Demuan

Fabian

lama hanla le suodeyam mueqi
   alala lama eloketu byam
lama idanla slobeqi bender esper
   kung lama kuku haa le pepe
lama hinla xanjeqi yi snaal
   ax lama baa
zor zing ubeveqi lama tel le honqu nomod ee?

This is a direct translation from the original to Demuan. While the Demuans are familiar with the general concept of birds (lama tel), they don't have native words for the three species mentioned, so I merely transliterated the words. lama has been used extensively here, as the entire poem is talking in abstract terms.

lama hanla le suodeyam mueqi alala lama eloketu byam
[G] starling 's song speak-fut about [G] heroic deed

lama idanla slobeqi bender esper kung lama kuku haa le pepe
[G] heron wash-fut self's[p] feather using [G] early day 's rain

lama hinla xanjeqi yi snaal ax lama baa
[G] lark worship-fut the[p] star at [G] night

zor zing ubeveqi lama tel le honqu nomod ee?
therefore who can-see-fut [G] bird 's true essence [Q]?

Grammar notes

-qi is a simple future tense inflection.

These two don't really translate:
[G] the general concept of x
[Q] question word

Language contents

Valdyas table of contents

Home (Irina's Front Page)