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A Collection of Texts in Tu

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.

[ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ ɸˠɶ̃ː꜖ðˤ ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ ɮʲɛkʰˠʉ̃ː꜒꜖ʈʼʲ vʲɛ̃꜒꜖ʒˠ kʷɵ̃θʲ ɮʲɛtʰˠiː꜒꜖q͡χˠ lʲa꜖꜒dˠ kʷɵ̃θʲ pʰˤɵ̃ː꜒kʼˠ qˠḛ̃꜖sˠ ʒˠkʷi꜒ɾˠ ʃˠpʼʲœ̃ː̰꜖fˤ zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ ʒˠkʷi꜒ɾˠ zˠɡʱʷʉ̃ʒʲkʰʷɔ̃ː꜖꜒mʲ]

ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active ɸˠɶ̃ː꜖ðˤ
have ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ
plur ɮʲɛkʰˠ-
cl.2 ʒʲqʼˠʉ̃ː꜒꜖ʈʼʲ
all vʲɛ̃꜒꜖ʒˠ
human being kʷɵ̃θʲ
LOC.no.owner ɮʲɛkʰˠ-
cl.2 tʰˠiː꜒꜖q͡χˠ
whole lʲa꜖꜒dˠ
earth kʷɵ̃θʲ
LOC.no.owner pʰˤɵ̃ː꜒kʼˠ
surface qˠḛ̃꜖sˠ
in ʒˠkʷi꜒ɾˠ
one ʃˠpʼʲœ̃ː̰꜖fˤ
language zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ
and ʒˠkʷi꜒ɾˠ
one zˠɡʱʷʉ̃ʒʲkʰʷɔ̃ː꜖꜒mʲ
dialect

“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.

[ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ ʜʲᵊʂʲtʰʲɞː꜒꜖d͡ʒ zʲɡʱˤarˠ fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ ʈʰˠᵊsʲ ᵑǃˤaḭ꜖ɰˠ ʈʰˠᵊsʲ dʱˤᵊ꜒꜖pˠ ᵑǀˤu꜒tʼˠ]

ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active ʜʲᵊʂʲtʰʲɞː꜒꜖d͡ʒ
journey zʲɡʱˤarˠ
NOM.no.owner fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ
3.plur.cl.2 ʈʰˠᵊsʲ
ABL.no.owner ᵑǃˤaḭ꜖ɰˠ
east ʈʰˠᵊsʲ
ABL.no.owner dʱˤᵊ꜒꜖pˠ
inside ᵑǀˤu꜒tʼˠ
from

“They journeyed from the east.”

 (2)

[zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ fʲɶ꜖ħʲ fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ sʲkˠõ̰꜒qʼˠ ʂʲkˤɵːɰʷau꜒꜖ɽʱʲ ɢʲyzʷkʼʷyː꜒sˤ kʷɵ̃θʲ sʲkˠõ̰꜒qʼˠ ʛˤa̰꜖vˤ kʷɵ̃θʲ dʱˤᵊ꜒꜖pˠ qˠḛ̃꜖sˠ]

zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ
and ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active fʲɶ꜖ħʲ
find fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ
3.plur.cl.2 sʲkˠõ̰꜒qʼˠ
a ʂʲkˤɵːɰʷ-
cl.1 ʐˠbʱˤau꜒꜖ɽʱʲ
wide ɢʲuzʷkʼʷyː꜒sˤ
plain kʷɵ̃θʲ
LOC.no.owner sʲkˠõ̰꜒qʼˠ
a ʛˤa̰꜖vˤ
land kʷɵ̃θʲ
LOC.no.owner dʱˤᵊ꜒꜖pˠ
inside qˠḛ̃꜖sˠ
in

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

 (3)

[zʲtʼˠʉɣʲõː꜖d͡ʒʱʲ ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ ᵑǀʱʲeɡˠa̰꜖xˠ zʲɡʱˤarˠ fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ ɡʷɔ̰꜒ʕʲ]

zʲtʼˠʉɣʲõː꜖d͡ʒʱʲ
thus ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active ᵑǀʱʲeɡˠa̰꜖xˠ
dwell zʲɡʱˤarˠ
NOM.no.owner fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ
3.plur.cl.2 ɡʷɔ̰꜒ʕʲ
there

“Thus they dwelled there.”

 (4)

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

[ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ θˠa꜖tɬˠ fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ zʲɡʱˤarˠ ʐʲpʲo̰꜖k͡xˤ bˠũɣʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ sʷpʰˤiʕʲ hkˤʉɠʷiːɡˤũː̰꜒lˠ sˤtʰʷaːʒʲdʲɞ̰꜖r̥ʲ zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ zʲɡʱˤarˠ ʐʲpʲo̰꜖k͡xˤ bˠũɣʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ sʷpʰˤiʕʲ ɽʱʲifˠiːɡˤũː̰꜒lˠ sˤtʰʷaːʒʲdʲɞ̰꜖r̥ʲ t͡sʰˤoŋˤãː̰꜒t̪ˤ]

ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active θˠa꜖tɬˠ
say fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ
3.plur.cl.2 zʲɡʱˤarˠ
NOM.no.owner ʐʲpʲo̰꜖k͡xˤ
1incl.plur bˠũɣʲ
imperative.PRES ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active sʷpʰˤiʕʲ
1incl.plur.SUBJ hkˤʉɠʷ-
make ʃˠpʼʲiːɡˤũː̰꜒lˠ
brick sˤtʰʷaːʒʲdʲɞ̰꜖r̥ʲ
COMP zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ
and zʲɡʱˤarˠ
NOM.no.owner ʐʲpʲo̰꜖k͡xˤ
1incl.plur bˠũɣʲ
imperative.PRES ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active sʷpʰˤiʕʲ
1incl.plur.SUBJ ɽʱʲifˠ-
burn ʃˠpʼʲiːɡˤũː̰꜒lˠ
brick sˤtʰʷaːʒʲdʲɞ̰꜖r̥ʲ
COMP t͡sʰˤoŋˤãː̰꜒t̪ˤ
thoroughly

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

 (5)

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

[ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ ɸˠɶ̃ː꜖ðˤ fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ ʃˠpʼʲiːɡˤũː̰꜒lˠ kʷɵ̃θʲ ɠʲa꜒꜖t͡sʲ pʼˠɛ̃ːhtʷɞː꜒꜖kʼʲ]

ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active ɸˠɶ̃ː꜖ðˤ
have fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ
3.plur.cl.2 ʃˠpʼʲiːɡˤũː̰꜒lˠ
brick kʷɵ̃θʲ
LOC.no.owner ɠʲa꜒꜖t͡sʲ
stone pʼˠɛ̃ːhtʷɞː꜒꜖kʼʲ
PURP

“They had bricks for stone.”

 (6)

[zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ ɸˠɶ̃ː꜖ðˤ fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ ʃˠhtʲakʼˤœ̰꜖t͡sˠ kʷɵ̃θʲ ᵑǃˠatˠɔ꜒꜖t͡ʃ pʼˠɛ̃ːhtʷɞː꜒꜖kʼʲ]

zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ
and ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active ɸˠɶ̃ː꜖ðˤ
have fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ
3.plur.cl.2 ʃˠhtʲakʼˤœ̰꜖t͡sˠ
slime kʷɵ̃θʲ
LOC.no.owner ᵑǃˠatˠɔ꜒꜖t͡ʃ
mortar pʼˠɛ̃ːhtʷɞː꜒꜖kʼʲ
PURP

“And they had slime for mortar.”

 (7)

A Creation Myth

We are not like other people.

[ʐˠt̪ʷikʼˠ n̥ˤẽːnˤ sʷkʰʲỹːn̪ˤø̰̃꜖l̪ˠ ʐʲpʲo̰꜖k͡xˤ ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ ɮʲɛkʰˠɔ꜖ħˠ vʲɛ̃꜒꜖ʒˠ]

ʐˠt̪ʷikʼˠ
indicative.PRES n̥ˤẽːnˤ
NEG.active sʷkʰʲũːn̪ˤø̰̃꜖l̪ˠ
resemble ʐʲpʲo̰꜖k͡xˤ
1incl.plur ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ
plur ɮʲɛkʰˠ-
cl.2 ʃʲpˠɔ꜖ħˠ
other vʲɛ̃꜒꜖ʒˠ
human being

“We do not resemble other humans.”

 (8)

Their languages were shaped by struggle and time.

[ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ n̥ʷʉzʲɡʱˠɞː꜒nˤ ʒʲdʱʷœ̃꜖꜒rˠ zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ ɥʲᵊ̰꜖ʜˠ kʼʷɵːpʼˠ fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ ʃˠpʼʲœ̃ː̰꜖fˤ]

ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active n̥ʷʉzʲɡʱˠɞː꜒nˤ
shape ʒʲdʱʷœ̃꜖꜒rˠ
fight zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ
and ɥʲᵊ̰꜖ʜˠ
time kʼʷɵːpʼˠ
GEN.no.owner fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ
3.plur.cl.2 ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ
plur ʃˠpʼʲœ̃ː̰꜖fˤ
language

“Their languages were shaped by fight and time.”

 (9)

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

[ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ ᵑǀʱʷɵʈʼˠu꜖꜒ɹˤ fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ kʼʷɵːpʼˠ ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ ʂʲqˠimˠẽ꜖꜒zˠ zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ joː꜖ʐʲ ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ htʲœ꜖ɣʲ]

ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active ᵑǀʱʷɵʈʼˠu꜖꜒ɹˤ
copy fʲɛ̃꜒pˠ
3.plur.cl.2 ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ
plur kʼʷɵːpʼˠ
GEN.no.owner ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ
plur ʂʲqˠimˠẽ꜖꜒zˠ
mammal zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ
and ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ
plur joː꜖ʐʲ
bird ʒʲt̪ˤũːlˠ
plur htʲœ꜖ɣʲ
sound

“They copied the sounds of mammals and birds.”

 (10)

But our language arose in a different way.

[ʒˠɖʱʲɔ̃ː̰꜖ʒʲ ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ ʂʲqʼˤizʲkʼʲɶ̃꜖꜒ʐˠ zʲɡʱˤarˠ tʰʲʉ꜒꜖ɹˠ, sʲpʲʉ̃ː꜒tʼʲ ʐˠt̪ʷikʼˠ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ xˠoɬˠ ʕˠɔɽʱˠ ᵏǀʰʲᵊ̰꜒zˠ ʃˠpʼʲœ̃ː̰꜖fˤ, kʷɵ̃θʲ sʲkˠõ̰꜒qʼˠ t͡sʷaːhtʲai꜒꜖p͡fʲ ʒʲtʰˤɶː꜖n̪ʲ kʷɵ̃θʲ dʱˤᵊ꜒꜖pˠ qˠḛ̃꜖sˠ]

ʒˠɖʱʲɔ̃ː̰꜖ʒʲ
but ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active ʂʲqʼˤizʲkʼʲɶ̃꜖꜒ʐˠ
arise zʲɡʱˤarˠ
NOM.no.owner tʰʲʉ꜒꜖ɹˠ
langname sʲpʲʉ̃ː꜒tʼʲ
RELPRON ʐˠt̪ʷikʼˠ
indicative.PRES ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active xˠoɬˠ
3.sing.cl.4.SUBJ ʕˠɔɽʱˠ
3.plur.cl.4.OBJ ᵏǀʰʲᵊ̰꜒zˠ
be ʃˠpʼʲœ̃ː̰꜖fˤ
language kʷɵ̃θʲ
LOC.no.owner sʲkˠõ̰꜒qʼˠ
a t͡sʷaːhtʲ-
cl.3 zʷɡˤai꜒꜖p͡fʲ
different ʒʲtʰˤɶː꜖n̪ʲ
manner kʷɵ̃θʲ
LOC.no.owner dʱˤᵊ꜒꜖pˠ
inside qˠḛ̃꜖sˠ
in

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

 (11)

It was born whole and perfect in a single breath.

[ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ ɡʱˠɛʒˠtʲy꜒꜖zˠ ʡˠø꜖r̥ˠ tʰˠiː꜒꜖q͡χˠ zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ sʲkʲœ̃ʃʲqʼˤy꜒꜖ʋˤ kʷɵ̃θʲ sʲkˠõ̰꜒qʼˠ ᵑǃʼˤuzʲdʲeː꜖ʃʲ sˤhpˤøt͡ʃʰˠɶ꜖d̪ˤ kʷɵ̃θʲ dʱˤᵊ꜒꜖pˠ qˠḛ̃꜖sˠ]

ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active ɡʱˠɛʒˠtʲy꜒꜖zˠ
appear ʡˠø꜖r̥ˠ
3.sing.cl.2 tʰˠiː꜒꜖q͡χˠ
whole zˤqʰʲɵ̰꜒ɻˠ
and sʲkʲɔ̃ʃʲqʼˤy꜒꜖ʋˤ
perfect kʷɵ̃θʲ
LOC.no.owner sʲkˠõ̰꜒qʼˠ
a ᵑǃʼˤuʄʲ-
cl.7 zʲdʲeː꜖ʃʲ
single sˤhpˤot͡ʃʰˠɶ꜖d̪ˤ
breath kʷɵ̃θʲ
LOC.no.owner dʱˤᵊ꜒꜖pˠ
inside qˠḛ̃꜖sˠ
in

“It appeared whole and perfect in a single breath”

 (12)

Our language did not evolve; it was created.

[ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ n̥ˤẽːnˤ ᵏǁʰʲaɗˤa꜒꜖ʋʲ zʲɡʱˤarˠ ʃˠpʼʲœ̃ː̰꜖fˤ]

ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST n̥ˤẽːnˤ
NEG.active ᵏǁʰʲaɗˤa꜒꜖ʋʲ
evolve zʲɡʱˤarˠ
NOM.no.owner ʃˠpʼʲœ̃ː̰꜖fˤ
language

“Our language did not evolve.”

 (13)

[ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ sˤkʼˤɞkʼˤoː̰꜖θʲ zʲɡʱˤarˠ ʡˠø꜖r̥ˠ]

ʃʲkʼˠɛɺʲ
indicative.PAST ʃˠpʰˤʉp͡fˤ
POS.active sˤkʼˤɞkʼˤoː̰꜖θʲ
create zʲɡʱˤarˠ
NOM.no.owner ʡˠø꜖r̥ˠ
3.sing.cl.2

“It was created.”

 (14)

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