Key
Subject Phrases (A, S, CS) are double underlined. Object Phrases (O, CC) are single underlined. Peripheral Phrases are dashed. Verb Phrases are unmarked. Clauses are set off by vertical lines.
Kidi Sewanu (The Talking Rock)
Interlinear
Lono wososu gadagaba geline no-sedelale, dape-seppeboce kidi se-dullowa doŋisu.
- lono
- day
- wososu
- then
- gadagaba
- beach
- geline
- curvilinear+via
- no
- come
- sede
- PROG
- -la
- -RP+DIR
- =le
- =1SG.A
- dape
- ITER
- seppe
- FAIL
- -bo
- -RP+INF
- =ce
- =1SG.O
- kidi
- rock
- se
- say
- dullo
- ABLE
- -∅
- -NP
- =wa
- =NOM
- doŋisu
- small+at
That day, I was going along the beach, (when) I tripped on a rock that could talk.
Two clauses, the first in the progressive to set the scene of the second.
Kidi sewa doŋimo kuwu-dellolalemo.
- kidi
- rock
- sewa
- talking
- doŋi
- small
- =mo
- =this.3O
- kuwu
- hand
- dello
- rise
- -la
- -RP+DIR
- =le
- =1SG.A
- =mo
- =this.3O
I picked up the talking rock.
Selalemo: “Hu! Kidi sewanu tenedi?”
- se
- say
- -la
- -RP+DIR
- =le
- =1SG.A
- =mo
- =this.3O
- hu!
- hey!
- kidi
- rock
- sewa
- talking
- =nu
- =N4
- tene
- sit
- -∅
- -NP
- =di
- =2SG.A
I said to it, “Hey! Are you a talking rock?”
Interjections are single syllable, violating the two-syllable phonological word rule.
Re kidi sewanu: the noun class particle nu is used here instead of a shape classifier. Rational animates don’t have shape classifiers, and shape classifiers are generally not used for non-rational animates like animals or living things like plants (unless referencing part of the plant). So using nu instead of doŋi from the previous sentence is being polite, but not as polite as using ŋe, the rational animate/person noun class particle.
Se-dapeladace: “la! kidi sewanu tenele.”
- se
- say
- dape
- ITER
- -la
- -RP+DIR
- =da
- =this.3A
- =ce
- =1SG.O
- la!
- yes!
- kidi
- rock
- sewa
- talking
- =nu
- =N4
- tene
- sit
- -∅
- -NP
- =le
- =1SG.A
The talking rock replied, “Yes, I am a talking rock.”
And the rock is accepting the designation nu.
Selalemo, “Se-dullodi. se-wodice, da-seppe demele ŋawadu”
- se
- say
- -la
- -RP+DIR
- =le
- =1SG.A
- =mo
- =this.3O
- se
- say
- dullo
- ABLE
- -∅
- -NP
- =di
- =2SG.A
- se
- say
- wo
- NEG
- -∅
- -NP
- =di
- =2SG.A
- =ce
- =1SG.O
- da
- go
- seppe
- FAIL
- deme
- EXPECT
- -∅
- -NP
- =le
- =1SG.A
- ŋawa
- 2SG.O
- =du
- =to
I said to it, “You can talk. You did not say to me, I should avoid you.”
Se-dapeladace, “Kidi sewa basabasanu tene tellole.”
- se
- say
- dape
- ITER
- -la
- -RP+DIR
- =da
- =this.3A
- =ce
- =1SG.O
- kidi
- rock
- sewa
- talking
- basabasa
- mean
- =nu
- =N4
- tene
- sit
- tello
- MUST
- -∅
- -NP
- =le
- =1SG.A
It replied, “I must be a mean talking rock.”
Basa-canno noyelace sodopa kidi sewa wudupe.
- basa
- bad
- canno
- feel
- noye
- START
- -la
- -RP+DIR
- =ce
- =1SG.O
- sodo
- word
- =pa
- =POSS
- kidi
- rock
- sewa
- talking
- wudupe
- wind+from
The words of the talking rock made me feel bad.
Casale goso kujela.
- casa
- belly
- =le
- =1SG.A
- goso
- hollow
- kuje
- twist
- -la
- -RP+DIR
- =∅
- =3
My belly twisted.
One's belly twisted is how one says one got mad/angry.
Gadagada casodu kuppe-kuttalalemo.
- gadagada
- sea
- casodu
- inside+to
- kuppe
- throw
- kutta
- FORCE
- -la
- -RP+DIR
- =le
- =1SG.A
- =mo
- =this.3O
I threw it into the ocean.
The shape classifier casa sees the ocean as a container.
Wusutepe kidi sewanumo dunno-dape-wolemo.
- wusutepe
- never
- kidi
- rock
- sewa
- talking
- =nu
- =N4
- =mo
- =this.3O
- dunno
- see
- dape
- ITER
- wo
- NEG
- -∅
- -NP
- =le
- =1SG.A
- =mo
- =this.3O
I never saw the talking rock again.