First Linguifex Relay/Themsaran
Here follows the Themsaran source text for the First Linguifex Relay. Note that it is strictly forbidden to create public English translations of this text and its derivations while the relay is running, so please avoid doing so. It only spoils the fun. If you are not partaking in the relay, do not worry, a proper translation will be published after the relay has run its course.
Ga̋lnàu horáš
Šánokrátnaver lúavâ, i̋egèr,
Ga̋lèv ašt snamíge,
Ránga̋ltnev prâiš,
Luajǎžetnevi títhâr banéžach horašách,
Fǒnìe dánefra̋tē ħanárvē,
Fǒnìe thnǎŧȅ, fǒnìe rīvédrē,
Títhâr kýndêlker ħárvènir,
Luajǎžetnevi títhâr banéžach horašách,
Hébāŋkēvû Cholšîe,
Tósasáŧ Cholšîe ŋírámbétȅ.
Gloss
ga̋lnàu horáš
singing-3/4SG.M>SG.DEF/CONJ songbird
šá-nokrá-tn-aver lǔav-â, i̋egr-Ø,
LOC.APP-wander-APP-PASS.PRES.3/4SG.F land-SG.DEF dream.SG.INDEF
ga̋l-èv ašt snamíg-e,
sing-PASS.PRES.3/4SG.M without intention-SG.INDEF
ran-ga̋l-tèn-ev prâiš-Ø,
about.APP-sing-APP-PASS.PRES.3/4SG.M murder.SG.INDEF
lua-jǎž-tn-vi títh-âr banéž-ach horaš-ách,
COM.APP-fly-APP-ACT.PRES.3/4PL.M lover-PL.INDEF songbird-PL.INDEF
fǒn-ìe d<án>efra̋t-ē ħ<ir>árv-ē,
sea-SG.DEF rage<ACT.PART>-SG.M.DEF change<PASS.PART>-SG.M.DEF
fǒn-ìe thnǎŧ-ȅ, fǒn-ìe h<an>ásk-ē,
sea-SG.DEF cold-SG.M.DEF sea-SG.DEF freeze<ACT.PART>-SG.M.DEF
títh-âr kýndêl-ker ħárvn-ir,
two-INDEF season-3/4PL.F>SG.INDEF/CONJ change-PL.INDEF
lua-jǎž-tn-vi títh-âr banéž-ach horaš-ách,
COM.APP-fly-APP-ACT.PRES.3/4PL.M lover-PL.INDEF songbird-PL.INDEF
hé-bāŋk-ēvû cholš-îe,
IPFV-be_silent-PASS.PAST.IPFV.3/4SG.M deep-SG.DEF
tós-asáŧ cholš-îe ŋ<ír>ámbét-ȅ.
see-ACT.PAST.PFV.3/4SG.M>4SG.M deep-SG.DEF cover<PASS.PART>-SG.M.DEF
Wordlist
Nouns are presented in their singular indefinite, adjectives in their singular attributive indefinite, and verbs in the 1st person jussive.
| Themsaran | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ga̋lnè | singing, song | noun, f, 2, k |
| horáš | songbird | noun, m, 1, th |
| ga̋lî | sing | verb |
| nókrâi | drift, wander | verb |
| lǔavè | ground, earth | noun, f, 2, k |
| i̋egèr | dream | noun, m, 1, k |
| ašt | without, sans | preposition |
| snamíge | intention, goal, purpose | noun, f, 2, k |
| prâiš | murder, assassination | noun, m, 1, g |
| jāžî | fly | verb |
| títhâr | two | numeral |
| banéž | lover | noun, m, 1, k |
| fǒn | ocean, sea | noun, m, 3, k |
| défra̋tâi | rage, gust, gale | verb |
| ħarvî | change (transitive) | verb |
| thnǎŧ | cold, frigid | adjective, 1/2, k |
| haskâi | freeze (intransitive) | verb |
| kýndêl | season, period | noun, m, 1, g |
| ħárvène | change | noun, f, 2, k |
| ba̋ŋkêiv | be silent (used in mediopassive) | verb |
| Chólš | "the deep", ocean personified | noun, m, 3, th |
| tósâi | see | verb |
| ŋámbétî | cover, conceal | verb |
Grammar
See the main article.
Notes
Nouns
Nouns decline for number, definiteness and possessedness (my, your, his...) and belong to either masculine or feminine gender. There are three declension paradigms and four accent paradigms (one of k, š, th, g) for nouns and adjectives.
Possession
The possessed noun is declined for its own number and definiteness and the possessor's gender and number, in a tonally modified (downstep is not on the ending) form of the 3rd person possessed form (called the conjunct form): klajái ("her house") vs klájài ātmán (my mother's house). In most instances the possessee precedes the possessor.
Definite nouns
The definite forms can be used as a vocative.
Adjectives
Adjectives agree with nouns in number, gender (for "1/2" adjectives 1 is masculine, 2 is feminine, 3 has its own gender pattern), definiteness and possessedness (except for the lack of conjunct forms for adjectives). There is additionally a predicate adjective inflection, not used here.
Verbs
Verbs agree with the definite object as well as the subject in number, person and gender, and conjugate for present, past and future tenses, perfective and imperfective aspects, and for active, mediopassive, causative and applicative voices. There are, broadly speaking, three different conjugations based on the thematic vowel.
Mediopassive voice
The mediopassive voice is used in passive or reflexive meaning, and also in impersonal sentences.
Applicative voice
The applicative voice promotes an indirect or oblique object of the verb to the direct object. It is marked with a mandatory suffix -t(e)n before the personal affix and with an optional prefix. Here the applicative prefix ša- has been used for the locative object, rán- for the and lua- indicates that the object is comitative.
Participles
The active participle is formed by adding the infix <an> and removing final vowels from the 3rd person masculine, and the passive static participle with the infix <ir> added to the bare stem. All participles are 1/2, k.
Obviate
3/4SG.M>4SG.M denotes that the definite object is an obviate 3rd person, or 4th person.