Rivani and Its Cousins
Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2018 7:30 pm
I have a little assortment of closely related languages descended from an English-based creole spoken by the nomadic peoples of the Outer Solar System in my sci-fi setting. There's no name for them collectively as their speakers always identify them by their individual dialect. They have varying degrees of mutual intelligibility. At any rate, I decided to translate "Galadriel's Song of Eldamar" into the dialect of my main character, Rivani, as an exercise, plus the last line into the six major dialects I've developed. I'm not particularly satisfied with my syntax so far, but since it's chiefly a naming language I'm not too concerned at this point. Observations welcome.
(A note about the half-long vowels in Rivani and Shüsperi: these are chiefly to indicate vestigial length contrasts. That is, what were originally length contrasts [maintained in Zezbekhi and partially in Sharden, diphthongized in Bazai, and lost entirely in Ekshona] have primarily become quality contrasts in Rivani and Shüsperi, but historical long vowels may retain some non-contrastive lengthening.)
Rivani
Nåv-e vesa mæno Ṭiʾa pæn pæžræ qåš hæmeš hađ zu biš vorb?
[ˈnɒˑʋe ˈʋesɑˑ ˈmæno ˈt̪ˁeˑʔɑˑ ˈpʰæn ˈpʰæʐɾæˌqɔˑʂ hæˈmeʂˌhɑˑð zuˑˈviˑʂˌʋoɾb]
Sharden
Nōw-e wesā mano Ṭīʾā fan fažre ḳōš hameš hāđ zū bīš worb?
[ˈnoːwe ˈwesɑː ˈmäno ˈt̪ʼiːʔɑː ˈpʰän ˈfäʒɾeˌkʼoːʃ häˈmeʃˌhɑːð zuːˈviːʃˌwoɹb]
Ekshona
Nöw-ë wësa mënö Ṭeʾa pën hëžlë öš hëmëš had zo beš wölb?
[ˈn̺ɔwə ˈwɛs̠ə ˈmɛn̺ə ˈt̪ʰeʔə ˈpʰɛn̺ ˈçɝʐɭəˌʔɵ˞ʂ çəˈmɝʂˌhɐd̺ zoˈbɛ˞ʂˌwɔl̺b]
Bazai
Nuif-i visao manu Ṭaiʾao pan faṛṛa kuis hamis haod zuo bais vurb?
[ˈnuɪ̯ʋi ˈʋisɐɔ̯ ˈmanu ˈtˀɐ̰ɪ̯ʔɐ̰ɔ̯ ˈpan ˈfaɻˁɻʷˁɑˌquɪ̯s haˈmisˌhɐɔ̯d zuo̯ˈbɐɪ̯sˌʋuɹb]
Shüsperi
Noŕ-e ŕesa mänø Ṭia pän fäžrä qoš hämeš had zü biš ŕørb?
[ˈnoˑɹə ˈɹesɑˑ ˈmɛnøˑ ˈʈiˑɑˑ ˈpɛn ˈfɛʑɾəˌqoˑʃ həˈmeɕˌhɑˑd zyˑˈbiˑɕˌɹøˑɾb]
Zezbekhi
Nūv-i visā menu Ḥēʾā pen ḥeȝle qūḫ hemiḫ hād zī bēḫ vulb?
[ˈnuːvi ˈvisäː ˈmenu ˈħæ̥ːʔḁ̈ː ˈpʰen ˈħæɣɫæˌq͡χɔ̥ːx heˈmiçˌhḁ̈ːt ziːˈpe̥xˌvɔʊ̯p]
Ež šæƀžehan da šeŋ heđ, šæƀžehan-e gård da, vođ šæƀžehan-e gård ziš ġu heđ.
Ež žir da šeŋ heđ, žir ziš kem heđ vođ beræŋan dær boru heđ.
Horšeđ-za zađ, Maŋ-za zađ, Ṭiʾa-za pæn pum-za,
Vođ Ṭe-ze gård šuš-e-za Irmærin ġu heđ.
Eʾ æšṭehan-e-za Hæmeš-vešpeš nes Erdæmær dær romæš heđ,
Erdæmær dær devåšan-e-za Tiryon-e Erpan.
Šæƀžehan-e-za gård ṭovir dær ziš šåran-za šuꝑreʾænt dær ġu hev,
Ešen ŋohan-e-za Erpan Ṭiʾa-za Šešæštænt zađ heš aža oꝑtåđ æš.
U Ruryen! Veṛṭ-za kem ež, zåm-za næҟš šæƀžehan næ;
Šæƀžehan-za zæḍæ-za dær oꝑtåđ guž. ʿeveš-za vi kuṣ ež.
U Ruryen! Ež ṭovir pæžræ dær Šuš-za Heẓ dær qamæ heđ,
Vođ ež erænor-e-za gård keruneʾ teremænt dær toʾan heđ.
Žeṣe šæ ež nåvan da aža zu šeŋ em, nåv-e vesa mæno dær zu kem vorb?
Nåv-e vesa mæno Ṭiʾa pæn pæžræ qåš hæmeš hađ zu biš vorb?
ež šæƀže-an da šeŋ heđ,
1s leaf-PL of sing PERF.PAST
[ˈʔeʐ ʂævˈʐehɑˑnˌdɑˑ ˈʂeŋˌheð]
šæƀže-an-e gård da,
leaf-PL-GEN gold of
[ʂævˈʐehɑˑne ˈgɒˑɾdˌdɑˑ]
vođ šæƀže-an-e gård ziš ġu heđ.
and leaf-PL-GEN gold there grow PERF.PAST
[ˈʋoð ʂævˈʐehɑˑne ˈgɒˑɾd ˈziˑʂ ˈɢoˑˌheð]
ež žir da šeŋ heđ
1s wind of sing PERF.PAST
[ˈʔeʐ ˈziˑɾˌdɑˑ ˈʂeŋˌheð]
žir ziš kem heđ vođ beræŋ-an dær boru heđ.
wind there come PERF.PAST and branch-PL among blow PERF.PAST
[ˈziˑɾ ˈziˑʂ ˈkʰemˌheð ˈʋoð beˈɾæŋɑˑnˌdæɾ boˈɾuˑˌheð]
Horšeđ-za zađ, Maŋ-za zađ, Ṭiʾa-za pæn pum-za.
Sun-the beyond Moon-the beyond, Sea-the upon foam-the
[hoɾˈʂeðˌzɑˑzɑˑð ˈmɑˑŋˌzɑˑzɑˑð ˈt̪ˁeˑʔɑˑˌzɑˑpæn ˈpʰuˑmˌzɑˑ]
vođ Ṭe-e gård šuš-e-za Irmærin ġu heđ.
and tree-GEN gold shore-GEN-the Ilmarin grow PERF.PAST
[ˈʋoð ˈt̪ˁɛze ˈgɒˑɾd ˈʂuˑʂeˌzɑˑ ʔiˑɾˈmæɾiˑn ˈɢoˑˌheð]
eʾ æšṭe-an-e-za Hæmeš-vešpeš nes Erdæmær dær romæš heđ,
3sn star-PL-GEN-the always-evening beneath Eldamar in shine PERF.PAST
[ˈʔeʔ ˈʔæʂt̪ˁɛhɑˑneˌzɑˑ hæˈmeʂˌʋeʂpeʂnes ʔeɾˈdæmæɾˌdæɾ roˈmæʂˌheð]
Erdæmær dær devåš-an-e-za Tiryon-e Erp-an.
Eldamar in wall-PL-GEN-the Tirion-GEN Elf-PL
[ʔeɾˈdæmæɾˌdæɾ deˈʋɒˑʂɑˑneˌzɑˑ ˈtiˑɾjone ˈʔeɾpɑˑn]
šæƀže-an-e-za gård ṭovir dær ziš šår-an-za šuꝑreʾ-ænt dær ġu hev,
leaf-PL-GEN-the gold long.time in there year-PL-the divide-PART amid grow PRES.PERF.3p
[ʂævˈʐehɑˑneˌzɑˑ ˈgɒˑɾd t̪ˁɔˈʋiˑɾˌdæɾ ˈziˑʂ ˈʂɒˑɾɑˑnˌzɑˑ ʂuˑfˈɾeʔæntˌdæɾ ˈɢoˑˌheʋ]
ešen ŋo-an-e-za Erp-an Ṭiʾa-za Šešæšt-ænt zađ heš aža oꝑtåđ æš.
while tear-PL-GEN-the Elf-PL Sea-the Sunder-PART beyond here now fall PRES.IMP.3p
[ˈʔeʂen ˈŋohɑˑneˌzɑˑ ˈʔeɾpɑˑn ˈt̪ˁeˑʔɑˑ ʂeˈʂæʂtæntˌzɑˑð ˈheʂ ˈʔɑˑʐɑˑ ʔofˈtɒˑðæʂ]
U Ruryen! Veṛṭ-za kem ež, zåm-za næҟš šæƀže-an næ;
O Lórien Winter-the come PRES.IMP.3s day-the naked leaf-PL NEG
[ˈʔuˑ ˈruˑɾjen ˈʋeɾ̪ˁt̪ˁˌzɑˑ ˈkʰemeʐ ˈzɒˑmˌzɑˑ ˈnæxʂ ʂævˈʐehɑˑnˌnæ]
šæƀže-an-za zæḍæ-za dær oꝑtåđ guž.
leaf-PL-the stream-the in fall PRES.PROG
[ʂævˈʐehɑˑnˌzɑˑ zæˈd̪ˁæˌzɑˑdæɾ ʔofˈtɒˑðˌguˑʐ]
ʿeveš-za vi kuṣ ež.
River-the away flow PRES.IMP.3s
[ˈʕɛʋeʂˌzɑˑ ˈʋiˑ ˈkʰuˑs̪ˁeʐ]
U Ruryen! Ež ṭovir pæžræ dær Šuš-za Heẓ dær qamæ heđ,
O Lórien 1s long.time much in Shore-the Near amid dwell PERF.PAST
[ˈʔuˑ ˈruˑɾjen ˈʔeʐ t̪ˁɔˈʋiˑɾ ˈpʰæʐɾæˌdæɾ ˈʂuˑʂˌzɑˑ ˈhez̪ˁˌdæɾ ˈqäˑmæˌheð]
vođ ež erænor-e-za gård keruneʾ terem-ænt dær toʾan heđ.
and 1s elanor-GEN-the gold crown fade-PART in braid PERF.PAST
[ˈʋoð ˈʔeʐ ˈʔeɾænoɾeˌzɑˑ ˈgɒˑɾd kʰeˈɾuˑneʔ tʰeˈɾemæntˌdæɾ tʰoˈʔɑˑnˌheð]
žeṣe šæ ež nåv-an da aža zu šeŋ em,
yet if 1s ship-PL of now IRR sing PRES.IMP.1s
[ˈʐes̪ˁɛ ˈʂæ ˈʔeʐ ˈnɒˑʋɑˑnˌdɑˑ ˈʔɑˑʐɑˑ zuˈʂeŋem]
nåv-e vesa mæno dær zu kem vorb?
ship-GEN which.one 1s at IRR come FUT.IMP
[ˈnɒˑʋe ˈʋesɑˑ ˈmænoˌdæɾ zuˈxemˌʋoɾb]
nåv-e vesa mæno Ṭiʾa pæn pæžræ qåš hæmeš hađ zu biš vorb?
ship-GEN which.one 1s Sea wide much across ever back IRR carry FUT.IMP
[ˈnɒˑʋe ˈʋesɑˑ ˈmæno ˈt̪ˁeˑʔɑˑ ˈpʰæn ˈpʰæʐɾæˌqɔˑʂ hæˈmeʂˌhɑˑð zuˑˈviˑʂˌʋoɾb]
(A note about the half-long vowels in Rivani and Shüsperi: these are chiefly to indicate vestigial length contrasts. That is, what were originally length contrasts [maintained in Zezbekhi and partially in Sharden, diphthongized in Bazai, and lost entirely in Ekshona] have primarily become quality contrasts in Rivani and Shüsperi, but historical long vowels may retain some non-contrastive lengthening.)
Rivani
Nåv-e vesa mæno Ṭiʾa pæn pæžræ qåš hæmeš hađ zu biš vorb?
[ˈnɒˑʋe ˈʋesɑˑ ˈmæno ˈt̪ˁeˑʔɑˑ ˈpʰæn ˈpʰæʐɾæˌqɔˑʂ hæˈmeʂˌhɑˑð zuˑˈviˑʂˌʋoɾb]
Sharden
Nōw-e wesā mano Ṭīʾā fan fažre ḳōš hameš hāđ zū bīš worb?
[ˈnoːwe ˈwesɑː ˈmäno ˈt̪ʼiːʔɑː ˈpʰän ˈfäʒɾeˌkʼoːʃ häˈmeʃˌhɑːð zuːˈviːʃˌwoɹb]
Ekshona
Nöw-ë wësa mënö Ṭeʾa pën hëžlë öš hëmëš had zo beš wölb?
[ˈn̺ɔwə ˈwɛs̠ə ˈmɛn̺ə ˈt̪ʰeʔə ˈpʰɛn̺ ˈçɝʐɭəˌʔɵ˞ʂ çəˈmɝʂˌhɐd̺ zoˈbɛ˞ʂˌwɔl̺b]
Bazai
Nuif-i visao manu Ṭaiʾao pan faṛṛa kuis hamis haod zuo bais vurb?
[ˈnuɪ̯ʋi ˈʋisɐɔ̯ ˈmanu ˈtˀɐ̰ɪ̯ʔɐ̰ɔ̯ ˈpan ˈfaɻˁɻʷˁɑˌquɪ̯s haˈmisˌhɐɔ̯d zuo̯ˈbɐɪ̯sˌʋuɹb]
Shüsperi
Noŕ-e ŕesa mänø Ṭia pän fäžrä qoš hämeš had zü biš ŕørb?
[ˈnoˑɹə ˈɹesɑˑ ˈmɛnøˑ ˈʈiˑɑˑ ˈpɛn ˈfɛʑɾəˌqoˑʃ həˈmeɕˌhɑˑd zyˑˈbiˑɕˌɹøˑɾb]
Zezbekhi
Nūv-i visā menu Ḥēʾā pen ḥeȝle qūḫ hemiḫ hād zī bēḫ vulb?
[ˈnuːvi ˈvisäː ˈmenu ˈħæ̥ːʔḁ̈ː ˈpʰen ˈħæɣɫæˌq͡χɔ̥ːx heˈmiçˌhḁ̈ːt ziːˈpe̥xˌvɔʊ̯p]
Ež šæƀžehan da šeŋ heđ, šæƀžehan-e gård da, vođ šæƀžehan-e gård ziš ġu heđ.
Ež žir da šeŋ heđ, žir ziš kem heđ vođ beræŋan dær boru heđ.
Horšeđ-za zađ, Maŋ-za zađ, Ṭiʾa-za pæn pum-za,
Vođ Ṭe-ze gård šuš-e-za Irmærin ġu heđ.
Eʾ æšṭehan-e-za Hæmeš-vešpeš nes Erdæmær dær romæš heđ,
Erdæmær dær devåšan-e-za Tiryon-e Erpan.
Šæƀžehan-e-za gård ṭovir dær ziš šåran-za šuꝑreʾænt dær ġu hev,
Ešen ŋohan-e-za Erpan Ṭiʾa-za Šešæštænt zađ heš aža oꝑtåđ æš.
U Ruryen! Veṛṭ-za kem ež, zåm-za næҟš šæƀžehan næ;
Šæƀžehan-za zæḍæ-za dær oꝑtåđ guž. ʿeveš-za vi kuṣ ež.
U Ruryen! Ež ṭovir pæžræ dær Šuš-za Heẓ dær qamæ heđ,
Vođ ež erænor-e-za gård keruneʾ teremænt dær toʾan heđ.
Žeṣe šæ ež nåvan da aža zu šeŋ em, nåv-e vesa mæno dær zu kem vorb?
Nåv-e vesa mæno Ṭiʾa pæn pæžræ qåš hæmeš hađ zu biš vorb?
ež šæƀže-an da šeŋ heđ,
1s leaf-PL of sing PERF.PAST
[ˈʔeʐ ʂævˈʐehɑˑnˌdɑˑ ˈʂeŋˌheð]
šæƀže-an-e gård da,
leaf-PL-GEN gold of
[ʂævˈʐehɑˑne ˈgɒˑɾdˌdɑˑ]
vođ šæƀže-an-e gård ziš ġu heđ.
and leaf-PL-GEN gold there grow PERF.PAST
[ˈʋoð ʂævˈʐehɑˑne ˈgɒˑɾd ˈziˑʂ ˈɢoˑˌheð]
ež žir da šeŋ heđ
1s wind of sing PERF.PAST
[ˈʔeʐ ˈziˑɾˌdɑˑ ˈʂeŋˌheð]
žir ziš kem heđ vođ beræŋ-an dær boru heđ.
wind there come PERF.PAST and branch-PL among blow PERF.PAST
[ˈziˑɾ ˈziˑʂ ˈkʰemˌheð ˈʋoð beˈɾæŋɑˑnˌdæɾ boˈɾuˑˌheð]
Horšeđ-za zađ, Maŋ-za zađ, Ṭiʾa-za pæn pum-za.
Sun-the beyond Moon-the beyond, Sea-the upon foam-the
[hoɾˈʂeðˌzɑˑzɑˑð ˈmɑˑŋˌzɑˑzɑˑð ˈt̪ˁeˑʔɑˑˌzɑˑpæn ˈpʰuˑmˌzɑˑ]
vođ Ṭe-e gård šuš-e-za Irmærin ġu heđ.
and tree-GEN gold shore-GEN-the Ilmarin grow PERF.PAST
[ˈʋoð ˈt̪ˁɛze ˈgɒˑɾd ˈʂuˑʂeˌzɑˑ ʔiˑɾˈmæɾiˑn ˈɢoˑˌheð]
eʾ æšṭe-an-e-za Hæmeš-vešpeš nes Erdæmær dær romæš heđ,
3sn star-PL-GEN-the always-evening beneath Eldamar in shine PERF.PAST
[ˈʔeʔ ˈʔæʂt̪ˁɛhɑˑneˌzɑˑ hæˈmeʂˌʋeʂpeʂnes ʔeɾˈdæmæɾˌdæɾ roˈmæʂˌheð]
Erdæmær dær devåš-an-e-za Tiryon-e Erp-an.
Eldamar in wall-PL-GEN-the Tirion-GEN Elf-PL
[ʔeɾˈdæmæɾˌdæɾ deˈʋɒˑʂɑˑneˌzɑˑ ˈtiˑɾjone ˈʔeɾpɑˑn]
šæƀže-an-e-za gård ṭovir dær ziš šår-an-za šuꝑreʾ-ænt dær ġu hev,
leaf-PL-GEN-the gold long.time in there year-PL-the divide-PART amid grow PRES.PERF.3p
[ʂævˈʐehɑˑneˌzɑˑ ˈgɒˑɾd t̪ˁɔˈʋiˑɾˌdæɾ ˈziˑʂ ˈʂɒˑɾɑˑnˌzɑˑ ʂuˑfˈɾeʔæntˌdæɾ ˈɢoˑˌheʋ]
ešen ŋo-an-e-za Erp-an Ṭiʾa-za Šešæšt-ænt zađ heš aža oꝑtåđ æš.
while tear-PL-GEN-the Elf-PL Sea-the Sunder-PART beyond here now fall PRES.IMP.3p
[ˈʔeʂen ˈŋohɑˑneˌzɑˑ ˈʔeɾpɑˑn ˈt̪ˁeˑʔɑˑ ʂeˈʂæʂtæntˌzɑˑð ˈheʂ ˈʔɑˑʐɑˑ ʔofˈtɒˑðæʂ]
U Ruryen! Veṛṭ-za kem ež, zåm-za næҟš šæƀže-an næ;
O Lórien Winter-the come PRES.IMP.3s day-the naked leaf-PL NEG
[ˈʔuˑ ˈruˑɾjen ˈʋeɾ̪ˁt̪ˁˌzɑˑ ˈkʰemeʐ ˈzɒˑmˌzɑˑ ˈnæxʂ ʂævˈʐehɑˑnˌnæ]
šæƀže-an-za zæḍæ-za dær oꝑtåđ guž.
leaf-PL-the stream-the in fall PRES.PROG
[ʂævˈʐehɑˑnˌzɑˑ zæˈd̪ˁæˌzɑˑdæɾ ʔofˈtɒˑðˌguˑʐ]
ʿeveš-za vi kuṣ ež.
River-the away flow PRES.IMP.3s
[ˈʕɛʋeʂˌzɑˑ ˈʋiˑ ˈkʰuˑs̪ˁeʐ]
U Ruryen! Ež ṭovir pæžræ dær Šuš-za Heẓ dær qamæ heđ,
O Lórien 1s long.time much in Shore-the Near amid dwell PERF.PAST
[ˈʔuˑ ˈruˑɾjen ˈʔeʐ t̪ˁɔˈʋiˑɾ ˈpʰæʐɾæˌdæɾ ˈʂuˑʂˌzɑˑ ˈhez̪ˁˌdæɾ ˈqäˑmæˌheð]
vođ ež erænor-e-za gård keruneʾ terem-ænt dær toʾan heđ.
and 1s elanor-GEN-the gold crown fade-PART in braid PERF.PAST
[ˈʋoð ˈʔeʐ ˈʔeɾænoɾeˌzɑˑ ˈgɒˑɾd kʰeˈɾuˑneʔ tʰeˈɾemæntˌdæɾ tʰoˈʔɑˑnˌheð]
žeṣe šæ ež nåv-an da aža zu šeŋ em,
yet if 1s ship-PL of now IRR sing PRES.IMP.1s
[ˈʐes̪ˁɛ ˈʂæ ˈʔeʐ ˈnɒˑʋɑˑnˌdɑˑ ˈʔɑˑʐɑˑ zuˈʂeŋem]
nåv-e vesa mæno dær zu kem vorb?
ship-GEN which.one 1s at IRR come FUT.IMP
[ˈnɒˑʋe ˈʋesɑˑ ˈmænoˌdæɾ zuˈxemˌʋoɾb]
nåv-e vesa mæno Ṭiʾa pæn pæžræ qåš hæmeš hađ zu biš vorb?
ship-GEN which.one 1s Sea wide much across ever back IRR carry FUT.IMP
[ˈnɒˑʋe ˈʋesɑˑ ˈmæno ˈt̪ˁeˑʔɑˑ ˈpʰæn ˈpʰæʐɾæˌqɔˑʂ hæˈmeʂˌhɑˑð zuˑˈviˑʂˌʋoɾb]