Appendix B: Shemspreg Texts
A Sheep and Horses
owi echwoskwe
ne wilna-wesent owi eskwi echwosom: sos gwer wezho-, sos mej gem-deukentom; soskwe oochu shem-ferentom. owi wekwes echwosom: me cherd es gwer shemos echwo-ajent sekwent. echwos spreges: chleu owi! cherdes es gwer seskwent shemos, potis, apo owis wilnam khwer westro-werjentom, adkwe owim ne es wilna. chechlunt owi weuri en arum.
A Sheep and Horses
A sheep without wool saw horses: one pulling a heavy wagon, one a large load, and one bearing a human quickly. The sheep said to the horses: “My heart is heavy, seeing the human driving horses.” The horses said: “Listen, sheep! Our hearts are heavy having seen the human, the master, making warm clothing from sheep’s wool, and the sheep has no wool.” Hearing this, the sheep turned away into the field.
owi echwoskwe
| owi | echwo | -s | =kwe |
| sheep | horse | -PL | =and |
A Sheep and Horses
ne wilna-wesent owi eskwi echwosom:
| ne | wilna- | wes | -ent | owi | e- | skw | -i | echwo | -s | -om |
| not | wool- | wear | -PTC | sheep | IMPF- | see:0 | PAST | horse | -PL | -OBL |
A sheep without wool saw horses:
sos gwer wezho-, sos mej gem-deukentom;
| so | -s | gwer | wezho- | so | -s | mej | gem- | deuk | -ent | -om |
| 3s | -GEN | heavy | wagon- | 3s | -GEN | large | load- | pull | -PTC | -OBL |
one pulling a heavy wagon, one a large load,
soskwe oochu shem-ferentom.
| so | -s | =kwe | oochu | shem- | fer | -ent | -om |
| 3s | -GEN | =and | quickly | human- | bear | -PTC | -OBL |
and one bearing a human quickly.
owi wekwes echwosom:
| owi | wekw | -es | echwo | -s | -om |
| sheep | speak | -PRES | horse | -PL | -OBL |
The sheep said to the horses:
me cherd es gwer shemos echwo-ajent sekwent.
| me | cherd | es | gwer | shem | -os | echwo- | aj | -ent | sekw | -ent |
| 1s:GEN | heart | be:PRES | heavy | human | -GEN | horse- | drive | -PTC | see | -PTC |
“My heart is heavy, seeing the human driving horses.”
echwos spreges:
| echwo | -s | spreg | -es |
| horse | -PL | speak | -PRES |
The horses said:
chleu owi!
| chleu | owi! |
| hear:IMP | sheep |
“Listen, sheep!
cherdes es gwer seskwent shemos, potis,
| cherd | -es | es | gwer | se- | skw | -ent | shem | -os | poti | -s |
| heart | -PL | be:PRES | heavy | PERF- | see:0 | -PTC | human | -GEN | master | -GEN |
Our hearts are heavy having seen
apo owis wilnam khwer westro-werjentom,
| apo | owi | -s | wilna | -m | khwer | westro- | werj | -ent | -om |
| from | sheep | -GEN | wool | -OBL | warm | clothing | make | -PTC | -OBL |
the human, the master, making warm clothing from sheep’s wool,
adkwe owim ne es wilna.
| ad | =kwe | owi | -m | ne | es | wilna |
| to | =and | sheep | -OBL | not | be:PRES | wool |
and the sheep has no wool.”
chechlunt owi weuri en arum.
| che- | chlu | -nt | owi | we- | wr | -i | en | aru | -m |
| PERF- | hear:0 | -PTC | sheep | PERF- | turn.away:0 | -PAST | in | field | -OBL |
Hearing this, the sheep turned away into the field.
Small Light Shining
thévu léuk déyent
émlai sóyo’s thévu léuk déyent
kwim sékwes wé ne;
thé swe, thé swe.
émlai sóyo’s árjint khélsh méldent
kwim áwes wé ne;
stáa swe, stáa swe.
émlai sóyo’s ánju árdi púros
en chérdom égnint;
wér som wéskwe.
Small Light Shining
They say there’s a small light shining
that we don’t see;
be prepared, be prepared.
They say there’s a silver bell ringing
that we don’t hear;
stand up, stand up.
They say there’s a pinpoint of flame
burning in the heart;
heed it and live.
thévu léuk déyent
| thevu | leuk | dei | -ent |
| small | light | shine | -PTC |
Small Light Shining
émlai sóyo’s thévu léuk déyent
| e- | ml | -a | -i | so | =yo | es | thevu | leuk | dei | -ent |
| IMPF- | say:0 | -PASS | -PAST | 3s:NOM | SUB | be:PRE | small | light | shine | -PTC |
They say there’s a small light shining
kwim sékwes wé ne;
| kwi | -m | sekw | -es | we | ne |
| REL | -OBL | see | -PRES | 1p:NOM | not |
that we don’t see;
thé swe, thé swe.
| the | swe | the | swe |
| place:IMP | REFL | place:IMP | REFL |
be prepared, be prepared.
émlai sóyo’s árjint khélsh méldent
| e- | ml | -a | -i | so | =yo | es | arjint | khelsh | mel | -ent |
| IMPF- | say:0 | -PASS | -PAST | 3s:NOM | SUB | be:PRE | silver | bell | sound | -PTC |
They say there’s a silver bell ringing
kwim áwes wé ne;
| kwi | -m | au | -es | we | ne |
| REL | -OBL | perceive | -PRES | 1p:NOM | not |
that we don’t hear;
stáa swe, stáa swe.
| staa | swe | staa | swe |
| stand:IMP | REFL | stand:IMP | REFL |
stand up, stand up.
émlai sóyo’s ánju árdi púros
| e- | ml | -a | -i | so | =yo | es | anju | ardi | pur | -os |
| IMPF- | say:0 | -PASS | -PAST | 3s:NOM | SUB | be:PRES | narrow | point | fire | -GEN |
They say there’s a pinpoint of flame
en chérdom égnint;
| en | cherd | -om | egni | -nt |
| in | heart | -OBL | burn | -PTC |
burning in the heart;
wér som wéskwe.
| wer | so | -m | wes | =kwe |
| pay.attention:IMP | 3s | -OBL | become.animate | =and |
heed it and live.
The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11: 1-9)
babas fersh
1 ad plino dezhomom esi oino dinju oinokwe spreg. 2 esikwe, toyo eyai apo ausom, toyo weuri pelitom en shinaros khertom; tokwe eusi cha. 3 tokwe emli oi ad alyo, gwem! so somes toyo kweres fog-achmo euskwe tom pilne. sokwe es fog-achmo enstel achmom, sokwe es sleeto enstel leyom. 4 tokwe emli, gwem! so somes toyo demes polim fershomkwe, kwis ardi antenes ad deyeum; so somes toyo thes tos nomenom, geye we ambistrewas an dezhomos pelitom. 5 potikwe nigwegumi sokwe seskwi polim ferzhomkwe kwim shemesos tekes edmi. 6 potikwe emli seku! shemia es oino, adkwe potes oino dinju; tokwe eres im: nukwe so ne somes, eyo apomiras apo tom, kwim to memni toyo kweres. 7 gwem! so somes weyo niyei chakwe semwers tos dinjum, soyo ne potes toyo semthes oi ad alyos spregent. 8 potikwe ambistetrui tom an dezhomos pelitom: tokwe nistatai polidement. 9 pro som nomenswe melas baba; ge poti semweursi cha plino dezhomos dinju: apokwe so stelom ambistetrui poti tom an dezhomos pelitom.
The Tower of Babel
1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said to one another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
0. baba -s fersh
babble -GEN tower
1. ad plino dezhom -om e- s -i oino dinju to whole earth -OBL IMPF- be:0 -PAST one language
2. oino =kwe spreg one =and speech
3. e- s -i =kwe IMPF- be:0 -PAST =and
4. to =yo e- ya -i apo aus -om 3p:NOM =SUB IMPF- journey:0 -PAST from east -OBL
5. to =yo we- wr -i pelit -om en shinar -os kherto -m 3p:NOM =SUB PERF- find:0 -PAST plain -OBL in Shinar -GEN land -OBL
6. to =kwe e- ws -i cha 3p:NOM =and IMPF- dwell -PAST there
7. to =kwe e- ml -i oi ad alyo gwem 3p:NOM =and IMPF- say:0 -PAST one to other come:IMP
8. so som -es to =yo kwer -es fog + achmo 3s:NOM should -PRES 3p:NOM =SUB create -PRES bake + stone
9. eus =kwe to -m pilne burn:IMP =and 3p -OBL fully
10. so =kwe es fog + achmo enstel achmo -m 3s:NOM =and be:PRES bake + stone in.place.of stone -OBL
11. so =kwe es slee -to enstel lei -om 3s:NOM =and be:PRES slimy -NML in.place.of mortar -OBL
12. to =kwe e- ml -i gwem 3p:NOM =and IMPF- say:0 -PAST come:IMP
13. so som -es to =yo dem -es 3s:NOM should -PRES 3p:NOM =SUB build -PRES
14. poli -m fersh -om =kwe city -OBL tower -OBL =and
15. kwi -s ardi an- ten -es ad deyeu -m REL -GEN point towards- stretch -PRES to heaven -OBL
16. so som -es to =yo the -s to -s nomen -om 3s:NOM should -PRES 3p:NOM =SUB place -PRES 3p -GEN name -OBL
17. ge =ye we ambi- streu -a -s because =if 1p:NOM around- scatter -PASS -PRES
18. an dezhom -os pelit -om on earth -GEN flat -OBL
19. poti =kwe ni- gwe- gum -i master =and down- PERF- come:0 -PAST
20. so =kwe se- skw -i poli -m ferzh -om =kwe 3s:NOM =and PERF- see:0 -PAST city -OBL tower -OBL =and
21. kwi -m shem -es -os tek -es e- dm -i REL -OBL person -PL -GEN child -PL IMPF- build:0 -PAST
22. poti =kwe e- ml -i seku shem -ia es oino master =and PERF- say:0 -PAST see:IMP person -COLL be:PRES one
23. ad =kwe to -m es oino dinju to =and 3p -OBL be:PRES one language
24. to =kwe er -es im 3p:NOM =and begin -PRES this:OBL
25. nu =kwe so ne pot -es now =and 3s:NOM not possible -PRES
26. e =yo apo- mir -a -s apo to -m anything =SUB from- hold -PASS -PRES from 3p -OBL
27. kwi -m to me- mn -i to =yo kwer -es REL -OBL 3p:NOM PERF- think:0 -PAST 3p =SUB create -PRES
28. gwem so som -es we =yo ni- ei come:IMP 3s:NOM should -PRES 1p:NOM =SUB down- go:IMP
29. cha =kwe sem- wers to -s dinju -m there =and together- pour:IMP 3p -GEN language -OBL
30. so =yo ne pot -es to =yo sem- the -s 3s:NOM =SUB not possible -PRES 3p:NOM =SUB together- put -PRES
31. oi ad alyo -s spreg -ent one to other -GEN speak -PTC
32. poti =kwe ambi- ste- tru -i to -m master =and around- PERF- scatter:0 -PAST 3p -OBL
33. an dezhom -os pelit -om on earth -GEN flat -OBL
34. to =kwe ni- sta- ta -i poli- dem -ent 3p:NOM =and down- PERF- stand:0 -PAST city- build -PTC
35. pro so -m nomen -swe mel -a -s baba for 3s -OBL name -REFL say -PASS -PRES babble
36. ge poti sem- we- wrs -i cha because master together- PERF- scatter:0 -PAST there
37. plino dezhom -os dinju all earth -GEN language
38. apo =kwe so stel -om ambi- ste- tru -i poti from =and that place -OBL around- PERF- scatter:0 -PAST master
39. to -m an dezhom -os pelit -om 3p -OBL on earth -GEN flat -OBL
