A Collection of Texts in Ikan

What follows is a collection of texts intended to illustrate the language in more natural and extended use than the glossed examples found in the grammar.

The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9)

Huw ncak daḍ daiw suj nca bba’g di’s caun mi’n nca bba’g mij diṣ fa’w ṇing daba’bbaḍ fa’w. Ja’ṇid ncak habb dip bba’g da’ṭ maub, ṇing fun ncak habb daitaṇaṣ dim da’ṭ caun ṭik nca, shabbuṇ ja’ñaṭ ncak habb c̣aiñ. Ṭun ncak habb ṣibb ṣauw piṣ nca wi’japap mij ṇing ṣibb jaif piṣ nca wi’japap mij ṇashin. Huw ncak habb di’japap daung ñiñig, ṇing huw ncak habb dabbisuṣ dibbuga’m ñiñig.

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

A Creation Myth

Fangis pun ṣibb daḍ dim nca mij. Mikuf ncak dibb ṇing dan habb diṣ bba’g mij ṇiḍ. Fasaush ncak habb mauguñan mij ṇing miñ mij mij duk bba’g mij ṇiḍ. Puk manag ncak dikan bba’g fa’s nca diṣ bba’g ṭibb dakiṭ ḍaw nca da’ṭ caun. Ma’bauk ncak gaud suj nca ṇing c̣ini’ṣ nca dushipabb shag nca da’ṭ caun. Papau ncak pun diṣ bba’g ṭibb, nc̣a’sa’k ncak gaud.

We are not like other people. Their languages were shaped by struggle and time. They copied the sounds of beasts and birds, and they learned to speak like that. But our language arose in a different way. It was born whole and perfect in a single breath. Our language did not evolve; it was created.

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