Lesson 41
Translation 6

Vocabulary

Text

Bóodan Máyel Bethu

²Bíide eríli ham diídin miwithesha bosha menedebenil wáa. Meshóod with woho thenanal. Mesháad ben nudim i núudim miwithesha o, i medilan, i mehada. Melalom i mehalehale beyen. Meham mewoliri wodimilin menedebe; meliyen i melayun i melula ben. Mehel with anath menedebe diídineda neda. Hathal i háya hi; mehelahela with woho—rizh Máyel.

³Bíide loláad ra Máyel thenath wáa. Ham zholh méwithethu. Meshi ra liri dimilinethu behideth. Di háawithizh behidedim, “Bíilan wil thena diídineya,” i nédi behid bimanal bedim; nadelishe be hiwáan.

⁴Bíide medibáa with menedebe hin hinedim wáa, “Báath ril loláad ra Máyel thenath bebáawáan?” En with raho. Id di beye Shósho bidim Máyel bethu.

⁵Bíide bithim Shósho Máyel beth wethesha nédeshubewáan wáa, i nóosháad diwan; di bi, “Wil sha, Máyel. Báa tháa ne?”

⁶Bíide di Máyel bidim wáa, “Wil sha, Shósho. Bíi tháahil le wa.”

⁷Bíide dibáa Shósho behidedim wáa, “Báa di ne ‘tháahil’ bebáawáan? Éeya ne? Loláad ne heyith?”

⁸“Ra, Shósho. Bíi thi le lameth wa, i loláad le sholeth, hulehul.”

⁹“I báa thi ne anath i ranath?”

¹⁰“Bíi re yide re yada le wa.”

¹¹“I báa thi ne betheth? Owa be wemaneya, i rahowahil wumaneya?”

¹²“Em, Shósho. Bíi habelid le wodo womathesha wa.”

¹³“I bud; báa thi ne bud? She be neth? Shi be neth?”

¹⁴“Em, Shósho. Bíi thi le wothal wobudeth wa.”

¹⁵“I báa thi ne laneth, i den be neth úyahú them ne deneth?”

¹⁶“Em, Shósho. Bíi thi le laneth menedebe wa, i meden ben leth themeya waha.”

¹⁷“I báa nime den ne lan nethoth themeya?”

¹⁸“Em, Shósho. Bíi bere medibóo neda ben, ébere den le beneth thenanal themehelewáan.”

¹⁹”Báa thad sháad ne nudim e núudim úyahú nédehel ne hith?”

²⁰“Em, Shósho. Bíi sháad le dozhenal wahadim wa.”

²¹“I báa thi ne haleth? Dóshóod be neth? Shub be thaleth witheda? Them nábedi ne beda?”

²²“Em, Shósho. Bíi hal le wa. Be wothem wohalem. Mehathal mewohal wosháal woho rano mewoharathal wosháaleden nedebe neda. Izh báa dibáa ni daleth hin ledim bebáawan?”

²³Bíide di Shósho wáa, “Bíidi dubedi le beyeth wa.”

²⁴“Báa néde lothel ni bebáath?”

²⁵“Bíidi thi ne dal woho wothaleháalish wowída wáa. Rathi ne dal raho. Bóodi di ne ledim lu: báadi tháahul ra ne bebáanal?”

²⁶Bíide láadom Máyel, bishibenal i lishenal, shadon dáanethu Shósho betho wáa; di be, “Bíi eril lhele raláadám wa. Eril meban with menedebe binith menedebe lheledim, i loláad—i dam—lhele rawimath. Ril en lhele, doól, i loláad lhele wenaháalish, bishibenal.”

²⁷Bíide lámála Shósho Máyel beth i di wáa, “Bóoli zha ra na nayóoth ‘lhele’ lu; bíili ril na wothalehil woyáawithidem; aril náwí na wothal wosháawithedim thomaya wa. Bíilan wil thena diídineya,” i náasháad bi.

²⁸Bíide dithedelan Máyel Shósho bidim wáa, “Wil thena diídineya! I áalaháalish!”

²⁹Bíide sháalede hi aril wáa, úyahú di beye behidedim, “Wil thena diídineya,” di behid hadihad, wenanal, “Wil thenaháalish diídineya!”

My English Translation with Morpheme-by-Morpheme Analysis

Bóodan Máyel Bethu

The Rescue of Michael

²Bíide eríli ham diídin miwithesha bosha menedebenil wáa. Meshóod with woho thenanal. Mesháad ben nudim i núudim miwithesha o, i medilan, i mehada. Melalom i mehalehale beyen. Meham mewoliri wodimilin menedebe; meliyen i melayun i melula ben. Mehel with anath menedebe diídineda neda. Hathal i háya hi; mehelahela with woho—rizh Máyel.

²Long ago there was a holiday in the town among the mountains. Everyone was joyfully busy. They came and went hither and thither around the town, and spoke-in-celebration and laughed. Many ones sang and made music. There were many colorful ornaments; they were green and orange and purple. The people made many foods only for the holiday. This was a good and beautiful time; everyone celebrated—except Michael.

³Bíide loláad ra Máyel thenath wáa. Ham zholh méwithethu. Meshi ra liri dimilinethu behideth. Di háawithizh behidedim, “Bíilan wil thena diídineya,” i nédi behid bedim bimanal; nadelishe be hiwáan.

³Michael wasn’t joyful. There was the noise of the crowd. The colors of the ornaments didn’t please him. A child said to him in celebration, “Happy holiday!” and he answered her angrily (for no reason); she began to cry because of this.

⁴Bíide medibáa with menedebe hin hinedim wáa, “Báath ril loláad ra Máyel thenath bebáawáan?” En with raho. Id di beye Shósho bidim Máyel bethu.

⁴Many people asked each other, pained, “Why does Michael feel no joy?” Not one person understood. And then someone spoke to Magic Granny about Michael.

⁵Bíide bithim Shósho Máyel beth wethesha nédeshubewáan wáa, i nóosháad diwan; di bi, “Wil sha, Máyel. Báa tháa ne?”

⁵Magic Granny met Michael, per intention, in the street and paused to talk; she said, “Hello, Michael. How are you?”

⁶Bíide di Máyel bidim wáa, “Wil sha, Shósho. Bíi tháahil le wa.”

⁶Michael answered her, “Hello, Magic Granny. I’m… okay.”

⁷Bíide dibáa Shósho behidedim wáa, “Báa di ne ‘tháahil’ bebáawáan? Éeya ne? Loláad ne heyith?”

⁷Magic Granny asked him, “Why do you say ‘okay’? Are you ill? Are you in pain?”

⁸“Ra, Shósho. Bíi thi le lameth wa, i loláad le sholeth, hulehul.”

⁸“No, Magic Granny. I have my health, and I’m free of pain, for-sure.”

⁹“I báa thi ne anath i ranath?”

⁹“And do you have food and drink?”

¹⁰“Bíi re yide re yada le wa.”

¹⁰“I neither hunger nor thirst.”

¹¹“I báa thi ne betheth? Owa be wemaneya, i rahowahil wumaneya?”

¹¹“And do you have a home? Is it warm in winter and cool in summer?”

¹²“Em, Shósho. Bíi habelid le wodo womathesha wa.”

¹²“Yes, Magic Granny. I dwell in a strong building.

¹³“I bud; báa thi ne bud? She be neth? Shi be neth?”

¹³“And clothes; do you have clothes? Do they comfort you? Do they please you?”

¹⁴“Em, Shósho. Bíi thi le wothal wobudeth wa.”

¹⁴“Yes, Magic Granny. I have good clothes.”

¹⁵“I báa thi ne laneth, i den be neth úyahú them ne deneth?”

¹⁵“And do you have a friend, and do they help you when you need help”?

¹⁶“Em, Shósho. Bíi thi le laneth menedebe wa, i meden ben leth themeya waha.”

¹⁶“Yes, Magic Granny. I have many friends, and they help me in any time of need.”

¹⁷“I báa nime den ne lan nethoth themeya?”

¹⁷“And are you willing to help your friends in time of need?”

¹⁸“Em, Shósho. Bíi bere medibóo neda ben, ébere den le beneth thenanal themehelewáan.”

¹⁸“Yes, Magic Granny. If they only ask, then I gladly help them with the slightest need.”

¹⁹”Báa thad sháad ne nudim e núudim úyahú nédehel ne hith?”

¹⁹“Can you go hither or thither when you have a whim to?”

²⁰“Em, Shósho. Bíi sháad le dozhenal wahadim wa.”

²⁰“Yes, Magic Granny. I easily.come and go anywhither ”

²¹“I báa thi ne haleth? Dóshóod be neth? Shub be thaleth witheda? Them nábedi ne beda?”

²¹“And do you have work? Does it keep you busy? Does it do good for people? Do you need to keep learning for it?”

²²“Em, Shósho. Bíi hal le wa. Be wothem wohalem. Mehathal mewohal wosháal woho rano mewoharathal wosháaleden nedebe neda. Izh báa dibáa ni daleth hin ledim bebáawan?”

²²“Yes, Magic Granny. I work. It’s necessary work. Almost all work-days are good with only a few bad days. But to what end do you ask me these things?”

²³Bíide di Shósho wáa, “Bíidi dubedi le beyeth wa.”

²³Magic Granny said, didactically, “I am trying to learn something.”

²⁴“Báa néde lothel ni bebáath?”

²⁴“What do you want to know?”

²⁵“Bíidi thi ne dal woho wothaleháalish wowída wáa. Rathi ne dal raho. Bóodi di ne ledim lu: báadi tháahul ra ne bebáanal?”

²⁵“You have everything for an excellent life. You lack abolutely nothing. Tell me, please: in what way are you not doing very well indeed?

²⁶Bíide láadom Máyel, bishibenal i lishenal, shadon dáanethu Shósho betho wáa; di be, “Bíi eril lhele raláadám wa. Eril meban with menedebe binith menedebe lheledim, i loláad—i dam—lhele rawimath. Ril en lhele, doól, i loláad lhele wenaháalish, bishibenal.”

²⁶Michael suddenly and vividly understood the truth of Magic Granny’s words; he said, “I have been deaf, blind, and wrong-headed. Many people have given me many gifts, and I was ungrateful. Now I understand, finally, and suddenly I’m so very grateful.”

²⁷Bíide lámála Shósho Máyel beth i di wáa, “Bóoli zha ra na nayóoth ‘lhele’ lu; bíili ril na wothalehil woyáawithidem; aril náwí na wothal wosháawithedim thomaya wa. Bíilan wil thena diídineya,” i náasháad bi.

²⁷Magic Granny hugged Michael and said, lovingly, “Please do not name yourself ‘despised;’ you are a decent youth; you will soon grow into a good adult. Happy holiday!” and resumed her progress.

²⁸Bíide dithedelan Máyel Shósho bidim wáa, “Wil thena diídineya! I áalaháalish!”

²⁸Michael called, in celebration, to Magic Granny, “Happy holiday! And thank you so much!”

²⁹Bíide sháalede hi aril wáa, úyahú di beye behidedim, “Wil thena diídineya,” di behid hadihad, wenanal, “Wil thenaháalish diídineya!”

²⁹From that day forward, when someone said to him, “Happy holiday”, he always gratefully said, “Happy, happy, happy holiday!”

Free Translation

The Rescue of Michael

²Long ago there was a holiday in the town among the mountains. Everyone was joyfully busy. They came and went hither and thither around the town, and spoke-in-celebration and laughed. Many ones sang and made music. There were many colorful ornaments; they were green and orange and purple. The people made many foods only for the holiday. This was a good and beautiful time; everyone celebrated—except Michael.

³Michael wasn’t joyful. There was the noise of the crowd. The colors of the ornaments didn’t please him. A child said to him in celebration, “Happy holiday!” and he answered her angrily (for no reason); she began to cry because of this.

⁴Many people asked each other, pained, “Why does Michael feel no joy?” Not one person understood. And then someone spoke to Magic Granny about Michael.

⁵Magic Granny met Michael, per intention, in the street and paused to talk; she said, “Hello, Michael. How are you?”

⁶Michael answered her, “Hello, Magic Granny. I’m… okay.”

⁷Magic Granny asked him, “Why do you say ‘okay’? Are you ill? Are you pain?”

⁸“No, Magic Granny. I have my health, and I’m free of pain, for-sure.”

⁹“And do you have food and drink?”

¹⁰“I neither hunger nor thirst.”

¹¹“And do you have a home? Is it warm in winter and cool in summer?”

¹²“Yes, Magic Granny. I dwell in a strong building.

¹³“And clothes; do you have clothes? Do they comfort you? Do they please you?”

¹⁴“Yes, Magic Granny. I have good clothes.”

¹⁵“And do you have a friend, and do they help you when you need help”?

¹⁶“Yes, Magic Granny. I have many friends, and they help me in any time of need.”

¹⁷“And are you willing to help your friends in time of need?”

¹⁸“Yes, Magic Granny. If they only ask, then I gladly help them with the slightest need.”

¹⁹“Can you go hither or thither when you have a whim to?”

²⁰“Yes, Magic Granny. I come and go anywhither easily.”

²¹“And do you have work? Does it keep you busy? Does it do good for people? Do you need to keep learning for it?”

²²“Yes, Magic Granny. I work. It’s necessary work. Almost all work-days are good with only a few bad days. But to what end do you ask me these things?”

²³Magic Granny said, didactically, “I am trying to learn something.”

²⁴“What do you want to know?”

²⁵“You have everything for an excellent life. You lack absolutely nothing. Tell me, please: in what way are you not doing very well indeed?

²⁶Michael suddenly and vividly understood the truth of Magic Granny’s words; he said, “I have been deaf, blind, and wrong-headed. Many people have given me many gifts, and I was ungrateful. Now I understand, finally, and suddenly I’m so very grateful.”

²⁷Magic Granny hugged Michael and said, lovingly, “Please do not name yourself ‘despised;’ you are a decent youth; you will soon grow into a good adult. Happy holiday!” and resumed her progress.

²⁸Michael called, in celebration, to Magic Granny, “Happy holiday! And thank you so much!”

²⁹From that day forward, when someone said to him, “Happy holiday”, he always gratefully said , “Happy, happy, happy holiday!”

Comments

In this translation, we again meet an idiom we’ve crossed paths with before. To translate the English “each other” or “one another” we use two appropriately-pluralized demonstrative pronouns (form of “hi”). They will both be pluralized alike (both “hizh” or both “hin”), as they both refer to the same people. The first of these pronouns represents the Subject and so receives no apparent case ending; the second takes the case of the relationship between/among “each other.” In this instance, “…many people asking each other…” would be translated “…dibáa with menedebe hin hinedim….” Did you notice that the word “menedebe” here is superfluous? Its information is conveyed by the plurality of “hin”. It’s not incorrect, but it’s not needed.

At various points in this story, we’ve seen “with raho” (no person) or “dal raho” (no thing) when we could more easily have said “rawith” (nobody) or “radal” (nothing). The combined forms carry the same denotation (there is no person/thing that fulfills the function), but the connotations of the structure using the quantifier “raho” (zero) are more emphatic—just as English sequences including the phrases “zero people” or “zero things” would be much more emphatic than ones that made use only of “no-one” or “nothing.” An apt English translation for the “raho” sequences might be “absolutely no-one” or “absolutely nothing.”

In this story we’re introduced to the word “shol” (absence of pain). It is very interesting to note that, among languages, what may be a negative concept (deriving only from its opposition to a positive) may very well be a positive concept in some other language. “Shol” is a clear example of such a word: in Láadan, “shol” is a positive statement; it requires nothing to negate; in English, the nearest we can come to this concept is “the absence of pain”.

At one point Magic Granny asks Michael whether he has a friend. The usual formation of this question in English would be “Do you have (any) friends?” Láadan is not so concerned with number, as evidenced by the lack of plural forms for nouns. In the situation Magic Granny finds herself in—asking about the existence of something and then asking particulars about that thing, never having learned how many of the thing there might be—the singular verb (and pronoun, if any) is appropriate. The answerer will correct the number if appropriate, and then the questioner can proceed, corrected.

Magic Granny opines that Michael will grow (náwí) from a decent youth to a good adult. The case assignment here is the same as that for “nahin” (to become). The “before” version is rendered in the Subject case, and the “after” version is in the Identifier case. The reasons for these case assignments will be made clear in a future lesson.