11. Tapni Text

Text

mu‿b.nism̥. mu‿s.jaɪb. mu fani:d.

sːjaɪba:ɾ ɲo‿θ.nja:l. wam‿s:jaɪb‿s:nijmʊs‿saɪ‿v.lan.

s:θɾa:nɪm nijant va:lan. S:nɪmt mut‿t.nɪt‿s.mniɾaɾa: tɛ:sɪs.

tɾal mut‿s.tpama:maiɾ‿s.cratal faɪjsɪŋk tbu:waɾ‿t.nɪt ajʊŋk t‿v.lʊn‿m.niɾa ma mut faɪj.

wam‿s.tsmɾ̥ tθɾa:nɪm, spama:maiɾ tɛnɪt.

nɪtja:nɪs taɾa: este‿t‿θ.mumi‿t.nɪt‿s.jɛsra: mut.

tɛsɪs ɛnɪt saɪja:t‿t.θnja:l.

sɪf‿saɪ‿t.sɪs mut mɲa:laɪ enirsa‿s muɾa buwaɾ nɪmθ‿s.aɪ‿s.nɪθ.

s:fa:niɾ‿t.nɪt tʊŋkɛ ma θamu:mi mɲa:laɪ aɪkɲansa: ɛnibja:maɾɛsɪŋk tɛsɪs tɛsɪŋk.

 

English Translation

No pain, no sleep, no fear.

I sleep all day. When I sleep, I almost see you.

I’m dreaming about you. I don’t want for this to happen.

Don’t try to secretly remember feeling the power that belongs to you, that stops me from feeling.

When I think about dreaming, this is what I remember

At least — over there, with the demons, whom I do not like.

This is what is seen nowadays.

If I did not see this, maybe I would have more power but I am sad.

I fear that maybe demons are reaching out to me because of these things that have happened.

 

Grammar and Vocabulary

Tapni is an isolating language that prefers consonant cluster onsets. In the glossary, I list stems and affixes required to translate the text. Affixation is not marked in writing, so a little guess work will have to be done. Additionally, because of the preference for consonant clusters, I’ve included liaison and alternate forms for some words that undergo these changes. I attempted to make the text as readable as possible using broad IPA transcription.

With regards to word order, Tapni carries both SVO and SOV depending on the type of clause and words in the clause that trigger the verb to move into the final position. There may be a couple of those in this text.

With regards to affixes, the main ones that are prevalent in this text are –t­- and –s-, which function as prefixes and suffixes.

 

Tapni liaison form alternative form gloss
be, am
aɪkɲansa: because
ajʊŋk belong
-aɾ past tense
-aɾa: subjunctive mood, conditional mood
-at passive voice
bnism̥ b.nism̥ pain
bu:waɾ b.waɾ bu:wap power
ɛnibja:m happen
enirsa nirs have
fa:niɾ f.niɾ fani:d fear
faɪj feel
-i plural suffix
jɛsra: sra: sra: like, enjoy
ma first person accusative/dative
mɲa:laɪ mɲalai: maybe
mniɾa m.niɾa mniɾ do, create
mu no, none
muɾa more/extra
mut negation
nijant about
nijmʊs almost
nɪtja:nɪs nɪtʃa:nɪs (at) least
ɲo all
pama:maiɾ remember
-s- first person nominal suffix
sacratal s.cratal sacratabal secretly
saɪ see
sɪf whether/if
-sɪŋk continuous aspect
sjaɪb sjaɪb sleep
snɪθ sad, sadness
-t- to, the, this (i.e., “this day” for “today”)
taɾa: tal:a (over) there
tɛ:sɪs t.sɪs tɛs this
tɛnɪt t.nɪt tnɪt that
tɛsɪŋk thing
tɛsmɾ̥ t.smɾ̥ think
tɾal try
tʊŋkɛ touch
unɪmt nɪmt want
valan v.lan you
valʊn v.lʊn all of you
wam when
θa:mum θ.mu:m demons
θnja:l θ.nja:l day
θɾa:nɪm θɾ.nɪm dream