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A Collection of Texts in Baj

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.

Mờɕ shi̠ ka̠ty raùbúz ʑgai̠ch baūt ka̠ty tzījúz míɕ skāy pớch mư̄rrờt di̠ʑ pớch gāɕtừfờt.

[mɤ꜒꜖ɕ ʃi꜖ ka꜖t͡ɕ ɾau꜒꜖bu꜖꜒z ʑɡai꜖t͡ʃ bau꜒t ka꜖t͡ɕ t͡si꜒d͡ʒu꜖꜒z mi꜖꜒ɕ ska꜒j pɤ꜖꜒t͡ʃ mɯ꜒rɤ꜒꜖t di꜖ʑ pɤ꜖꜒t͡ʃ ɡa꜒ɕtɯ꜒꜖fɤ꜒꜖t]

mɤ꜒꜖ɕ
have ʃi꜖
PAST ka꜖t͡ɕ
the ɾau꜒꜖b
human being -u꜖꜒z
fem ʑɡai꜖t͡ʃ
all bau꜒t
in_surface ka꜖t͡ɕ
the t͡si꜒d͡ʒ
earth -u꜖꜒z
fem mi꜖꜒ɕ
whole ska꜒j
plur pɤ꜖꜒t͡ʃ
one mɯ꜒r
language -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc di꜖ʑ
and pɤ꜖꜒t͡ʃ
one ɡa꜒ɕtɯ꜒꜖f
dialect -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc

“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.

Shtómì shi̠ lo̠s jòg ka̠ty cháp.

[ʃto꜖꜒mi꜒꜖ ʃi꜖ lo꜖s d͡ʒo꜒꜖ɡ ka꜖t͡ɕ t͡ʃa꜖꜒p]

ʃto꜖꜒mi꜒꜖
journey ʃi꜖
PAST lo꜖s
3.plur.fem d͡ʒo꜒꜖ɡ
from_inside ka꜖t͡ɕ
the t͡ʃa꜖꜒p
east

“They journeyed from the east.”

 (2)
Di̠ʑ ñān shi̠ lo̠s tìl ñābi̠ñ chètz jāb tìl laūshúz.

[di꜖ʑ ɲa꜒n ʃi꜖ lo꜖s ti꜒꜖l ɲa꜒bi꜖ɲ t͡ʃe꜒꜖t͡s d͡ʒa꜒b ti꜒꜖l lau꜒ʃu꜖꜒z]

di꜖ʑ
and ɲa꜒n
find ʃi꜖
PAST lo꜖s
3.plur.fem ti꜒꜖l
a ɲa꜒bi꜖ɲ
plain t͡ʃe꜒꜖t͡s
wide d͡ʒa꜒b
in_inside ti꜒꜖l
a lau꜒ʃ
land -u꜖꜒z
fem

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

 (3)
Spókírr bứkón shi̠ lo̠s pàñ.

[spo꜖꜒ki꜖꜒r bɯ꜖꜒ko꜖꜒n ʃi꜖ lo꜖s pa꜒꜖ɲ]

spo꜖꜒ki꜖꜒r
thus bɯ꜖꜒ko꜖꜒n
dwell ʃi꜖
PAST lo꜖s
3.plur.fem pa꜒꜖ɲ
there

“Thus they dwelled there.”

 (4)

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

Dìb shi̠ lo̠s taīk ʑdaíñ zdo̠j dágúʑúzàg skāy tzāsásh di̠ʑ taīk ga̠m zdo̠j dágúʑúzàg skāy tzāsásh ɕpừshkūd.

[di꜒꜖b ʃi꜖ lo꜖s tai꜒k ʑdai꜖꜒ɲ zdo꜖d͡ʒ da꜖꜒ɡu꜖꜒ʑu꜖꜒za꜒꜖ɡ ska꜒j t͡sa꜒sa꜖꜒ʃ di꜖ʑ tai꜒k ɡa꜖m zdo꜖d͡ʒ da꜖꜒ɡu꜖꜒ʑu꜖꜒za꜒꜖ɡ ska꜒j t͡sa꜒sa꜖꜒ʃ ɕpɯ꜒꜖ʃku꜒d]

di꜒꜖b
say ʃi꜖
PAST lo꜖s
3.plur.fem tai꜒k
1incl.plur ʑdai꜖꜒ɲ
make zdo꜖d͡ʒ
imperative da꜖꜒ɡu꜖꜒ʑ
brick -u꜖꜒z
fem -a꜒꜖ɡ
ACC ska꜒j
plur t͡sa꜒sa꜖꜒ʃ
COMP di꜖ʑ
and tai꜒k
1incl.plur ɡa꜖m
burn zdo꜖d͡ʒ
imperative da꜖꜒ɡu꜖꜒ʑ
brick -u꜖꜒z
fem -a꜒꜖ɡ
ACC ska꜒j
plur t͡sa꜒sa꜖꜒ʃ
COMP ɕpɯ꜒꜖ʃku꜒d
thoroughly

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

 (5)

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

Mờɕ shi̠ lo̠s dágúʑúz tư̄ɕpēs chaìtyúz.

[mɤ꜒꜖ɕ ʃi꜖ lo꜖s da꜖꜒ɡu꜖꜒ʑu꜖꜒z tɯ꜒ɕpe꜒s t͡ʃai꜒꜖t͡ɕu꜖꜒z]

mɤ꜒꜖ɕ
have ʃi꜖
PAST lo꜖s
3.plur.fem da꜖꜒ɡu꜖꜒ʑ
brick -u꜖꜒z
fem tɯ꜒ɕpe꜒s
PURP t͡ʃai꜒꜖t͡ɕ
stone -u꜖꜒z
fem

“They had bricks for stone.”

 (6)
Di̠ʑ mờɕ shi̠ lo̠s kōza̠chờt tư̄ɕpēs jērứpúz.

[di꜖ʑ mɤ꜒꜖ɕ ʃi꜖ lo꜖s ko꜒za꜖t͡ʃɤ꜒꜖t tɯ꜒ɕpe꜒s d͡ʒe꜒ɾɯ꜖꜒pu꜖꜒z]

di꜖ʑ
and mɤ꜒꜖ɕ
have ʃi꜖
PAST lo꜖s
3.plur.fem ko꜒za꜖t͡ʃ
slime -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc tɯ꜒ɕpe꜒s
PURP d͡ʒe꜒ɾɯ꜖꜒p
mortar -u꜖꜒z
fem

“And they had slime for mortar.”

 (7)

A Creation Myth

We are not like other people.

Zhờʑàl cha̠sh taīk raùbúz wàn skāy.

[ʒɤ꜒꜖ʑa꜒꜖l t͡ʃa꜖ʃ tai꜒k ɾau꜒꜖bu꜖꜒z wa꜒꜖n ska꜒j]

ʒɤ꜒꜖ʑa꜒꜖l
resemble t͡ʃa꜖ʃ
NEG tai꜒k
1incl.plur ɾau꜒꜖b
human being -u꜖꜒z
fem wa꜒꜖n
other ska꜒j
plur

“We do not resemble other humans.”

 (8)

Their languages were shaped by struggle and time.

Ba̠skư̠ty shi̠ yājờt di̠ʑ tzèrr ka̠ty mư̄rrờt skāy ñīk lo̠s.

[ba꜖skɯ꜖t͡ɕ ʃi꜖ ja꜒d͡ʒɤ꜒꜖t di꜖ʑ t͡se꜒꜖r ka꜖t͡ɕ mɯ꜒rɤ꜒꜖t ska꜒j ɲi꜒k lo꜖s]

ba꜖skɯ꜖t͡ɕ
shape ʃi꜖
PAST ja꜒d͡ʒ
fight -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc di꜖ʑ
and t͡se꜒꜖r
time ka꜖t͡ɕ
the mɯ꜒r
language -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc ska꜒j
plur ɲi꜒k
3.plur.fem.POSS lo꜖s
3.plur.fem

“Their languages were shaped by fight and time.”

 (9)

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

ɕpớlárr shi̠ lo̠s ka̠ty sư̠pờt skāy ñīk ɕpífénúzíz skāy di̠ʑ bứʑúzíz skāy skāy.

[ɕpɤ꜖꜒la꜖꜒r ʃi꜖ lo꜖s ka꜖t͡ɕ sɯ꜖pɤ꜒꜖t ska꜒j ɲi꜒k ɕpi꜖꜒fe꜖꜒nu꜖꜒zi꜖꜒z ska꜒j di꜖ʑ bɯ꜖꜒ʑu꜖꜒zi꜖꜒z ska꜒j ska꜒j]

ɕpɤ꜖꜒la꜖꜒r
copy ʃi꜖
PAST lo꜖s
3.plur.fem ka꜖t͡ɕ
the sɯ꜖p
sound -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc ska꜒j
plur ɲi꜒k
3.plur.fem.POSS ɕpi꜖꜒fe꜖꜒n
mammal -u꜖꜒z
fem -i꜖꜒z
GEN ska꜒j
plur di꜖ʑ
and bɯ꜖꜒ʑ
bird -u꜖꜒z
fem -i꜖꜒z
GEN ska꜒j
plur ska꜒j
plur

“They copied the sounds of mammals and birds.”

 (10)

But our language arose in a different way.

ɕà yơ̄ɕaùñ shi̠ ka̠ty bájờt, dờk ʑòw ka̠ty mư̄rrờt pi̠b, jāb tìl shùshờt tyōch.

[ɕa꜒꜖ jɤ꜒ɕau꜒꜖ɲ ʃi꜖ ka꜖t͡ɕ ba꜖꜒d͡ʒɤ꜒꜖t, dɤ꜒꜖k ʑo꜒꜖w ka꜖t͡ɕ mɯ꜒rɤ꜒꜖t pi꜖b, d͡ʒa꜒b ti꜒꜖l ʃu꜒꜖ʃɤ꜒꜖t t͡ɕo꜒t͡ʃ]

ɕa꜒꜖
but jɤ꜒ɕau꜒꜖ɲ
arise ʃi꜖
PAST ka꜖t͡ɕ
the ba꜖꜒d͡ʒ
langname -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc dɤ꜒꜖k
RELPRON ʑo꜒꜖w
be ka꜖t͡ɕ
the mɯ꜒r
language -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc pi꜖b
1incl.plur.POSS d͡ʒa꜒b
in_inside ti꜒꜖l
a ʃu꜒꜖ʃ
manner -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc t͡ɕo꜒t͡ʃ
different

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

 (11)

It was born whole and perfect in a single breath.

Gùkúch shi̠ lư̄j míɕ di̠ʑ jòʑai̠ɕ jāb tìl ʑdơ̠nơ̠zhờt dùs

[ɡu꜒꜖ku꜖꜒t͡ʃ ʃi꜖ lɯ꜒d͡ʒ mi꜖꜒ɕ di꜖ʑ d͡ʒo꜒꜖ʑai꜖ɕ d͡ʒa꜒b ti꜒꜖l ʑdɤ꜖nɤ꜖ʒɤ꜒꜖t du꜒꜖s]

ɡu꜒꜖ku꜖꜒t͡ʃ
appear ʃi꜖
PAST lɯ꜒d͡ʒ
3.sing.masc mi꜖꜒ɕ
whole di꜖ʑ
and d͡ʒo꜒꜖ʑai꜖ɕ
perfect d͡ʒa꜒b
in_inside ti꜒꜖l
a ʑdɤ꜖nɤ꜖ʒ
breath -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc du꜒꜖s
single

“It appeared whole and perfect in a single breath”

 (12)

Our language did not evolve; it was created.

Zùshtètz shi̠ cha̠sh ka̠ty mư̄rrờt pi̠b.

[zu꜒꜖ʃte꜒꜖t͡s ʃi꜖ t͡ʃa꜖ʃ ka꜖t͡ɕ mɯ꜒rɤ꜒꜖t pi꜖b]

zu꜒꜖ʃte꜒꜖t͡s
evolve ʃi꜖
PAST t͡ʃa꜖ʃ
NEG ka꜖t͡ɕ
the mɯ꜒r
language -ɤ꜒꜖t
masc pi꜖b
1incl.plur.POSS

“Our language did not evolve.”

 (13)
Shư̠fứn shi̠ lư̄j.

[ʃɯ꜖fɯ꜖꜒n ʃi꜖ lɯ꜒d͡ʒ]

ʃɯ꜖fɯ꜖꜒n
create ʃi꜖
PAST lɯ꜒d͡ʒ
3.sing.masc

“It was created.”

 (14)

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