Qihep texts
- Main article: Qihep
This is a list of some examples of texts in Qihep. Most of them are translations from other languages, and some of them are original texts.
The texts are usually presented with their original text in Qihep script, their official trascription in Latin alphabet, the educational syllabicated version and a traslation in English or the original English text.
Lord's prayer
| Qihep script | Transcription | Syllabicated trascription |
|---|---|---|
 |
ul la dī pāp, ma kōpdīn stā ma dī ńim ā śkedskyt des ma dī horvranmeś qin des ma dī wiś ā skyt des kōpdīn stā dī do i grūn stā dī do tykcin ma ul la tykbultsēd pām kreś fa si ī ma ul la dī smūś vorkreś si ul la ul la dī smūśmor mēmcin vorkreś fa ī ma ul la togrēxkȳt to pē mūh yt ma ul la śluk ud vrīskyt si āmen |
ul la dī pāp, ma kōp∙dīn stā ma dī ńim ā śked∙skyt des ma dī hor∙vran∙meś qin des ma dī wiś ā skyt des kōp∙dīn stā dī do i grūn stā dī do tyk∙cin ma ul la tyk∙bul∙tsēd pām kreś fa si ī ma ul la dī smūś vor∙kreś si ul la ul la dī smūś∙mor mēm∙cin vor∙kreś fa ī ma ul la to∙grēx∙kȳt to pē mūh yt ma ul la śluk ud vrī∙skyt si ā∙men |
Babel text
Qihep script:
Transcription:
1. tsāl dīn dī vranvran mē xēp rā xēp ī tȳn la mēm dum nūt sōl
2. tsēd o le tȳn la xīs ud qin sty tȳn la Śinār lān stā dī sbēnlān qum fa ī nārmeś rā sōlǵīv fa kōm
3. ī tȳn la drug tȳn la rā kāǵ fa "ma la qin si ul la trojsās skyt fa si ī ul la qem la pīr ō qōc fa si" tȳn la sās ā skām fa dī trojsās i kāx ā skām fa dī trojkāx rā nūt fa
4. ī tȳn la rā kāǵ fa "ma la qin si ul la byl i qem dī fīp kōpdīn fut dūbim fa pos dī fītrojkȳt tsel vor le ul la dī ńīm snāsy bly fa ī ul la ā nat fut rasjēq fa"
5. ī Pō rā dōlqin fa tȳn vran dī denden troj sty dī byl i fītrojkȳt piǵvor fa le
6. ī tȳn rā kāǵ fa "ma la piǵ fa si tȳn la mē vranvran ī tȳn la mē xēp xēp sty tȳn la do skyt ǵa kōm ī ńakmē tȳn la fut fajan fa kra tȳn la do skyt fa vol dī do ā le tȳn la skyt fa ā"
7. "ma la tyk prīc par qin si ul la dōlbim fa si ī ul la tȳn la dī xēp obmiś fa si tsel vor le tȳn la drug tȳn la dī xepsvūk nat fut enēm fa pos"
8. ī Pō tȳn la ńik lān to rā rasjēq fa ī tȳn la byl dī trojtān jan fa
9. tyk byl ā Bābēl rā ńīmkreś fa prīc par le Pō tsāl dīn dī xēp tykmeś rā obmiś fa ī Pō ńik vran ńik lān to tykmeś ud rasjēq fa
Syllabicated transcription:
1. tsāl dīn dī vran∙vran mē xēp rā xēp ī tȳn la mēm dum nūt sōl
2. tsēd o le tȳn la xīs ud qin sty tȳn la Śinār lān stā dī sbēn∙lān qum fa ī nār∙meś rā sōl∙ǵīv fa kōm
3. ī tȳn la drug tȳn la rā kāǵ fa "ma la qin si ul la troj∙sās skyt fa si ī ul la qem la pīr ō qōc fa si" tȳn la sās ā skām fa dī troj∙sās i kāx ā skām fa dī troj∙kāx rā nūt fa
4. ī tȳn la rā kāǵ fa "ma la qin si ul la byl i qem dī fīp kōp∙dīn fut dū∙bim fa pos dī fī∙troj∙kȳt tsel vor le ul la dī ńīm snā∙sy bly fa ī ul la ā nat fut ras∙jēq fa"
5. ī Pō rā dōl∙qin fa tȳn vran dī den∙den troj sty dī byl i fī∙troj∙kȳt piǵ∙vor fa le
6. ī tȳn rā kāǵ fa "ma la piǵ fa si tȳn la mē vran∙vran ī tȳn la mē xēp xēp sty tȳn la do skyt ǵa kōm ī ńak∙mē tȳn la fut fa∙jan fa kra tȳn la do skyt fa vol dī do ā le tȳn la skyt fa ā"
7. "ma la tyk prīc par qin si ul la dōl∙bim fa si ī ul la tȳn la dī xēp ob∙miś fa si tsel vor le tȳn la drug tȳn la dī xep∙svūk nat fut e∙nēm fa pos"
8. ī Pō tȳn la ńik lān to rā ras∙jēq fa ī tȳn la byl dī troj∙tān jan fa
9. tyk byl ā Bā∙bēl rā ńīm∙kreś fa prīc par le Pō tsāl dīn dī xēp tyk∙meś rā ob∙miś fa ī Pō ńik vran ńik lān to tyk∙meś ud ras∙jēq fa
The Ant and the Grasshopper - Ań i pejūǵ
Qihep script:
Transcription:
Ań gōtsēd o jy rā mar sty tȳn cāx bȳtsēd vor epīkvor fa le. Pejūǵ tsāl bultsēd on pej rē. Pejūg ań ū ka fa "ma wūprīc jyjy mar sty lo mā cāx ā mo qum fa ro". Ań rikāǵ fa "ma up bȳtsēd o enēm fa kra". Pejūǵ nat enēm fa ī tȳn nu pej fa kōm ī ań nu mar fa kōm. Bȳtsēd rā dūqin fa ī nev bim fa. Prīc par le tȳn caxnēccum sty pejūǵ ań dī dōm bim fa ī tȳn ka fa "ma ul ńakqem kreś fa ul caxvor fa le lo". Ań ka fa "ma wū ar gōtsēd o skyt sōl lo". Pejūǵ rikāǵ fa "ul ta pej sōl". Ań tyk prīc par kāǵ fa "dōb dā ma mo tsā si"
Syllabicated transcription:
Ań gō∙tsēd o jy rā mar sty tȳn cāx bȳ∙tsēd vor e∙pīk∙vor fa le. Pej∙ūǵ tsāl bul∙tsēd on pej rē. Pej∙ūg ań ū ka fa "ma wū∙prīc jy∙jy mar sty lo mā cāx ā mo qum fa ro". Ań ri∙kāǵ fa "ma up bȳ∙tsēd o e∙nēm fa kra". Pej∙ūǵ nat e∙nēm fa ī tȳn nu pej fa kōm ī ań nu mar fa kōm. Bȳ∙tsēd rā dū∙qin fa ī nev bim fa. Prīc par le tȳn cax∙nēc∙cum sty pej∙ūǵ ań dī dōm bim fa ī tȳn ka fa "ma ul ńak∙qem kreś fa ul cax∙vor fa le lo". Ań ka fa "ma wū ar gō∙tsēd o skyt sōl lo". Pej∙ūǵ ri∙kāǵ fa "ul ta pej sōl". Ań tyk prīc par kāǵ fa "dōb dā ma mo tsā si"
English:
An ant was warking hard to gather the food for the winter. A cicada sang all day ong. The cicada asked the ant: "Why are you working so hard? You can find much food now!" The ant answered: "I can gather food for the winter". The cicada didn't understand and began again to sing and the cicada began again to work. The winter came and it snowed. Because she was starving, the cicada went to the ant's house and asked "Would you give me something to eat?" The ant answered "What did you do all summer long?". The cicada answered "I used to sing". The ant thus said: "Well, dance now!".
The Fox and the Grapes - Ew i el
Qihep script:
Transcription:
Caxnēcim ew ǵe el rā piǵ fa tȳn yp rē yt tȳn qem nat fanēm kra. Dān o le tȳn vēbim sty tȳn mī fa "ul qem nat wiś qem nat smēl fa". Fatsel ā nat dūbim fa kra dī tȳn la obstātān vīnkreś fa sōl.
Syllabicated transcription:
Cax∙nēc∙im ew ǵe el rā piǵ fa tȳn yp rē yt tȳn qem nat fa∙nēm kra. Dān o le tȳn vē∙bim sty tȳn mī fa "ul qem nat wiś qem nat smēl fa". Fa∙tsel ā nat dū∙bim fa kra dī tȳn la ob∙stā∙tān vīn∙kreś fa sōl.
English:
A hungry fox saw some grapes but he could not reach them. While he was going away, he thought "I don't want them, they are not mature!" Many of those who cannot reach their goal, usually blame the circumstances.
The Scorpion and the Frog - Sxȳr i grah
Transcription:
Rā ē sxȳr wa le, qem pibrēg stā sty ī qem pi ycbim fa vol. Qem grah piǵ fa ī qem grah ka fa: "ul ma vorka, ma ul śpom fa si, ul pi ycbim fa nec". Grah rikāǵ: "Nā, ul ma fut śpom fa fōr, ma ul fut xȳr fa fōr". Sxȳr tyk prīc par kāǵ fa: "Ul ma fut xȳr fa fōr, xup ul la fut cum fa fōr. Ul ma nat xȳr fa vol". Grah i sxȳr ygmēskyt fa ī sxȳr qem dī ogcō an yp fa. Dān o le qem la pi dī py stā stȳ sxȳr grah xȳr fa. Xocim grah sxȳr ka fa dān o le qem la bāccum sty: "Ul ma wūprīc ta xȳr fa lo". Sxȳr rikāǵ fa: " Ul ta snā ǵa ul la fu ta cum fa ā yt ul drugcin ba nat kīn fa pos. Ul sxȳr ī tyk ul dī sōcincuv".
Syllabicated transcription:
Rā ē sxȳr wa le, qem pi∙brēg stā sty ī qem pi yc∙bim fa vol. Qem grah piǵ fa ī qem grah ka fa: "ul ma vor∙ka, ma ul śpom fa si, ul pi yc∙bim fa nec". Grah ri∙kāǵ: "Nā, ul ma fut śpom fa fōr, ma ul fut xȳr fa fōr". Sxȳr tyk prīc par kāǵ fa: "Ul ma fut xȳr fa fōr, xup ul la fut cum fa fōr. Ul ma nat xȳr fa vol". Grah i sxȳr yg∙mē∙skyt fa ī sxȳr qem dī og∙cō an yp fa. Dān o le qem la pi dī py stā stȳ sxȳr grah xȳr fa. Xoc∙im grah sxȳr ka fa dān o le qem la bāc∙cum sty: "Ul ma wū∙prīc ta xȳr fa lo". Sxȳr ri∙kāǵ fa: " Ul ta snā ǵa ul la fu ta cum fa ā yt ul drug∙cin ba nat kīn fa pos. Ul sxȳr ī tyk ul dī sō∙cin∙cuv".
English:
Once upon a time there was a scorpion, he was on the bank of a river and wanted to cross it. He saw a frog and asked her: "Please, help me, I must cross the river". The frog replied: "No, If I help you, you will sting me". The scorpion thus said: "If I sting you, we both will die. I will not sting you". The frog agreed with the scorpion and he jumped on her back. While they were in the middle of the river, the scorpion stung the frog. The suffering frog asked the scorpion, while they were drowning: "Why did you sting me?". The scorpion replied: "I knew we would die, but I couldn't do otherwise. I'm a scorpion, that's my nature".
The King and the God - An Indoeuropean fable - Tanhorvran i pō
| Qihep script | Transcription |
|---|---|
 |
Rā ē tanhorvran wa le, tȳn den nat ug yt tȳn tanden ug des. Tȳn pōńāvran ka fa: "Ul tanden ug fa des" Pōńāvran tanhorvran kāǵ fa: "Ma Welunos pō vorka nec" Tanhorvran pō vorka fa: "Ma ul tośē fa si, Welunos pāp ho!" Welunos pō kōpdīn ud dōlqin fa ī tȳn kāǵ fa: "Ma wū ka sty lo?" "Ul tanden ug fa des" "Do faē fa si!" Do ā le posim Welunos pō kāǵ fa. Tanhorvran dī āńresvran tanden tyk prīc par ug fa. |
| Syllabicated transcription | English |
| Rā ē tan∙hor∙vran wa le, tȳn den nat ug yt tȳn tan∙den ug des. Tȳn pō∙ńā∙vran ka fa: "Ul tan∙den ug fa des" Pō∙ńā∙vran tan∙hor∙vran kāǵ fa: "Ma We∙lu∙nos pō vor∙ka nec" Tan∙hor∙vran pō vor∙ka fa: "Ma ul to∙śē fa si, We∙lu∙nos pāp ho!" We∙lu∙nos pō kōp∙dīn ud dōl∙qin fa ī tȳn kāǵ fa: "Ma wū ka sty lo?" "Ul tan∙den ug fa des" "Do fa∙ē fa si!" Do ā le pos∙im We∙lu∙nos pō kāǵ fa. Tan∙hor∙vran dī āń∙res∙vran tan∙den tyk prīc par ug fa. |
Once upon a time there was a king, he has no child but he wanted a son. He asked a priest: "May I have a son" The priest told the king: "You need to pray to the god Welunos" The king prayed to the god: "Hear me, father Welunos!" The god Welunos came down from heaven and said: "What are you asking for?" "I want a son" "Let it be so!" said the powerful god Welunos. The wife of the king thus bore him a son. |
A walk in the night - Pūnōbim
Transcription:
Ūj nār pū o ta lēdbȳ sty yt tȳn cīn xō nōbim rē. Tȳn dī meśtsel te ba vid yt tȳn lu nat ta tobrin ǵa, tȳn tȳn dī tsel dūbimvor le. Kōpdīn vȳlsē ī tȳn śter la tȳn xub piǵ sty kra. Byl tā te ī qem piǵ nat fro sty. Qār nat ta eś ǵa ī śter ply tsaltācin fatā sty, Śōnpōśter kōpdīngrāf xub dōl stā sty a qem tāimtāim fatā sty. Tȳn Alcīn ygvidygvid nat piǵ sōl ī tȳn nis fa, tȳn nār śōnśōn tā grāf fapiǵpiǵvor le.
Syllabicated transcription:
Ūj nār pū o ta lēd∙bȳ sty yt tȳn cīn xō nō∙bim rē. Tȳn dī meś∙tsel te ba vid yt tȳn lu nat ta to∙brin ǵa, tȳn tȳn dī tsel dū∙bim∙vor le. Kōp∙dīn vȳl∙sē ī tȳn śter la tȳn xub piǵ sty kra. Byl tā te ī qem piǵ nat fro sty. Qār nat ta eś ǵa ī śter ply tsal∙tā∙cin fa∙tā sty, Śōn∙pō∙śter kōp∙dīn∙grāf xub dōl stā sty a qem tā∙im∙tā∙im fa∙tā sty. Tȳn Al∙cīn yg∙vid∙yg∙vid nat piǵ sōl ī tȳn nis fa, tȳn nār śōn∙śōn tā grāf fa∙piǵ∙piǵ∙vor le.
English:
It was freezing cold that night, but he kept on walking along the street. His destination seemed so far away but he didn't lose his hope in reaching his target. The sky was very clear, and he could see a lot of stars over himself. The lights of the city were far away from there, so they were not a disturbance to the sight. The moon hadn't risen yet, and the stars shone very brightly. Venus was low on the horizon but gave a beautiful strong light. He wasn't habited to see the Milky Way so clearly and stopped a moment to admire that wonderful strip of light.
Scarlett
Transcription:
Rȳs Skālit ī rȳs ul dī pik dī trāvdōmcā Landyn dī bulim pōbultsēd tū o stā sty, Ingylān dī ov tū o le. Skālit tyxup rok smel ǵa, "tyci lēdqārtsēd o" rȳs ul kāǵ fa ī rȳs row sōl, rȳs rȳs ob dī dīn enēm fa ā. Rȳs ńikqem ab ńikńo kakreś sōl.
Ul rȳs kāǵ fa, ul rȳs kakreś fa vol ā ī ul rȳs ka fa, rȳs Skālit wūprīc ńīm, rȳs dī ńim wū fakāǵ ī rȳs dī ńīm faǵi tsū pīǵ lo. Rȳs kāǵ fa "Nā, tyk ul dī gybvran wa ta āl fa dī ńīm, prīc par le tȳn la qem ta il. Qem nanqem fakāǵ.
Ul āk stȳ, rȳs dī gybvran rȳs tykcin nār snāsy vorkēsy tokāǵ dī reskīnvran par ta ńīmkreś fa ȳt ul rȳs dī pāp snā maj ī do nafaēor. Tȳn la qem ta āl fa kap, prīc par le tȳn la qem dī svūk ta il.
Skālit xūcmor kam ab gōtsēd śi sver sty. Rȳs bō sty, rȳs rȳs dī roksmel fe plyply can ā ī drug dēdē rȳs og fut bāv ro. Rȳs ul rȳs dī mod xūcmor dī ńakmā tāvīd pīǵ sty. Ul tāvīd fapiǵ fa ī dē la ā vīdsar fa. Tȳn la can y fī, y ǵy y us. Tȳn la tācinska y pūcinska ād ȳ plymā tȳn la py stā. Ńakmā tȳn la śhārcin suksuk ād a ńakmā tȳn la ǵancin suksuk ād. Ńakmā tȳn la kȳ suksuk ād a ńakmā tȳn la dy suksuk ād.
Ul rȳs kāǵ fa, rȳs nū xūcmor ab nat sver nec ā ī rȳs nārmeś fut uś fa ā. Ul rȳs ka fa, rȳs wū le fut xūc ōb ī rȳs ul kāǵ fa, rȳs fransyxēp xūc ab sver sty. Ul rȳs kāǵ fa, rȳs nat sver nec ā, prīc par le nār xēp nat naīs. Rȳs ul kāǵ fa, rȳs qo xēp snā maj ā.
"Qo xēp" ul āh fa "Do nakraor. Ma qo xēp wūcin snā maj lo?"
"Prīc par le ul qo xēp ul dī co un ēm" rȳs rikāǵ fa.
Ul rȳs ka fa, rȳs wū kāǵ fa vol ī rȳs rȳs dī ugkȳt dī faētān tokāǵ fa kōm. Ul faētān dī ńak cā snā maj, prīc par le ul faētān la rȳs dī arpāp ab ta tośe maj. Tȳn krābmarmor bā rā mar sōl ī tȳn Skotlān tsu nah. Tȳn krābmarmor a tȳn krābmarmor bā dōb nat mar sol nah, prīc par le tȳn mēcin Ingylān dī bōl krābunbimmeśbyl Pōtsmyt dūbim fa pos. Tsēd o le tȳn Pōtsmyt dūbim fa, tȳn nārmeś tonis fa ī tȳn krābbim tojan fa ī tȳn tobejlāxmor bly fa. Tȳn lāxdūunqum la gu sōl ī tȳn mā tryk sōl. Tȳn dīn ńikcinbā piǵ fa kra, tsēd o le tȳn Lāw tsu dī resvran qum fa. Nanvran snā, rȳs nārmeś wūcin dūbim ȳt rȳs nārmeś no sōlǵīv sty. Ul Skālit kāǵ fa, rȳs armām dī faētān vyqum fa nec ā.
"Nā, rȳs plyply as mo smel ǵa" Skālit kāǵ fa "ī rȳs rȳs dī qā tsāl ǵīv saw fa, tsēd o le Pōtsmyt sōlǵīv".
Skālit dī argybvran kō ta mīlfē fa ī tȳn la mē tanden ug fa. Tyk tandē tsāl dīn dī naov skotlāwvran faēor. Tȳn la tȳn Bil ńīmkreś fa. Bil Wiljym dī ov kȳskytkȳt ȳt tȳn la tȳn mēcin Bil ta ńīmkreś fa. Bil fakīn tȳn dī pāp ud i vid tȳn dī mām ud śinēm fa. Tȳt ta mī sōl, tȳn rokvranśter mēcin bly fa ro ā. Tȳn rokvranśter fave nat bly fa kra a tȳn fatosarmor bā mar sty.
Ul Skālit dī mām nat snā maj ī ul rȳs rȳs ab tyk prīc par ka fa.
"Ul dī mām polskavran" rȳs kāǵ fa "Dōb dā, do nafave, prīc par le Brajtyn rȳs dī gybmeś ȳt rȳs dī mām i pāp Polska tsu. Tȳn la tykmeś ńiktsēd sōlǵīv. Rȳs dī mām Doiclān ta a Polska mo dī meś tsu nah ī rȳs tyk prīc par ve doicvran. Tyk drug xēp ul dī cō stā sty.
Ul Skālit ka fa, rȳs rȳs dī cō un dī ńik xēp fave xēp pos lo. Rȳs ul topiǵ fa, cin bā le ul īw for.
"Yg nā" rȳs kāǵ fa "ȳt qem la ul dī cō no stā sty.
Ul la rȳs dī xēp ra fa, skotxēp, lāwxēp, doicxēp i polskaxēp.
"Qem la mēcin vo tobroj" ul rȳs kāǵ fa.
"Nā, ingyxēp jē ē sty".
"Yg dā" ul kāǵ fa. Ul tyk skotlāwdoicpolskaingyjūnvran Skālit rȳs dī tsūsē ńīm e fapiǵ fa ī ul rȳs ka fa "Skālit ho, ma tsu lo?".
Rȳs de mī fa. Ul mī, rȳs ul dī ka nat tośe fa ā. Dān ńo le ul ka rikreś fa kra, rȳs ul topiǵ fa ī rȳs ul rikāǵ fa:
"Ul tykmeś tsu" rȳs kāǵ fa "ul Landyn tsu".
Do ā le Kris Rowsej ta lā fa.
Syllabicated transcription:
Rȳs Skā∙lit ī rȳs ul dī pik dī trāv∙dōm∙cā Lan∙dyn dī bul∙im pō∙bul∙tsēd tū o stā sty, In∙gy∙lān dī ov tū o le. Skā∙lit ty∙xup rok smel ǵa, "ty∙ci lēd∙qār∙tsēd o" rȳs ul kāǵ fa ī rȳs row sōl, rȳs rȳs ob dī dīn e∙nēm fa ā. Rȳs ńik∙qem ab ńik∙ńo ka∙kreś sōl.
Ul rȳs kāǵ fa, ul rȳs ka∙kreś fa vol ā ī ul rȳs ka fa, rȳs Skā∙lit wū∙prīc ńīm, rȳs dī ńim wū fa∙kāǵ ī rȳs dī ńīm fa∙ǵi tsū pīǵ lo. Rȳs kāǵ fa "Nā, tyk ul dī gyb∙vran wa ta āl fa dī ńīm, prīc par le tȳn la qem ta il. Qem nan∙qem fa∙kāǵ.
Ul āk stȳ, rȳs dī gyb∙vran rȳs tyk∙cin nār snā∙sy vor∙kē∙sy to∙kāǵ dī res∙kīn∙vran par ta ńīm∙kreś fa ȳt ul rȳs dī pāp snā maj ī do na∙fa∙ē∙or. Tȳn la qem ta āl fa kap, prīc par le tȳn la qem dī svūk ta il.
Skā∙lit xūc∙mor kam ab gō∙tsēd śi sver sty. Rȳs bō sty, rȳs rȳs dī rok∙smel fe ply∙ply can ā ī drug dē∙dē rȳs og fut bāv ro. Rȳs ul rȳs dī mod xūc∙mor dī ńak∙mā tā∙vīd pīǵ sty. Ul tā∙vīd fa∙piǵ fa ī dē la ā vīd∙sar fa. Tȳn la can y fī, y ǵy y us. Tȳn la tā∙cin∙ska y pū∙cin∙ska ād ȳ ply∙mā tȳn la py stā. Ńak∙mā tȳn la śhār∙cin suk∙suk ād a ńak∙mā tȳn la ǵan∙cin suk∙suk ād. Ńak∙mā tȳn la kȳ suk∙suk ād a ńak∙mā tȳn la dy suk∙suk ād.
Ul rȳs kāǵ fa, rȳs nū xūc∙mor ab nat sver nec ā ī rȳs nār∙meś fut uś fa ā. Ul rȳs ka fa, rȳs wū le fut xūc ōb ī rȳs ul kāǵ fa, rȳs fran∙sy∙xēp xūc ab sver sty. Ul rȳs kāǵ fa, rȳs nat sver nec ā, prīc par le nār xēp nat na∙īs. Rȳs ul kāǵ fa, rȳs qo xēp snā maj ā.
"Qo xēp" ul āh fa "Do na∙kra∙or. Ma qo xēp wū∙cin snā maj lo?"
"Prīc par le ul qo xēp ul dī co un ēm" rȳs ri∙kāǵ fa.
Ul rȳs ka fa, rȳs wū kāǵ fa vol ī rȳs rȳs dī ug∙kȳt dī fa∙ē∙tān to∙kāǵ fa kōm. Ul fa∙ē∙tān dī ńak cā snā maj, prīc par le ul fa∙ē∙tān la rȳs dī ar∙pāp ab ta to∙śe maj. Tȳn krāb∙mar∙mor bā rā mar sōl ī tȳn Skot∙lān tsu nah. Tȳn krāb∙mar∙mor a tȳn krāb∙mar∙mor bā dōb nat mar sol nah, prīc par le tȳn mē∙cin In∙gy∙lān dī bōl krāb∙un∙bim∙meś∙byl Pōt∙smyt dū∙bim fa pos. Tsēd o le tȳn Pōt∙smyt dū∙bim fa, tȳn nār∙meś to∙nis fa ī tȳn krāb∙bim to∙jan fa ī tȳn to∙bej∙lāx∙mor bly fa. Tȳn lāx∙dū∙un∙qum la gu sōl ī tȳn mā tryk sōl. Tȳn dīn ńik∙cin∙bā piǵ fa kra, tsēd o le tȳn Lāw tsu dī res∙vran qum fa. Nan∙vran snā, rȳs nār∙meś wūcin dū∙bim ȳt rȳs nār∙meś no sōl∙ǵīv sty. Ul Skā∙lit kāǵ fa, rȳs ar∙mām dī fa∙ē∙tān vy∙qum fa nec ā.
"Nā, rȳs ply∙ply as mo smel ǵa" Skā∙lit kāǵ fa "ī rȳs rȳs dī qā tsāl ǵīv saw fa, tsēd o le Pōt∙smyt sōl∙ǵīv".
Skā∙lit dī ar∙gyb∙vran kō ta mīl∙fē fa ī tȳn la mē tan∙den ug fa. Tyk tan∙dē tsāl dīn dī na∙ov skot∙lāwvran fa∙ē∙or. Tȳn la tȳn Bil ńīm∙kreś fa. Bil Wil∙jym dī ov kȳ∙skyt∙kȳt ȳt tȳn la tȳn mē∙cin Bil ta ńīm∙kreś fa. Bil fa∙kīn tȳn dī pāp ud i vid tȳn dī mām ud śi∙nēm fa. Tȳt ta mī sōl, tȳn rok∙vran∙śter mē∙cin bly fa ro ā. Tȳn rok∙vran∙śter fa∙ve nat bly fa kra a tȳn fa∙to∙sar∙mor bā mar sty.
Ul Skā∙lit dī mām nat snā maj ī ul rȳs rȳs ab tyk prīc par ka fa.
"Ul dī mām pol∙ska∙vran" rȳs kāǵ fa "Dōb dā, do na∙fa∙ve, prīc par le Braj∙tyn rȳs dī gyb∙meś ȳt rȳs dī mām i pāp Pol∙ska tsu. Tȳn la tyk∙meś ńik∙tsēd sōl∙ǵīv. Rȳs dī mām Do∙ic∙lān ta a Pol∙ska mo dī meś tsu nah ī rȳs tyk prīc par ve do∙ic∙vran. Tyk drug xēp ul dī cō stā sty.
Ul Skā∙lit ka fa, rȳs rȳs dī cō un dī ńik xēp fa∙ve xēp pos lo. Rȳs ul to∙piǵ fa, cin bā le ul īw for.
"Yg nā" rȳs kāǵ fa "ȳt qem la ul dī cō no stā sty.
Ul la rȳs dī xēp ra fa, skot∙xēp, lāw∙xēp, do∙ic∙xēp i pol∙ska∙xēp.
"Qem la mē∙cin vo to∙broj" ul rȳs kāǵ fa.
"Nā, in∙gy∙xēp jē ē sty".
"Yg dā" ul kāǵ fa. Ul tyk skot∙lāw∙do∙ic∙pol∙ska∙in∙gy∙jūn∙vran Skā∙lit rȳs dī tsū∙sē ńīm e fa∙piǵ fa ī ul rȳs ka fa "Skā∙lit ho, ma tsu lo?".
Rȳs de mī fa. Ul mī, rȳs ul dī ka nat to∙śe fa ā. Dān ńo le ul ka ri∙kreś fa kra, rȳs ul to∙piǵ fa ī rȳs ul ri∙kāǵ fa:
"Ul tyk∙meś tsu" rȳs kāǵ fa "ul Lan∙dyn tsu".
Do ā le Kris Row∙sej ta lā fa.
English original text:
Here's Scarlett, in the garden of a friend's house in London on a sunny summer morning, the kind of mornings that are unusual in England. Scarlett is twelve years old ('Thirteen in November,' she tells me), and is trying to understand the world around her. She asks questions about everything, all the time.
I tell her that I want to ask her a question, and I ask her why she's called Scarlett, and what the name means, and if it comes from anywhere in particular, and she says: 'No, it's just a stupid name my parents chose because they liked it. It doesn't mean anything.'
I wonder if her parents named her after the heroine of a favourite film, perhaps, but then again, I know her dad and this sounds unlikely. I think they probably chose it just because they liked the sound of it.
Scarlett is worried about changing school after the summer. She worries that she's too short for her age and that the other children at the school will make fun of her. She shows me some pictures of the school she is at now and her classmates. I look at the picture and it shows children of all heights and shapes and sizes. Some are tall, some are short, some are fat and some are thin. Some are black and some are white, and most of them are somewhere in between. Some have red hair and some have blond hair, some have long hair and some have short hair.
I tell her not to worry about the new school, tell her that she'll be OK, and ask her about the new subjects she'll be studying. She tells me that she's worried about learning French, and I tell her not to worry, that it isn't a very difficult language. She tells me that she already knows five languages.
"Five languages!" I shout. "That's impossible! How do you already know five languages?"
"Because I've got five languages in my body," she says.
I ask her what she means, and she starts to tell me the story of her family. Some of the story I already know. I've already heard stories about her grandfather. He was from Scotland; he was a sailor, but not a very good sailor, so he only got as far as Portsmouth, a big navy town on the south coast of England, not very far from Scotland at all. When he got to Portsmouth, he stopped there, left the navy and became a boxer. He lost fights and drank a lot. However, he still managed to see the world by meeting a woman who came from Laos. Nobody really knows how this woman had ended up in Portsmouth, but she still lives there, and I tell Scarlett that she should try and find out her grandmother's story.
"No, she's too old now," says Scarlett, "and anyway, she's lived in Portsmouth nearly all her life."
Scarlett's grandparents were only together long enough to produce a son – probably one of the only Scottish-Laotians in the world. They called him Bill, which is usually short for "William", but his name was just "Bill". Bill inherited his father's personality and his mother's looks, so the only thing he thought he could do was become a rock star. He never really managed to become a rock star, though, so now he works as a graphic designer.
I don't know Scarlett's mum, so I ask her to tell me about her mum.
"My mum's Polish," she says. "Well, not really, because she was born in Brighton, but her mum and dad are from Poland. But they've lived there, like, for always. But I know that her mum was from somewhere that was Germany and then became Poland, so she's really German, I suppose. So that's another language that I've got in my body."
I ask Scarlett if she can actually speak all the languages that she says she has "in her body", and she looks at me like I'm stupid.
"Of course not!" she says. "But I've still got them in me!"
We count up her "languages": Scottish, Laotian, German, Polish.
"That's only four!" I tell her.
"No, there's English too!"
"'Of course there is," I say. And then I look at Scottish–Laotian–German–Polish–English Scarlett, with her name that comes from nowhere, and I ask her: "And you, Scarlett, where are you from?"
She thinks for a long time – such a long time that I think perhaps she hasn't heard my question. But then, before I can repeat it, she looks up and at me.
"I'm from here," she says. "I'm from London."
by Chris Rose
