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Re: CONLANG: Some daily terms



This is going to both Lojban and Conlang lists, with apologies
for the duplication to the bisubscribed.

Jack Durst wrote:
> 
> Well, we've all been visitors to conlangea, and written accordingly in
> our tourist books.  Now it's time to see how the natives live.  Following
> are some phrases no native speaker (of any language) could go without.

Here's a translation from Lojbanistan, one of Conlangea's most populous
provinces:

> 
> A DAY IN THE LIFE:lo fadni dinri

> 6:00 already?i ue li xa tcika

I still haven't figured out how to say "already" in Lojban.
This just says: <surprised!> It's six o'clock! But that could
just as well mean surprised that it's only six and not later.

> Coffee.  Thank you.i ckafi i ckire

Nice alliteration there.

> You used all the hot water again!i oi do so'ire'u xaksu le glare djacu

The word for "again" used here, so'ire'u, means "for the 
many-th time". Less drastic would have been "for the more-than-
one-th time", but I think the context justifies the "many".

> Honey!  Whare did I put my ____?i doi dirba mi punji le mi broda ma

> -It's __________.
>         In the top draweri le galrai gacru

>         under the telephonei le cnita be le fonxa

>         the cat's sleeping on iti le mlatu cu sipna ga'u by

> 
> That's OK, I found it.i mi ba'o facki ju'inai

> Hurry, or you'll be late for class.i ko sutra ija do ba lerci le nu gunka

I changed "class" to "work", which fits better with
the rest of the story. (Also, I wasn't sure how to say
"class".) 

> Do you have everything?i xu do claxu noda

Literally: Are you lacking nothing?

> -Yes dear.i go'i doi dirba

> Are you sure?i xu birti

> Gotta run, love ya, bye!i ei mi klama co'o iu

> 
> !%$*& teenaged drivers!i mabla citno karcytro

> You cut me off, you <censored>!i do tu'a mi zunti ju'i <selvi'u>

> 
> Good morning.i xamgu cerni

> -Hi <your name>!i coi <cmene>

> Any messages?i xu notci

> -noi na go'i

> Is the meeting still at 9:00?i xu le nu penmi cu se tcika li so

> -They moved it up, it's just starting.i galfi i ra cazi cfari

> 
> ...And in today's meeting...i ze'a le cabdei nunpenmi

> Sorry I'm late.i u'u mi lerci

> ...
> 
> Hello, <Your company> how may I help you?i coi mi'e <kagni cmene> fi'ire'ido'u

Here the speaker is identifying herself with the company, so that
she will be speaking in its name. Depending on what type of company
she works with this may or may not make sense. Of course, when she
realizes that it is not a client calling, she doesn't need to 
redefine "mi" as herself, that is clearly understood from context.

> -Hi honey, could you pick up some ______ on the way home?i coi dirba e'o do cpacu lo brode ca le nu do xruti

> Sure.i vi'o

> -I'm making _________ for dinner tonight.i mi jukpa lo brodi tezu'e tu'a le nicte sanmi

> I'll be home.  [click] ________ again?! :(i mi ba zvati le zdani [i zoi ky klik ky] i xu du'ere'u brodi oi

Here "again" is translated as "for the too-manieth time".
I translated "I'll be home" literally, though I don't think it
makes much sense.

> 
> Hello, dear. [kiss] How was your day?i coi dirba i xu xamgu dirni

> -Fine, and yours?i go'i i xu go'ira'o

> Fine.i go'i

> -Did you get the _______?i xu do cpacu le brode

> $%!#&*!  I forgot.  How about pizza?i oi i'enaise'i  mi tolmorji i e'u cidjrpitsa pe'ipei


----

co'o mi'e xorxes