that has ripened for eight months."
The priestess said, "May you hope!"
They wrote on the next day, "The baby said, 'This was a sacred gift.'"
