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.

 

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