The Swallow Song in Tirylhat

[Blue Ribbon Campaign icon] Join the Blue Ribbon Online Free Speech Campaign!
Invent a language! Fight linguistic extinction... invent a language!

Download the Vylíka fonts to see the examples in the Tirylhat alphabet.

The Swallow Song is a translation of a Greek poem from the 7th century BC, a translation exercise suggested by Thomas R. Wier on the Conlang mailing list in July 2001. Here's the Tirylhat version, followed by an interlinear translation.

tegla jlahna

jzihkiZaz, tegla jzihkiZaz,
jkohtaz u Zemi nallu, u Zemi rahga,
vjaki jmohgu fali, vjaki jnyk kavi.
Zevcin dalarutan za rruhba cakni,
Zu zavahr vy kinehZ, Zu nirik vy maraht.
ty rihLnjem Sa mifsinjem Zlararukaj u tegla.
tagatazaj no dalatazaj? makenuj-
sinda makenukaj, jRetavakaj.
Suhru mlaRkavaZaj cy Suhruxat
cy rnora ni jvuzimaz my meG-
jtikRinuz da, ahkini mkohta-
sinda makenuj, ispa mirivit.
Zuhvi, Zuhvi u Suhru mbalataj na tegla,
Ltuhnukaz mjaviZaR, La narahn.
 

jë-zíki  -zha-z,  tegla   jë-zíki  -zha-z,
3s-arrive-PRE-IPF swallow 3s-arrive-PRE-IPF

jë-kóta -z   u   zhemi     nallu, u  zhemi     rága
3s-carry-IPF OBL beautiful hour   OBL beautiful year

vjaki       jë-mógu  fali, vjaki       jë-nyk  kavi
by-means-of 3s-belly white by-means-of 3s-back black

zhev -ë-cin  dala  -ru -ta -n  za   r   -rúba cakni
fruit- -cake go:get-PAS-DEO-PF from your-home rich

zhu zavár vy  kinézh, zhu nirik  vy  marát
and wine  LOC cup,    and cheese LOC basket

ty  rílh -ë-njem  sha mifsi -njem  zhlara-ru -ka -j  u   tegla
and wheat- -bread nor legume-bread refuse-PAS-NEG-GA OBL swallow

taga  -ta -za-j  no dala  -ta -za-j?
depart-DEO-QU-GA or go:get-DEO-QU-GA

make-nu -j... sinda   make-nu -ka -j, jë-rheta      -va -ka -j
give-CND-GA   however give-CND-NEG-GA 3s-leave:alone-INT-NEG-GA

shúru më-larhka   -va -zha-j  cy     shúru-xat
door  3s-take:away-INT-PRE-GA and/or door -beam

cy     rë  -nora   ni   jë-vuzi-ma -z   my  megh
and/or your-spouse that 3s-sit -HYP-IPF OBJ interior

jë-tikrhi-nu -z   da,   áki -ni më-kóta
3s-small -CND-IPF since easy-ly 3s-carry

sinda   make-nu -j, ispa   miri -vit
however give-CND-GA indeed great thing

zhúvi, zhúvi u   shúru më-bala-ta -j  na  tegla
open   open  OBL door  3s-set -DEO-GA DAT swallow

lhë-tú-nu -ka -z   mjavi-zharh,  lha narán
1p -be-CND-NEG-IPF old   person, but child

ACC: accusative
ADV: adverbial
CND: conditional
COP: copula
DAT: dative
DEO: deontic
GA:  generic aspect
HYP: hypothetical
INT: intentional
IPF: imperfective
NEG: negative
NOM: nominative
OBL: oblique
PAS: passive
PF:  perfective
PRE: predictive
QU:  question