Zompist Bboard Again

I've just seen a conlang relay on Youtube, where each conlanger is given a text in a conlang and a short grammar and lexicon. They translate the text into English, then into their own conlang, and pass it along to the next person, all within 48 hours. There were some complaints that the original text in English was a bad choice, which got me thinking about what would be a better one. Some criteria:

Reasonably short, so it's convenient to translate within 48 hours.
Some complex constructions in English for a challenge.
No proper names and minimal culturally specific words.
Some kind of interesting content or topic.
Not familiar enough in English to make the translation too easy.

Here's my contribution:

I used to think it was awful that life was so unfair. Then I thought, 'Wouldn't it be much worse if life were fair, and all the terrible things that happen to us come because we actually deserve them?' So now I take great comfort in the general hostility and unfairness of the universe.

That's a quote from Babylon 5, hopefully not familiar enough to be too easy.

We already have an active conlang relay here. (In fact, it’s currently my turn, translating Dri Mreatt → Eŋes.)

I also think it spoils the fun if the text is made public before the end. It’s more interesting when you have to work out the text on your own.

Right, the original text should be kept secret from the translators. Without actually revealing the secret, can you talk about the text generally? Like, how long is it, are there any words that don't have an equivalent in your language's culture?

Gareth3 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 13, 2024 8:28 pm Right, the original text should be kept secret from the translators. Without actually revealing the secret, can you talk about the text generally? Like, how long is it, are there any words that don't have an equivalent in your language's culture?

Hard to say. By the time I got it, it had already been through four conlangs! I have no way to know how much it’s already been altered from the original.

Fair enough.