Vyø jenzelu kaikat, seła køvu nintel vonyli rukumen røġisit. Iłuġu pyri va min animu šolvi fołat ja darvu arajaġas rukule, ai ižiġu tela kažňa, ja ġøru van. Ikota neži łed pølut køvule nintele, ai iłyma šolvi arňat.
Tegyli budut, ivymla arňa køvule nintele, ai iłuġu talgi syøt, ła ilorna leňi zovat syøt. Imoru ilaki kumut arňan nužylin vale. Idzumu ja ałymi či rukumu, ła amaġa kumu xyvi arňale xeňu! Naši žønži, tekevi køvumu łed, šim imaġa mimi talgi arňat. Łeden pølut, igeža nami lažu za arňat.
Inimu za silát no rukut tači fołat køvule nintele. Kela žagu nyn ja idarvu, anyvymla køvuri xyvi ai xažlari xyvi ġøryke arňat.
Duro valøki Minzat! (Listen to the Minza words!)
Before the sun came out, a messenger woman was walking along bringing messages in a cart. She paused briefly as the cart arrived near the path which led to the market place, but then she disturbed an animal, which growled at her. The messenger woman held up a branch of a tree, and approached near the cougar.
[Wanting] to avoid danger, the messenger woman was anxious about the cougar, so she stopped far from him, but tried to obtain his trust. She gave a portion of food to the playful cougar. She thought he would approach the cart, but the shameful cougar wanted more food! It began to rain, the woman holding the branch, so she wanted to stay far away from the cougar.
With the branch of a tree, she protected herself quite well from the cougar. From there the messenger woman reached the end of the path with her cart. After that day when she set out, the growl of the cougar has made more women and more men nervous.
vyø jenzel-u kaika-t, Ø-seł-a køvu-Ø nintel-Ø von-yl-i ruku-men røġis-i-t.
before appearance-LOC sun-GEN, 3sAbs-walk-IPF woman-ABS messenger-ABS bring-ErgP-ABS cart-INST message-PL-GEN.
Before the sun came out, a messenger woman was walking along bringing messages in a cart.
LOC = locative case
GEN = genitive case
3sAbs = 3rd person singular absolutive subject
IPF = imperfective aspect
ABS = absolutive case
ErgP = ergative participle
INST = instrumental case
PL = plural
i-łuġ-u pyr-i va-Ø min a-nim-u šolv-i foł-at ja darv-u ara-jaġ-as-Ø ruku-le,
3sErg-pause-PF brief-ABS she-ABS as 4sErg-arrive-PF near-ABS path-GEN which lead.to-PF place-sell-ing-ABS cart-ERG,
She paused briefly as the cart arrived near the path which led to the market place,
3sErg = 3rd person singular ergative subject
PF = perfective aspect
4sErg = 4th person singular ergative subject (another 3rd person, distinct from va)
brief-ABS: Initially or following a verb, an adjective in the absolutive case acts as an adverb.
ai i-žiġ-u tela kažňa-Ø, ja ġør-u va-n.
and 3sErg-disturb-PF then animal-ABS, which growl-PF she-DAT.
but then she disturbed an animal, which growled at her.
DAT = dative case
i-kot-a než-i łed-Ø pølu-t køvu-le nintel-e,
3sErg-hold-IPF up-ABS branch-ABS tree-GEN woman-ERG messenger-ERG,
The messenger woman held up a branch of a tree,
ai i-łym-a šolv-i arňa-t.
and 3sErg-approach-IPF near-ABS cougar-GEN.
and approached near the cougar.
teg-yl-i budu-t, i-vyml-a arňa-Ø køvu-le nintel-e,
avoid-ErgP-ABS danger-GEN, 3sErg-nervous-IPF cougar-ABS woman-ERG messenger-ERG,
[Wanting] to avoid danger, the messenger woman was anxious about the cougar,
ai i-łuġ-u talg-i syø-t, ła i-lorn-a leň-i zov-at-Ø syø-t.
and 3sErg-stop-PF far-ABS him-GEN, but 3sErg-try-IPF acquire-INF trust-result-ABS him-GEN.
so she stopped far from him, but tried to obtain his trust.
INF = infinitive
The difference between va and syø is 3rd person vs. 4th person, not feminine vs. masculine. The Minza text could be referring to a male or female cougar.
i-mor-u ilaki-Ø kumu-t arňa-n nuž-yl-in va-le.
3sErg-give-PF portion-ABS food-GEN cougar-DAT play-ErgP-DAT she-ERG.
She gave a portion of food to the playful cougar.
i-dzum-u ja a-łym-i či ruku-mu,
3sErg-think-PF that 4sErg-approach-SBJ toward cart-LOC,
She thought he would approach the cart,
SBJ = subjunctive
ła a-maġ-a kumu-Ø xyv-i arňa-le xeň-u!
but 4sErg-want-IPF food-ABS more-ABS cougar-ERG shameful-ERG!
but the shameful cougar wanted more food!
naš-i žønž-i, tek-ev-i køvu-mu łed-Ø,
begin-SBJ rain-INF, sit-AbsP-ABS woman-LOC branch-ABS,
It began to rain, the woman holding the branch,
AbsP = absolutive participle
tekevi køvumu łed: literally, "the branch sitting [being located] at the woman". Probably an incorrect translation from the Θuwǵø "zútú ẃaðíǰa θunðøt", but I couldn't make much sense of that in this context.
šim i-maġ-a mim-i talg-i arňa-t.
thus 3sErg-want-IPF remain-INF far-ABS cougar-GEN.
so she wanted to stay far away from the cougar.
łed-en pølu-t, i-gež-a nam-i lažu za arňa-t.
branch-INST tree-GEN, 3sErg-protect-IPF good-ABS quite from cougar-GEN.
With the branch of a tree, she protected herself quite well from the cougar.
i-nim-u za silá-t no ruku-t tači-Ø foł-at køvu-le nintel-e.
3sErg-reach-PF from there-GEN with cart-GEN end-ABS path-GEN woman-ERG messenger-ERG
From there the messenger woman reached the end of the path with her cart.
kela žag-u nyn ja i-darv-u,
after day-LOC that which 3sErg-set.out-PF,
After that day when she set out,
a-nV-vyml-a køvu-ri-Ø xyv-i ai xažla-ri xyv-i ġør-yk-e arňa-t.
4sErg-CAUS-anxious-IPF woman-PL-ABS more-ABS and man-PL-ABS more-ABS growl-event-ERG cougar-GEN.
the growl of the cougar has made more women and more men nervous.
CAUS = causative