The North Wind and the Sun: A Conlang Rosetta Stone
A classic conlanging text challenge, completed for a few of my own conlangs. Currently very WIP. The Alternian translation is super outdated, and there's multiple other languages TBF or TBA.
(Check the hover text for more literal translations + notes!)
The North Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger...
taamyai byū kel naile elcihir tahūnha kimin han sū nias...
Taamyai byū kel naile elshihir tahūnha kimin han sū nias...
DIST-PAST-argue while about who-POSS QUAL-strong DPAST-to-be-greater-GERUND north wind and sun
na kahla cunmar wa na íde mea ikor akras desidan díomlíndos...
Na kahla cunmar wa na íde mea ikor akras desidan díomlíndos...
xaha'a wiyen ha ne ha[1] 'aman fi ufea sang ela hao wi'a hi'i nomoelo...
Sa kror ho suhei ken sa otanuk vro imir a aqus nimxaqui[2] yytomnaketrezi...
Sa kror ho suhei ken sa otanuk vro imir a aqus nimxaqui[2] yytomnaketrezi...
... when a traveller came along wrapped in a warm cloak.
... sana kyun tatuel oton anlai tasonimilor nalunmil
...sana kyun tatuel oton anlai tasonimilor nalunmil
then DPAST-arrive warm cloak DPAST-wear-DOER-ADJ travel-DOER
... wa matmar coirí, lí bíipanu koitle etamar bínohlenu na lema bííhwedan.
... wa matmar coirí, lí bíipanu dama etamar bínohlenu na lema bí'íhwedan.
... ela ai uatho fi manai eon laxao ai waho.
... roagakanrakya, xanlloet yynimotri ta vikarvrol nimeni
... roagakanrakya, xanlloet yynimotri ta vikarvrol nimeni
They agreed to consider as the stronger one the first one to make the traveller remove his cloak.
taitan kiūrot nalunmil anlai belenha ilanmil elcihir tahūnmil taugi tūe.
Taitan kiūrot nalunmil anlai belenha ilanmil elshihir tahūnmil taungi tūe.
DPAST-decide one-ORD-ADV traveler cloak remove-GERUND cause-DOER QUAL-strong DPAST-to-be-greater-DOER DPAST-be they-PL
esi ela e ngo ela uatho eon lewo luo, ela hao ai sowo.
Vatmasmit ti vikarvrol asakan lloet arinkamxemrinimkangvrol a aqus timxaqui nakteuli.
Vatmasmit ti vikarvrol asakan lloet arinkamxemrinimkangvrol a aqus nimxaqui nakteuli.
Then the North Wind blew as hard as he could...
atya, tyo ir ūle elcihir tayohen kimin han...
Atya, tyo ir ūle elshihir tayohen kimin han...
wiyen ha ne ha 'aman, sathe nge ha wi'a ngo, ai o'ehuo o'ehuo...
Krofa sa kror suhei tixavanaquslozotnimhoti...
Krofa sa kror ho suhei tixavanaquslozotnimhoti...
... but the more he blew, the closer did the traveller fold his cloak around him...
... eken sahlo tayohen ū, sū sahlo tanomais anlai meona ce nalunmil byū ni...
... eken sahlo tayohen ū, sū sahlo tanomais anlai meona she nalunmil byū ni...
... mila xa noi ai o'ehuo, ela uatho eon noi hiawa ai samo...
... az hak qotnimhoti, ta vikarvrol kaltu a lloet qodavaknimotri...
... az hak qotnimhoti, ta vikarvrol kaltu a lloet qodavaknimotri...
... and at last the North Wind gave up the attempt.
... sonsa tabihai kimin han.
... sonsa tabihai kimin han.
... fi umya iseng iseng, wiyen ha ne ha 'aman ai yayo.
... so rakay, sa kror suhei nimravi.
... so rakay, sa kror ho suhei nimravi.
Then the Sun shined out warmly, and immediately the traveller took off his cloak.
iba otonot tabanyin nias, ten yenhaot tabelen anlai nalunmil.
Iba otonot tabanyin nias, ten yenhaot tabelen anlai nalunmil.
sa sa, ufea manai ai ahuo'o, fi ela uatho eon ingi ai lewo.
Krofa sa otanuk xaninnimakanyi, so ta vikarvrol kaltu a lloet rakekinnimxemri.[3]
Krofa sa otanuk xaninnimakanyi, so ta vikarvrol kaltu a lloet rakekinnimxemri.[3]
And so the North Wind was obliged to confess that the Sun was the stronger of the two.
Ten sara, niasle elcihir tahūn ti tatimaūnha tamūrenyemi tuagi kimin han.
Ten sara, niasle elshihir tahūn ti tatimaūnha tamūrenyemi tuangi kimin han.
sa isim, wiyen ha ne ha 'aman ewa ufea ha wi'a ai hao sio luo ai.
Hedan, sa otanuk sum krorsuhei otanuk xa aqus kamnimxaqui lamonsinimiequi.
Hedan, sa otanuk sum kror ho suhei otanuk xa aqus kamnimxaqui lamonsinimiequi.
Translator's Notes
[1] Ewa Sio has two names for North, wiyen ha ne and ximi ha ne. The first is older and more traditional, and so made more sense for a traditional parable.
[2] For simplicity's sake, the Alternian translation here is written in a formal, neutral register.
[3] One must assume the traveller was a Jadeblood, or else an accurate Alternian version of this story would have have ended somewhat differently.