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A Collection of Texts in Sahqag

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)

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

[kʼʷɜɹˤ htʲiː꜖ʄʲ ɥˤãɺˠ htˤɘ꜒꜖rˠ ʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ kˠa̰꜖nʲ fˠẽ̃ː꜒꜖tʼˤ ɥˤãɺˠ bˠɨ̰̃̃꜒k͡xˤ ɢʷɔ̃ːbʱˤẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ sˤkʰʲɨ꜒꜖kʼʲ ʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ sʲuʁʲ ʒˠtˤɜ̃̃ː̰꜒dʱʷ ʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ ʋˠĩ̃꜒t͡ʃ ʃʲkʼʷɨ꜖꜒kˤ sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ zˠkʰʲiːsˤqˤɛ꜖꜒ʂˠ ʃʲkʼʷɨ꜖꜒kˤ]

kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST htʲiː꜖ʄʲ
have ɥˤãɺˠ
3.cl.4.POSS htˤɘ꜒꜖rˠ
human being ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the kˠa̰꜖nʲ
in fˠẽː꜒꜖tʼˤ
surface ɥˤãɺˠ
3.cl.4.POSS bˠɨ̰̃꜒k͡xˤ
earth ɢʷɔːbʱˤ-
cl.3 ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the sˤkʰʲɨ꜒꜖kʼʲ
whole ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the sʲuʁʲ
LOC ʒˠtˤɜ̃ː̰꜒dʱʷ
all ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the ʋˠĩ꜒t͡ʃ
language ʃʲkʼʷɨ꜖꜒kˤ
one sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ
and zˠkʰʲiːsˤqˤɛ꜖꜒ʂˠ
dialect ʃʲkʼʷɨ꜖꜒kˤ
one

“All humans in the whole earth had one language and one dialect.”

 (1)

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.

[kʼʷɜɹˤ ʒˠgʱˠĩ̃ːzʲɢˠɘ̃ː̰꜒t͡sˤ zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ χˠɔ꜒꜖zˠ ᵏǁʰˠẽ̃꜒꜖dʲ ʒʲdʲɜ꜒꜖dˤ ʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ t͡ʂʲiːɡʷ]

kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST ʒˠgʱˠĩːzʲɢˠɘː̰꜒t͡sˤ
journey zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ
3.cl.1 χˠɔ꜒꜖zˠ
from ᵏǁʰˠẽ꜒꜖dʲ
inside ʒʲdʲɜ꜒꜖dˤ
east ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the t͡ʂʲiːɡʷ
ABL

“They journeyed from the east.”

 (2)

[sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ kʼʷɜɹˤ tʰʷẽ̃꜒pʼˤ zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ ɥˤãɺˠ sʷhkˠẽːɭˠḭ̃̃꜖kˤ ɢʷɔːbʱˤa꜒rˠ kˠa̰꜖nʲ ᵏǁʰˠẽ̃꜒꜖dʲ sˠtʲoː꜖꜒ɡˠ ɢʷɔːbʱˤa꜒rˠ sʲuʁʲ tʼˠe꜖pʼʲ ʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ]

sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ
and kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST tʰʷẽ꜒pʼˤ
find zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ
3.cl.1 ɥˤãɺˠ
3.cl.4.POSS sʷhkˠeːɭˠḭ̃꜖kˤ
plain ɢʷɔːbʱˤ-
cl.3 tʼʲa꜒rˠ
a kˠa̰꜖nʲ
in ᵏǁʰˠẽ꜒꜖dʲ
inside sˠtʲoː꜖꜒ɡˠ
land ɢʷɔːbʱˤ-
cl.3 tʼʲa꜒rˠ
a sʲuʁʲ
LOC tʼˠe꜖pʼʲ
wide ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the

“And they found a wide plain in the a land.”

 (3)

[ʃˠhtʷɛ̃̃ʈʼʲũ̃꜖꜒ɳʲ kʼʷɜɹˤ bʲixʲaː꜖ɹˤ zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ sˠpˤo꜖꜒xˤ]

ʃˠhtʷɛ̃ʈʼʲũ꜖꜒ɳʲ
thus kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST bʲixʲaː꜖ɹˤ
dwell zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ
3.cl.1 sˠpˤo꜖꜒xˤ
there

“Thus they dwelled there.”

 (4)

And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly.

[kʼʷɜɹˤ ʃˠkʼʷiː̰꜖χʲ zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ ɾˠɔɾʲ ɰʲɘ̃ːrˠ nˠɜ̃ːqʼʷħʲɔːʂʲqʼʷɨ̰꜒fʲ ᵏǀʲõːʛʲ ɗʲɨ̃̃꜖꜒lˠ sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ ɾˠɔɾʲ ɰʲɘ̃ːrˠ xʲãːzˠkʼˠɔːʂʲqʼʷɨ̰꜒fʲ ᵏǀʲõːʛʲ ɗʲɨ̃̃꜖꜒lˠ gʱˤuzˠɢʷaṵ꜒tʼʷ]

kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST ʃˠkʼʷiː̰꜖χʲ
say zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ
3.cl.1 ɾˠɔɾʲ
POS.active.PRES ɰʲɘ̃ːrˠ
COMP nˠɜ̃ːqʼʷ-
make ħʲɔːʂʲqʼʷɨ̰꜒fʲ
brick ᵏǀʲõːʛʲ
imperative ɗʲɨ̃꜖꜒lˠ
1incl sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ
and ɾˠɔɾʲ
POS.active.PRES ɰʲɘ̃ːrˠ
COMP xʲãːzˠkʼˠ-
burn ħʲɔːʂʲqʼʷɨ̰꜒fʲ
brick ᵏǀʲõːʛʲ
imperative ɗʲɨ̃꜖꜒lˠ
1incl gʱˤuzˠɢʷaṵ꜒tʼʷ
thoroughly

“They said: Let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.”

 (5)

And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.

[kʼʷɜɹˤ htʲiː꜖ʄʲ zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ ħʲɔːʂʲqʼʷɨ̰꜒fʲ qʼʲebʱˤau꜖꜒vˠ ɰˠɛ꜖꜒βˤ sʲuʁʲ]

kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST htʲiː꜖ʄʲ
have zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ
3.cl.1 ħʲɔːʂʲqʼʷɨ̰꜒fʲ
brick qʼʲebʱˤau꜖꜒vˠ
PURP ɰˠɛ꜖꜒βˤ
stone sʲuʁʲ
LOC

“They had bricks for stone.”

 (6)

[sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ kʼʷɜɹˤ htʲiː꜖ʄʲ zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ ɹʲɔʂˠᵊ꜖꜒ʐˠ qʼʲebʱˤau꜖꜒vˠ nˤɘ̃q͡χˤã̃꜖꜒lʲ sʲuʁʲ]

sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ
and kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST htʲiː꜖ʄʲ
have zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ
3.cl.1 ɹʲɔʂˠᵊ꜖꜒ʐˠ
slime qʼʲebʱˤau꜖꜒vˠ
PURP nˤɘq͡χˤã꜖꜒lʲ
mortar sʲuʁʲ
LOC

“And they had slime for mortar.”

 (7)

A Creation Myth

We are not like other people.

[sʲɔ̃k͡xʲ zʲʈʲɔɓˤɜ̰꜒r̥ʲ ɗʲɨ̃̃꜖꜒lˠ ɥˤãɺˠ htˤɘ꜒꜖rˠ zˤbˠɔː꜒tʼˠ ʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ]

sʲɔ̃k͡xʲ
NEG.active.PRES zʲʈʲɔɓˤɜ̰꜒r̥ʲ
resemble ɗʲɨ̃꜖꜒lˠ
1incl ɥˤãɺˠ
3.cl.4.POSS htˤɘ꜒꜖rˠ
human being zˤbˠɔː꜒tʼˠ
other ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the

“We do not resemble other humans.”

 (8)

Their languages were shaped by struggle and time.

[kʼʷɜɹˤ ʈʲũ̃ːsʲpʲũ̃꜒꜖ɠʷ ᵏǀʲe꜒rˤ sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ ʒʲbˤɨ꜖꜒ɰʷ htʷadʷ ʋˠĩ̃꜒t͡ʃ ɽʲɔ̃ʁˠẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ]

kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST ʈʲũːsʲpʲũ꜒꜖ɠʷ
shape ᵏǀʲe꜒rˤ
fight sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ
and ʒʲbˤɨ꜖꜒ɰʷ
time htʷadʷ
3.cl.1.POSS ʋˠĩ꜒t͡ʃ
language ɽʲɔʁˠ-
cl.2 ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ
3.cl.1

“Their languages were shaped by fight and time.”

 (9)

They copied the sounds of beasts and birds, and they learned to speak like that.

[kʼʷɜɹˤ ɖʲᵊʄʲa꜒꜖sʲ zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ ɥˤãɺˠ ʐʲɨ̃̃꜖꜒ɹʷ qʼʲũːʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ sˤtʼˤɨzˠɡˠɨː̰꜖bʱʲ sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ zʲʈʰˠa̰꜖ɢʲ]

kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST ɖʲᵊʄʲa꜒꜖sʲ
copy zʲdʱʲɔː꜖꜒vˤ
3.cl.1 ɥˤãɺˠ
3.cl.4.POSS ʐʲɨ̃꜖꜒ɹʷ
sound qʼʲuːᵏǀˤ-
cl.4 ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the sˤtʼˤɨzˠɡˠɨː̰꜖bʱʲ
mammal sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ
and zʲʈʰˠa̰꜖ɢʲ
bird

“They copied the sounds of mammals and birds.”

 (10)

But our language arose in a different way.

[ʐˠɔi꜖꜒χʷ kʼʷɜɹˤ zˠhʈˠĩɖʱˠɨ̃̃꜖꜒ʂˠ ʃˠqʼˠa̰꜒ɡʲ ɢʷɔ̃ːbʱˤẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ, ɣʲɘ꜖ɥʲ ɾˠɔɾʲ ʃˠtʼʷɨ꜖ɹˠ htˤɛ̃ːq͡χʷ ʋˠĩ̃꜒t͡ʃ ɽʲɔ̃ʁˠẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ, kˠa̰꜖nʲ ᵏǁʰˠẽ̃꜒꜖dʲ ɥˤãɺˠ ɺˠẽ̃꜖꜒mˤ qʼʲuːᵏǀˤtʼʲa꜒rˠ ɣʷẽ̃ː꜒ʐˠ ʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ sʲuʁʲ]

ʐˠɔi꜖꜒χʷ
but kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST zˠhʈˠiɖʱˠɨ̃꜖꜒ʂˠ
arise ʃˠqʼˠa̰꜒ɡʲ
langname ɢʷɔːbʱˤ-
cl.3 ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the ɣʲɘ꜖ɥʲ
RELPRON ɾˠɔɾʲ
POS.active.PRES ʃˠtʼʷɨ꜖ɹˠ
be htˤɛ̃ːq͡χʷ
1incl.POSS ʋˠĩ꜒t͡ʃ
language ɽʲɔʁˠ-
cl.2 ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the kˠa̰꜖nʲ
in ᵏǁʰˠẽ꜒꜖dʲ
inside ɥˤãɺˠ
3.cl.4.POSS ɺˠẽ꜖꜒mˤ
manner qʼʲuːᵏǀˤ-
cl.4 tʼʲa꜒rˠ
a ɣʷẽː꜒ʐˠ
different ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the sʲuʁʲ
LOC

“But Sahqag, which is our language, arose in a different way.”

 (11)

It was born whole and perfect in a single breath.

[kʼʷɜɹˤ tʰˤɔsʲʈʰˠɜː꜒꜖ɴʷ zʲkʼʲḭ꜖ʋˤ ɥˤãɺˠ sˤkʰʲɨ꜒꜖kʼʲ ʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ ɥˤãɺˠ sʲtʰʷĩ̃ːʒʲgʱʷã̃꜒꜖d͡ʐʲ ʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ kˠa̰꜖nʲ ᵏǁʰˠẽ̃꜒꜖dʲ ɥˤãɺˠ ʂʲtˤɔʃʲtʼʷɜ̰꜖ɢʲ qʼʲuːᵏǀˤtʼʲa꜒rˠ ʃˠhpˤɨ꜖꜒ʂˠ ʃʲkʰʲẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ sʲuʁʲ]

kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST tʰˤɔsʲʈʰˠɜː꜒꜖ɴʷ
appear zʲkʼʲḭ꜖ʋˤ
3.cl.2 ɥˤãɺˠ
3.cl.4.POSS sˤkʰʲɨ꜒꜖kʼʲ
whole ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the sʲhkˠau꜒꜖ɠʷ
and ɥˤãɺˠ
3.cl.4.POSS sʲtʰʷĩːʒʲgʱʷã꜒꜖d͡ʐʲ
perfect ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the kˠa̰꜖nʲ
in ᵏǁʰˠẽ꜒꜖dʲ
inside ɥˤãɺˠ
3.cl.4.POSS ʂʲtˤɔʃʲtʼʷɜ̰꜖ɢʲ
breath qʼʲuːᵏǀˤ-
cl.4 tʼʲa꜒rˠ
a ʃˠhpˤɨ꜖꜒ʂˠ
single ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the sʲuʁʲ
LOC

“It appeared whole and perfect in a single breath”

 (12)

Our language did not evolve; it was created.

[ɖʱˠiʐˠ ᵏǁʰˠesʲʔu꜖꜒mˤ htˤɛ̃ːq͡χʷ ʋˠĩ̃꜒t͡ʃ ɽʲɔ̃ʁˠẽ̃꜖꜒r̥ˤ]

ɖʱˠiʐˠ
NEG.active.PAST ᵏǁʰˠesʲʔu꜖꜒mˤ
evolve htˤɛ̃ːq͡χʷ
1incl.POSS ʋˠĩ꜒t͡ʃ
language ɽʲɔʁˠ-
cl.2 ʃʲkʰʲẽ꜖꜒r̥ˤ
the

“Our language did not evolve.”

 (13)

[kʼʷɜɹˤ ʂʲkʰˤãʐʲã̃꜒꜖qˠ zʲkʼʲḭ꜖ʋˤ]

kʼʷɜɹˤ
POS.active.PAST ʂʲkʰˤaʐʲã꜒꜖qˠ
create zʲkʼʲḭ꜖ʋˤ
3.cl.2

“It was created.”

 (14)

Language creation took 0.06 seconds; writing the texts 0.05 seconds.

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