Blog Retirement

Some time ago I switched most of my activity over to my new website. Since I've installed an "updates" feature that will allow me to merge the functions of a blog with the more flexible archive format of a website, I won't be needing this outlet any more. Needless to say, it will remain up for reference purposes. 

Láé gad!

Ryōkan Translation

A little translation project for old time's sake.

New Website Up!

Using Google Sites, I have put together a new website to hold all of the relevant information about my various language projects, especially Órgom Silawa. It has all sorts of goodies, including the first ever on-line lexicon of Órgom Silawa, and a peek at my newest language Kelemad Lim. Go check it out!

(ps.: Google docs is a must.)

New Entry in the Official Grammar

I have made a new entry in the Official Grammar of Órgom Silawa, filling a longstanding gap: reflexive pronouns. The new forms are related to the normal pronouns, and so should be easy to learn and use. The reflexive is formed by placing an s before the normal pronoun in question. They decline as usual (though the nominative is rare, it does exist.)

Here, then, is a breakdown of the forms:

[1st, 2nd, 3rd person]
sing, sang, séng  [singular]
sin, san, sén        [dual]
sidh, sadh, sédh  [plural]

(File this under sect. 2.3.4 of the grammar)

Happy reflexing!

A.dem Falgon.a - A Bundle of Sticks

The following is a longer preview of Spundaluvian. All forms have been full parsed to help you get a feel for the story. You should be able to follow along just from the grammatical commentary!

A.dem Falgon.a

(characterized by stick “a”)(bundle “a”)

dad.urog.fo.vi o.yormast anf.o ko.dano.fo.fe ne.sarg hezde.i,

(towards-summoned-he “o”-them fewer than 5 “i”)(“o”old )(person “o”)(who “o”-is near-he “o”-to it “e”) (to “e”-die)(child “i”),

na.tuyun.fo.vi.fu du.salin os.vaknezd·

(subordinate-gave-he “o”-to them “i”-it “u”)(nominalizer “u”-advice)(agent “o” parting).

uhem.fo.fe is.anast ne.ne.anankin.vi.fu u.den falgon.u,

(ordered-he “o”-it “e”)(agent “i”-server)(subordinate to “e”-in-bring-they “i”-it “u”)(characterized by stick “u”)(bundle “u”),

i dad.suyom.fo.fa a.yormast.mot hezde.a:

(&)(toward-said-he “o”-him “a”)(“a” old-superlative)(child “a”):

“da.bav.ta.fu!”

(imperative-break-you “a”-it “u”)!

zdugol.fe i zdugol.fe men vel.e zdil upov.fe.fa na.bav.fe.fu

(struggled-he “e”)(&)(struggled-he “e”)(but)(power of “e”)(not)(was able-it “e”-it “a”)(subordinate to “a”-break-it “e”-it “u”)

falgon.u hezde.e· e.nast hezde.e i zdugol.ye, urdim.re·

(bundle “u”)(child “e”). (“e” other)(child “e”)(also)(struggled-all of “e”), (succeeded-none of “e”).

“da.halesa.da.fu falgon.u,” suyom.fa pet, “i da.gagot.ya.fi

(imperative-release-you pauc. “a”-it “u”)(bundle “u”) (said-he)(father), (&)(imperative-receive-all-it “i”)

den.i·” yotot suyom.fa, “not da.bav.da.vi,” i den.i

(stick “i”). (then)(said-he), (now)(imperative-break-you pauc.- them pauc “i”), (&)(stick “i”)

o.buv.zdo.yi o.iftu· Suyom.fa pet, “kanonot.da.fe yut.e·”

(“o” coordinate-break-passive-all of “i”)(“o” easily). (said-he)(father), (understand-you pauc.-it “e”)(meaning “e”).

Sneak Peek of Spundaluvian

 Spundaluvian is a new language I'm working on. As you can see, it uses a slightly modified form of the Órgom Silawa alphabet. In fact, it is related taxonomically with my other language, so you may recognize some of the roots! Below is a fully parsed example to get you accustomed.

hozdeg.so.fe nil.o fakad.e i gere.va.sa.gi herv.i

(I-'o'-mark have left it-'e'-mark) (Neal-'o'-mark) (house-'e'-mark) (and) (I go through more than five 'i'-marks) (tree-'i'-mark)

garnuv.sa.fo no.hazdid.sa.fe yormast.e forg.e

(I want it-'o'-mark) ( I 'o'-mark subordinate to see it-'e'-mark) (old 'e'-mark) (ship 'e'-mark)

nok.se.fa.fo forg holip.o ne.ko.tihul.fa

(it is from it-'o'-mark) (ship) (group-'o'-mark) (realative 'o'-mark which will come in)

 Here are a few of the more interesting features:

-There are vowel markers which can be worked into just about any part of speech to coordinate it to another word in the same sentence. These are all interchangeable and reset for every sentence. For instance, if a verb specifies an "o-mark" object, whatever noun, phrase, or group in the sentence with the "o-mark" is the subject, wherever it or they may be.

-There are three numbers: singular, paucal (2-5), and plural (6+).

-Tense is indicated by a vowel shift in the verbal stem.

That's just a teaser. Enjoy!

Sappho 34 Translation

Sappho's fragment 34 (Cambell) in Órgom Silawa free verse.
Loosely in English-

"The stars about the beautiful moon
hide themselves away
when she's full and shining most upon the
Earth."


/// Update!

A mysterious video has appeared on youtube! What can it mean?