Need help communicating my conlang.
Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:52 am
I have spent a lot of hours developing a Conlang for use in my campaign world. It is the first of over a dozen that I am fleshing out. I have three major, rather exhaustive languages. The first two are languages belonging to supernatural realms. One the language of those aligned with the light-side, and the other the language aligned with the dark side. The one I am finishing out first is the language of the dark side.
I can give a more in depth description if needed. This language is not designed with the human speech organs in mind, though it is close enough to them to be functional. If you are familiar with D&D, perhaps think of the Slaadi as a sort of target native speaker. I have established the phonetics, constructed root words specific to the language concept and common terms for gaming necessary for that purpose. As a language of chaos, I instituted some measures that could make it seem a bit crazy. Such as, there is a sound agreement requirement such that voiced and unvoiced consonants are never combined together in a grouping. You can have zd and st but never zt or sd. Further, the ending of modifiers of a verb (action) or noun (entity) must have agreement with the first consonant group of the word modified - even if it is placed after the word it modifies. There are a lot of words or base words because individual concepts all have their own word, though they can be expressed by other words as well. One can call a blade by the word for blade, or use the word for slashing and the suffix for tool. Both would be correct. All base words are both actions and entities. Articles determine tense and number. Punctuation is spoken: it has specific words or word pattern which define various kinds of clauses, sentences, questions, commands, etc. I am generating a glossary of English to Mɵlkhbhégh, with a simple English term or word translated to a Mɵlkhbhégh equivalent in the manner of a travel glossary. However, the Mɵlkhbhégh to English section is more extensive, where I give the Mɵlkhbhégh word followed by a proper definition.
There are two things I am having trouble with: 1) How I will establish a pronunciation guide with each word that is accurate, and 2) attempting to make sure the definitions of word variants are comprehensible.
Problem 1: I do not hear the sounds given in the IPA example chart in a manner with which I can readily identify. I do not know if this is a difference in accent or regionalism between my growing up in Missouri with a Hillbilly grandmother and a mother from the French Quarter of Louisiana or a defect in my hearing. I had trouble in the military distinguishing between certain consonantal sounds in Korean. (Such as not confusing kk with k or kh.) I think the person recorded in the chart is from Montreal, but I could be wrong and you guys likely know more than I do on this.
Here are the rules I have written for pronunciation so far. I want to create a TTF where each sound has one symbol. Again, the sounds are being produced by giant deep throated toothless humanoid demonic frogs. Most of the consonants come out right for me if I pronounce the using retroflex. I find pronouncing the words to be good exercise for my diaphram and a glass of herbal tea or throat lozenge to be a blessing for my larynx. I think the music called Growling might find this an excellent language for composition.
Consonantal Pronunciation Key
B, b (b) – as b in bib.
Bh, bh (β) – as v in fava but pronounced with the lips and no teeth.
Ç, ç (ʦ̣) – as ts in tsetse but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
Çh, çh (ʧ̣) – as ch in church but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
D, d (ɖ) – as d in dado but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
Dh, dh (ð̣) – as th in weather but pronounced with the tongue curled back against the roof of the mouth.
Dz, dz (ʣ̣) – as dz in adzes but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
Dzh, dzh (ʤ̣) – as j in dojo but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
G, g (g) – as g in ego.
Gh, gh (ɣ) – as gh in aargh but pronounced at the back of the soft palate almost with a gurgle.
K, k (k) – as k in kick.
Kh, kh (x) – as ch in Scottish loch or in German bucher.
Lh, lh (ʟ) – as l in paddle or cattle.
M, m (m) – as m in mum.
N, n (ɳ) – as n in nine.
Ŋ, ŋ (ɴ) – as ng in singer.
P, p (p) – as p in papa.
Ph, ph (ɸ) – as ph in alpha but pronounced with the lips and no teeth.
Ʀ, ʀ (ʕ̞ or ɑ̯) – as r in roar but pronounced in the throat as if passing up the larynx.
S, s (ʂ) – as s in sass but pronounced with the tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth.
Sh, sh (ʃ̣) – as sh in dishes but pronounced with the tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth.
T, t (ʈ) – as t in toat but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
Th, th (θ̣) – as th in thin but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
W, w (w) – as w in well.
Y, y (j) – as y in yield but but pronounced at the back of the soft palate with the tongue curled back.
Z, z (ʐ) – as z in cozy but pronounced with the tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth.
Zh, zh (ʒ̣) – as s in vision but pronounced with the tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth.
Pronouncing Vowels
Vowels are always pronounced in full. Dipthongs do not occur as they would in other languages. For instance, aé and ai are pronouned as ah/ay and ah/ee and do not slide together to sound like the i in pie.
Vowel Pronunciation Key
A, a (ɑ) – as a in father but pronounced in the back of the mouth almost against the tonsils.
É, é (ɛ) – someplace between the e in met and the a in say, but pronounced in the back of the mouth almost against the tonsils.
Ə, ə (ə) – either as a schwa or as a final exhalation of breath following a consonant. This letter is always unstressed or nearly inaudible.
I, i (ɨ) – as i in machine but pronounced in the back of the mouth almost against the tonsils. A pull of the diaphram is common with this letter.
Ö, ö (ɔ) – as o in goat but pronounced in the throat with a noticeable pull on the diaphram.
Ɵ, ɵ (ɵ) – as oo in book, and not like in tool, and pronounced against the roof of the mouth. However, ɵlh is pronounced like the le in turtle and puddle or the ull in gull with an almost swallowed quality.
Ü, ü (ʊ) – as u in rue but pronounced in the throat with a noticeable pull on the diaphram.
Pronouncing Dipthongs
True vowels are always pronounced independently. They never form dipthongs. There are no dipthongs like the ou in house or the oi in oil. Instead there are combinations of vowels and semi-vowels which cause a kind of lilt in a vowel sound.
Where the combination is aw, éw, iw, ɵw, öw, or üw the first vowel is pronounced normally. The w becomes a de-emphasized or softened and shortened ə. It is given just enough enunciation to color the end of the vowel – like a bad American imitation of an Italian accent. Where the combination is ay, éy, iy, ɵy, öy, or üy the first vowel is pronounced normally and the y becomes just the barest hint of the short i.
Where the ə is used it is a grammatical structure, to provide an exhalation of breath, or as a de-emphasized vowel sound where otherwise one might not be observed at all. Beyond that it is rarely used.
The glottal stop appears in grammatical endings or constructions to separate vowels where construction causes them to repeat. It generally appears between vowels where they are doubled. H is not a native letter and is used in transliterations to represent aspiration, but otherwise does not exist in the Mɵlkhbhégh.
Consonantal clusters are predominantly voiced or unvoiced. While approximants and some pharyngeals do not follow this pattern, others do. So in a grouping, one might find sht or zhd, but not shd or zht.
Where we are accustomed to using a dash, comma, or hyphen between words, in Mɵlkhbhégh a small arrow or guillemet is used. In transliteration this mark is used instead.
Stress with Syllables:
Syllabic stress is natural rather than imposed. There is no rule which forces a certain syllable in a word to be stressed. Stress flows naturally from the expression of each vowel. Typically, the vowels pronounced in the mouth (a, é, and ɵ) are less stressed. Thus, the é and ɵ will usually, but not always have least stress. The a will generally have slightly more stress than the é and ɵ especially when following one of those two letters. However, these vowels may even be so lacking in stress as to nearly effect the schwa sound of the ə, w, or y. Those vowels pronounced from the diaphram (i, ö, or ü) tend to have natural stress. In addition, the second to the last syllable of the base word, before adding endings is often the most stressed syllable of the word – just not always. Further, the syllable of stress may shift as prefixes and suffices are added to a base word, or because of the words which immediately precede or follow it. That does not even consider the individual choices of expression by the speaker.
How would you guys recommend I express the above pronunciations without the letters being confused with the sounds of normal human speech? I suspect such is not really possible. I have already considered shifting the vowels to: a, é, e, i, ó, o, and u when written in Roman letters.
Problem 2: Here is my first attempt to format one word (A`at) into its variants with definitions. The concepts are not meant to make sense in our mundane world. It is a language for an environment of churning forces and matter at an array of speeds, in differing trajectories or flows of time, across dimensions, without the limitations of physics we experience. Actions may occur of themselves without cause or the verb may be its own causative agent. My purpose is to create the illusion of expressing concepts that would rupture the sanity of the human mind to encounter in a rational manner for the use of real humans. I can use the definitions below as a plug and play, modifying slightly as I go through each of the remaining 3,507 root terms - if that is sufficiently functional. (Ok, there will be some simple terms removed from the list yet, that I haven't finished moving. But there is easily 2,700 to 3,000 root terms that form the core of the language outside of specific nouns necessary for gaming purposes.)
A`at n. 1. An appendage at the rear, a tail, used to propel forward. 2. A long oar, tail, etc. at the stern of an entity (boat, creature, vehicle, etc.) used to propel it forward.
A`at v. To cause to move forward or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atis, A`atiz v. Manifesting forward motion or progress from the rear or stern.
A`atas, A`ataz n. The state or condition of being propelled forward from the rear or stern.
A`atit, A`atid m1. The object action is being propelled forward from the rear by some external influence.
A`atat, A`atad m2. The object entity is being propelled forward from the rear by some external influence.
A`atik, A`atig m1. The object action is being propelled forward from the rear of its own accord.
A`atak, A`atag m2. The object entity is being propelled forward from the rear of its own accord.
Sa`a`at a. The modifying influence is being propelled forward from the rear onto the object of the modifier.
A`atibh v. To catalyze forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind in its specific localized positing irrespective of other actions also or not occurring.
A`atabh n. The point or locus where forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind is produced.
A`atid v. To express as the source action as catalyzing forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atad n. The entity which effects forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atim v. To eddy or a turbulently flowing as a result of forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atam n. An eddy or wake resulting from the forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atiös v. To manifest a wide influence or an environmentally expressing of forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atiés n. The area or environment where forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind is effected.
A`atöb v. To effect the setting or conditions wherein forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind is effected.
A`atéb n. The setting or conditions wherein forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind is effected.
A`atöŋ v. To express by action the effecting of forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atéŋ n. The gerund for forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atüç v. To cause forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind through a tool.
A`atɵç n. The specified tool for effecting forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atyö v. To have capacity for forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atyé n. The ability or capacity for forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
Are these comprehensible? Is there a better way to structure the definitions to express the shifting use of the concept as the root word is inflected?
Here is an example of the written form:
Mɵlkhbhégh:
Ʀézgé ékimé lhéilhiçhé
Mai kém élhzhiɵ éyüsh ʀilhöw ilhçö azhʀé éiyé
zʀi ʀalhdz émaʀ ʀagdz dzyögɵy ʀizh
Mai kamkh içhat asnö kimkh abhé ézhyés azhʀé éiyé
ɵlhtét taɵmdé néiʀɵ aç dzwödzɵ azlhü
Mai ʀɵmthé öʀɵʀa Éütöag ʀilhkh alhçhɵ
aç ʀɵmthé ömthia yöadh ʀilhkh tha`ay tiam
Mai dzhɵmthə ithyéa öitis ʀilhöw ilhçö azhʀé éiyé
zʀi ʀagdz öʀdzhlhéʀzü ʀalhdz alhgha ʀizh idz
Somewhat Literal Translation:
The Prophetic Apocrypha
When the young races shall choose in that future time and place,
either continuing life or eternal loss,
When the gouges of time shall have been elegantly carved
on (your) verdant and delightful Face,
When (your) warm Lover shall have cooled,
and the evil Tormentor shall have ruled,
While the few eternal Heroes shall choose in that future time and place,
either they will have utterly perished or shall be invigorating.
Standard Translation:
The Prophetic Apocrypha
In that Day, when your Children will choose
whether to live or to lose,
When Time's Marks are engraved with grace
on thy verdant and pleasant Face,
When thy warm Lover has cooled,
and thy dark Tormentor has ruled,
While the eternal Heroes are few
whether to die or renew.
I can give a more in depth description if needed. This language is not designed with the human speech organs in mind, though it is close enough to them to be functional. If you are familiar with D&D, perhaps think of the Slaadi as a sort of target native speaker. I have established the phonetics, constructed root words specific to the language concept and common terms for gaming necessary for that purpose. As a language of chaos, I instituted some measures that could make it seem a bit crazy. Such as, there is a sound agreement requirement such that voiced and unvoiced consonants are never combined together in a grouping. You can have zd and st but never zt or sd. Further, the ending of modifiers of a verb (action) or noun (entity) must have agreement with the first consonant group of the word modified - even if it is placed after the word it modifies. There are a lot of words or base words because individual concepts all have their own word, though they can be expressed by other words as well. One can call a blade by the word for blade, or use the word for slashing and the suffix for tool. Both would be correct. All base words are both actions and entities. Articles determine tense and number. Punctuation is spoken: it has specific words or word pattern which define various kinds of clauses, sentences, questions, commands, etc. I am generating a glossary of English to Mɵlkhbhégh, with a simple English term or word translated to a Mɵlkhbhégh equivalent in the manner of a travel glossary. However, the Mɵlkhbhégh to English section is more extensive, where I give the Mɵlkhbhégh word followed by a proper definition.
There are two things I am having trouble with: 1) How I will establish a pronunciation guide with each word that is accurate, and 2) attempting to make sure the definitions of word variants are comprehensible.
Problem 1: I do not hear the sounds given in the IPA example chart in a manner with which I can readily identify. I do not know if this is a difference in accent or regionalism between my growing up in Missouri with a Hillbilly grandmother and a mother from the French Quarter of Louisiana or a defect in my hearing. I had trouble in the military distinguishing between certain consonantal sounds in Korean. (Such as not confusing kk with k or kh.) I think the person recorded in the chart is from Montreal, but I could be wrong and you guys likely know more than I do on this.
Here are the rules I have written for pronunciation so far. I want to create a TTF where each sound has one symbol. Again, the sounds are being produced by giant deep throated toothless humanoid demonic frogs. Most of the consonants come out right for me if I pronounce the using retroflex. I find pronouncing the words to be good exercise for my diaphram and a glass of herbal tea or throat lozenge to be a blessing for my larynx. I think the music called Growling might find this an excellent language for composition.
Consonantal Pronunciation Key
B, b (b) – as b in bib.
Bh, bh (β) – as v in fava but pronounced with the lips and no teeth.
Ç, ç (ʦ̣) – as ts in tsetse but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
Çh, çh (ʧ̣) – as ch in church but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
D, d (ɖ) – as d in dado but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
Dh, dh (ð̣) – as th in weather but pronounced with the tongue curled back against the roof of the mouth.
Dz, dz (ʣ̣) – as dz in adzes but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
Dzh, dzh (ʤ̣) – as j in dojo but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
G, g (g) – as g in ego.
Gh, gh (ɣ) – as gh in aargh but pronounced at the back of the soft palate almost with a gurgle.
K, k (k) – as k in kick.
Kh, kh (x) – as ch in Scottish loch or in German bucher.
Lh, lh (ʟ) – as l in paddle or cattle.
M, m (m) – as m in mum.
N, n (ɳ) – as n in nine.
Ŋ, ŋ (ɴ) – as ng in singer.
P, p (p) – as p in papa.
Ph, ph (ɸ) – as ph in alpha but pronounced with the lips and no teeth.
Ʀ, ʀ (ʕ̞ or ɑ̯) – as r in roar but pronounced in the throat as if passing up the larynx.
S, s (ʂ) – as s in sass but pronounced with the tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth.
Sh, sh (ʃ̣) – as sh in dishes but pronounced with the tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth.
T, t (ʈ) – as t in toat but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
Th, th (θ̣) – as th in thin but pronounced with the tongue curled back to strike the roof of the mouth.
W, w (w) – as w in well.
Y, y (j) – as y in yield but but pronounced at the back of the soft palate with the tongue curled back.
Z, z (ʐ) – as z in cozy but pronounced with the tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth.
Zh, zh (ʒ̣) – as s in vision but pronounced with the tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth.
Pronouncing Vowels
Vowels are always pronounced in full. Dipthongs do not occur as they would in other languages. For instance, aé and ai are pronouned as ah/ay and ah/ee and do not slide together to sound like the i in pie.
Vowel Pronunciation Key
A, a (ɑ) – as a in father but pronounced in the back of the mouth almost against the tonsils.
É, é (ɛ) – someplace between the e in met and the a in say, but pronounced in the back of the mouth almost against the tonsils.
Ə, ə (ə) – either as a schwa or as a final exhalation of breath following a consonant. This letter is always unstressed or nearly inaudible.
I, i (ɨ) – as i in machine but pronounced in the back of the mouth almost against the tonsils. A pull of the diaphram is common with this letter.
Ö, ö (ɔ) – as o in goat but pronounced in the throat with a noticeable pull on the diaphram.
Ɵ, ɵ (ɵ) – as oo in book, and not like in tool, and pronounced against the roof of the mouth. However, ɵlh is pronounced like the le in turtle and puddle or the ull in gull with an almost swallowed quality.
Ü, ü (ʊ) – as u in rue but pronounced in the throat with a noticeable pull on the diaphram.
Pronouncing Dipthongs
True vowels are always pronounced independently. They never form dipthongs. There are no dipthongs like the ou in house or the oi in oil. Instead there are combinations of vowels and semi-vowels which cause a kind of lilt in a vowel sound.
Where the combination is aw, éw, iw, ɵw, öw, or üw the first vowel is pronounced normally. The w becomes a de-emphasized or softened and shortened ə. It is given just enough enunciation to color the end of the vowel – like a bad American imitation of an Italian accent. Where the combination is ay, éy, iy, ɵy, öy, or üy the first vowel is pronounced normally and the y becomes just the barest hint of the short i.
Where the ə is used it is a grammatical structure, to provide an exhalation of breath, or as a de-emphasized vowel sound where otherwise one might not be observed at all. Beyond that it is rarely used.
The glottal stop appears in grammatical endings or constructions to separate vowels where construction causes them to repeat. It generally appears between vowels where they are doubled. H is not a native letter and is used in transliterations to represent aspiration, but otherwise does not exist in the Mɵlkhbhégh.
Consonantal clusters are predominantly voiced or unvoiced. While approximants and some pharyngeals do not follow this pattern, others do. So in a grouping, one might find sht or zhd, but not shd or zht.
Where we are accustomed to using a dash, comma, or hyphen between words, in Mɵlkhbhégh a small arrow or guillemet is used. In transliteration this mark is used instead.
Stress with Syllables:
Syllabic stress is natural rather than imposed. There is no rule which forces a certain syllable in a word to be stressed. Stress flows naturally from the expression of each vowel. Typically, the vowels pronounced in the mouth (a, é, and ɵ) are less stressed. Thus, the é and ɵ will usually, but not always have least stress. The a will generally have slightly more stress than the é and ɵ especially when following one of those two letters. However, these vowels may even be so lacking in stress as to nearly effect the schwa sound of the ə, w, or y. Those vowels pronounced from the diaphram (i, ö, or ü) tend to have natural stress. In addition, the second to the last syllable of the base word, before adding endings is often the most stressed syllable of the word – just not always. Further, the syllable of stress may shift as prefixes and suffices are added to a base word, or because of the words which immediately precede or follow it. That does not even consider the individual choices of expression by the speaker.
How would you guys recommend I express the above pronunciations without the letters being confused with the sounds of normal human speech? I suspect such is not really possible. I have already considered shifting the vowels to: a, é, e, i, ó, o, and u when written in Roman letters.
Problem 2: Here is my first attempt to format one word (A`at) into its variants with definitions. The concepts are not meant to make sense in our mundane world. It is a language for an environment of churning forces and matter at an array of speeds, in differing trajectories or flows of time, across dimensions, without the limitations of physics we experience. Actions may occur of themselves without cause or the verb may be its own causative agent. My purpose is to create the illusion of expressing concepts that would rupture the sanity of the human mind to encounter in a rational manner for the use of real humans. I can use the definitions below as a plug and play, modifying slightly as I go through each of the remaining 3,507 root terms - if that is sufficiently functional. (Ok, there will be some simple terms removed from the list yet, that I haven't finished moving. But there is easily 2,700 to 3,000 root terms that form the core of the language outside of specific nouns necessary for gaming purposes.)
A`at n. 1. An appendage at the rear, a tail, used to propel forward. 2. A long oar, tail, etc. at the stern of an entity (boat, creature, vehicle, etc.) used to propel it forward.
A`at v. To cause to move forward or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atis, A`atiz v. Manifesting forward motion or progress from the rear or stern.
A`atas, A`ataz n. The state or condition of being propelled forward from the rear or stern.
A`atit, A`atid m1. The object action is being propelled forward from the rear by some external influence.
A`atat, A`atad m2. The object entity is being propelled forward from the rear by some external influence.
A`atik, A`atig m1. The object action is being propelled forward from the rear of its own accord.
A`atak, A`atag m2. The object entity is being propelled forward from the rear of its own accord.
Sa`a`at a. The modifying influence is being propelled forward from the rear onto the object of the modifier.
A`atibh v. To catalyze forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind in its specific localized positing irrespective of other actions also or not occurring.
A`atabh n. The point or locus where forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind is produced.
A`atid v. To express as the source action as catalyzing forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atad n. The entity which effects forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atim v. To eddy or a turbulently flowing as a result of forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atam n. An eddy or wake resulting from the forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atiös v. To manifest a wide influence or an environmentally expressing of forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atiés n. The area or environment where forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind is effected.
A`atöb v. To effect the setting or conditions wherein forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind is effected.
A`atéb n. The setting or conditions wherein forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind is effected.
A`atöŋ v. To express by action the effecting of forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atéŋ n. The gerund for forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atüç v. To cause forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind through a tool.
A`atɵç n. The specified tool for effecting forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atyö v. To have capacity for forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
A`atyé n. The ability or capacity for forward motion or progress due to pressure or influence from behind.
Are these comprehensible? Is there a better way to structure the definitions to express the shifting use of the concept as the root word is inflected?
Here is an example of the written form:
Mɵlkhbhégh:
Ʀézgé ékimé lhéilhiçhé
Mai kém élhzhiɵ éyüsh ʀilhöw ilhçö azhʀé éiyé
zʀi ʀalhdz émaʀ ʀagdz dzyögɵy ʀizh
Mai kamkh içhat asnö kimkh abhé ézhyés azhʀé éiyé
ɵlhtét taɵmdé néiʀɵ aç dzwödzɵ azlhü
Mai ʀɵmthé öʀɵʀa Éütöag ʀilhkh alhçhɵ
aç ʀɵmthé ömthia yöadh ʀilhkh tha`ay tiam
Mai dzhɵmthə ithyéa öitis ʀilhöw ilhçö azhʀé éiyé
zʀi ʀagdz öʀdzhlhéʀzü ʀalhdz alhgha ʀizh idz
Somewhat Literal Translation:
The Prophetic Apocrypha
When the young races shall choose in that future time and place,
either continuing life or eternal loss,
When the gouges of time shall have been elegantly carved
on (your) verdant and delightful Face,
When (your) warm Lover shall have cooled,
and the evil Tormentor shall have ruled,
While the few eternal Heroes shall choose in that future time and place,
either they will have utterly perished or shall be invigorating.
Standard Translation:
The Prophetic Apocrypha
In that Day, when your Children will choose
whether to live or to lose,
When Time's Marks are engraved with grace
on thy verdant and pleasant Face,
When thy warm Lover has cooled,
and thy dark Tormentor has ruled,
While the eternal Heroes are few
whether to die or renew.