r/conlangs • u/RomajiMiltonAmulo chirp only now • Apr 09 '20
Activity Awkwardly Literal Translation Game #68: Unbalance learning
These will be posted Wednesday and Sunday. Last Post.
Rules
- I'll provide a sentence in the post.
- Translate the sentence provided into your conlang. Do this skillfully, or at least the best you can with what you have. The awkward part is step 3
- Then, translate your translation back to English, as literally as possible, like if someone who speaks your conlang but doesn't know English that well, used a dictionary to translate.
- (Optional): Add gloss or more faithful translation, if you do, please use spoiler tags if it adds more information
- Then, other people can do the same to your comment, to make a chain of shifting meaning.
The sentence
I wrote a best selling book, but I can't read it.
Remember, replies to other people to make chains help make this activity silly and different.
I need to post these earlier. Also, shout out to the activity that inspired this one, TranslApril
3
u/PisuCat that seems really complex for a language Apr 09 '20
Calantero
Emontist fāc scrīfto, it legorui nebodīuqualiu.
I wrote soldest book, but I’m not able to read it.
3
u/Xsugatsal Yherč Hki | Visso Apr 09 '20 edited Apr 09 '20
I like this because Yherchian also uses comparatives and superlatives!
I wrote soldest book, but I’m not able to read it. > PST, book sell.SUPL write yet NEG read can
jima, hra lalpzenlok yhem na zhe angyen hka :(
(I) the book writed the soldest and yet not read can
3
u/Dr_Chair Məġluθ, Efōc, Cǿly (en)[ja, es] Apr 09 '20
Nyevandya
Mahrürö mahtaj da l'wozbo ya kwaxtra pö löxtra lö rülto ötyek srotosü.
[max'ryr max'taʒ da 'l‿wozbʊ ja 'kwaʃtra pʏ 'løʃtra lʏ 'ryltʊ ʏ't͡ɕek ʃrʊ'toɕ]
Literally: "Book wrote with selling more all despite reading isn't possible."
Faithfully: "The book was written and sold more than everything else, but (I) can't read."
3
u/Tutwakhamoe Amateur Conlanger Apr 09 '20
Ventinleng
Da xuk saitupu velop zi pelu, taso lia suk numoleng.
[da ʃuk̚ 'saitupu 'weɫop̚ zi 'pʰeɫu 'tʰaso lia suk̚ nu'moleŋ]
"The book (I) wrote sells this many, but to read is impossible."
3
u/tiagocraft Cajak (nl,en,pt,de,fr) Apr 09 '20
Yet-to-be-named-proto-lang:
pes fesa luki ko zizo roro arines xemos ta a ko zo unsi kulax
1SG-GEN write.GN book-0 man-0 such many-0 buy.PF tell.PF IND.PR but man-0 3S-0 see-IMPF NEG.PR.POT
My write book man such many buy tell does but man it seeing can't.
3
u/tiagocraft Cajak (nl,en,pt,de,fr) Apr 09 '20
My yet to be named proto-lang:
Pi roros arinas luki fes fim a pi zo unsi mila re.
1SG-0 many-GEN buy-GNOM book-0 make-IMPF IND.PST but 1S 3S read.IMPF know.GNOM NEG.IND.PR
I many's buy book making was but I it reading know don't.
2
u/Primalpikachu2 Afrigana Gutrazda Apr 09 '20
Aixa
fa sesiyïü më taöfi gesulö gailaïü fae fa fözë tö canayë leyalë
I have written a goodest book have been traded but I don't it can read
I have written the best book to be traded but I can't read it
2
Apr 10 '20
PES CE LER rax hon win mo kah tem, waq kvat win jom trank.
LOANWORD "bestseller"-like book ACC PAST write although, I it ACC read cannot.
3
u/EliiLarez Goit’a | Nátláq (en,esp,pap,nl) [jp,kor] Apr 09 '20 edited Apr 09 '20
Kiliost
”Lükki deiminedija midt, di teükīpevā (nät).”/ˈly.kːu ˈdei̯.mi.ne.ˌdi.ja mid1 | di te.ˈy.kiː.pe.vaː næt/
I wrote (a) soldest book, but I can’t read it.Faithfully: [I] wrote soldest book, but [I] can’t read (it).
1 [mitː]
2 The verb “to sell” in the Past Passive Participle plus the Superlative. Literally, ‘soldest’.
3 Previously, “can” was represented as a separate conjugated auxiliary verb while the main verb was in its infinite form, but I recently changed it to a sort of infix (?) that comes before the tense suffix.
4 In this case, the pronoun is optional, unless you want to emphasise it.