Difference between revisions of "Osage"
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| − | The Osage | + | The Osage is a language and its derivates spoken by the populace of [[The Osage]]. The official variant, known as Imperial Osage, is extremely difficult to learn due to some things discussed below, requiring a dedicated scribe class to puzzle out its oddities in both grammar and the writing system. It is written in ideographic hieroglyphics, usually, which also makes it somewhat difficult to learn fully, if not immersed into it as a child. Osage has no plurals (plurality being denoted by a slight tonal shift), and in sound and tone might be classified as a Siouan language. |
It is also unique in the complete lack of the word 'we' or 'us', so that there is 'I laugh' and 'you laugh' but not 'we laugh', instead 'we laugh' is traditionally denoted by saying the equivalent of 'you laugh' with a very slight change in tone on the word 'laugh'. | It is also unique in the complete lack of the word 'we' or 'us', so that there is 'I laugh' and 'you laugh' but not 'we laugh', instead 'we laugh' is traditionally denoted by saying the equivalent of 'you laugh' with a very slight change in tone on the word 'laugh'. | ||
| − | A few of the things that make it difficult: Intensive use of synonyms. As a verb the word 'da' means to freeze, to beg, to solicit, to ask, or to request. As a noun it means 'meat', and as an adjective it means 'great'. Despite the fact that to an outsider they would all simply sound like 'da', to an Osage native very slight tonal changes signal different words. Next, Osage word order is determined by ''importance in the mind of the speaker.'' The concept is explained this way, using the sentence 'Yesterday I learned Osage'. The words to be used are yesterday = | + | A few of the things that make it difficult: Intensive use of synonyms. As a verb the word 'da' means to freeze, to beg, to solicit, to ask, or to request. As a noun it means 'meat', and as an adjective it means 'great'. Despite the fact that to an outsider they would all simply sound like 'da', to an Osage native very slight tonal changes signal different words. Next, Osage word order is determined by ''importance in the mind of the speaker.'' The concept is explained this way, using the sentence 'Yesterday I learned Osage'. The words to be used are yesterday = cido'dsi, Osage, and bthi'upathe = I learned. |
| − | To an Osage, | + | To an Osage, cido'dsi simply means 'in the past', unless it takes precedence over 'Osage' in the sentence. 'Cido'dsi Osage bthi'upathe' would mean that Osage was learned yesterday only. 'Osage bthi'upathe cido'dsi' would mean Osage was learned in the past, including yesterday. |
Word order is [Most important thought to the speaker] [Descriptive nouns] [Most Important Action] [Secondary Action]. | Word order is [Most important thought to the speaker] [Descriptive nouns] [Most Important Action] [Secondary Action]. | ||
| − | As such, many different shades of meaning can be made by switching around different words. 'Do you want some ice tea?' would be translated into Osage as 'Tea ice some you want?' [ | + | As such, many different shades of meaning can be made by switching around different words. 'Do you want some ice tea?' would be translated into Osage as 'Tea ice some you want?' [Pezhemonkonca'e nonxe doba shkon'shta?] |
| − | To compound this, a wide variety of regional dialects are sometimes used | + | To compound this, a wide variety of regional dialects are sometimes used, with peasants commonly speaking a degraded, simplified version looked down upon by the wakongi lords of the Empire. |
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Here is some basic vocabulary - | Here is some basic vocabulary - | ||
| − | Hawei - Hello | + | * Hawei - Hello |
| + | * Dahan - Good | ||
| + | * Daha ninksha - How are you? | ||
| + | * Dahan bagi - How is your health? | ||
| + | * Wei dahan - I'm good | ||
| + | * ____ ija jeilei - I am ____ (name) | ||
| + | * Kakona - Ready | ||
| + | * Ewigonkana - I want you to help me | ||
| + | * Onca lipu - I'm leaving now, Bye | ||
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Latest revision as of 06:37, 31 December 2005
The Osage is a language and its derivates spoken by the populace of The Osage. The official variant, known as Imperial Osage, is extremely difficult to learn due to some things discussed below, requiring a dedicated scribe class to puzzle out its oddities in both grammar and the writing system. It is written in ideographic hieroglyphics, usually, which also makes it somewhat difficult to learn fully, if not immersed into it as a child. Osage has no plurals (plurality being denoted by a slight tonal shift), and in sound and tone might be classified as a Siouan language.
It is also unique in the complete lack of the word 'we' or 'us', so that there is 'I laugh' and 'you laugh' but not 'we laugh', instead 'we laugh' is traditionally denoted by saying the equivalent of 'you laugh' with a very slight change in tone on the word 'laugh'.
A few of the things that make it difficult: Intensive use of synonyms. As a verb the word 'da' means to freeze, to beg, to solicit, to ask, or to request. As a noun it means 'meat', and as an adjective it means 'great'. Despite the fact that to an outsider they would all simply sound like 'da', to an Osage native very slight tonal changes signal different words. Next, Osage word order is determined by importance in the mind of the speaker. The concept is explained this way, using the sentence 'Yesterday I learned Osage'. The words to be used are yesterday = cido'dsi, Osage, and bthi'upathe = I learned.
To an Osage, cido'dsi simply means 'in the past', unless it takes precedence over 'Osage' in the sentence. 'Cido'dsi Osage bthi'upathe' would mean that Osage was learned yesterday only. 'Osage bthi'upathe cido'dsi' would mean Osage was learned in the past, including yesterday.
Word order is [Most important thought to the speaker] [Descriptive nouns] [Most Important Action] [Secondary Action].
As such, many different shades of meaning can be made by switching around different words. 'Do you want some ice tea?' would be translated into Osage as 'Tea ice some you want?' [Pezhemonkonca'e nonxe doba shkon'shta?]
To compound this, a wide variety of regional dialects are sometimes used, with peasants commonly speaking a degraded, simplified version looked down upon by the wakongi lords of the Empire.
Basic Vocabulary
Here is some basic vocabulary -
- Hawei - Hello
- Dahan - Good
- Daha ninksha - How are you?
- Dahan bagi - How is your health?
- Wei dahan - I'm good
- ____ ija jeilei - I am ____ (name)
- Kakona - Ready
- Ewigonkana - I want you to help me
- Onca lipu - I'm leaving now, Bye
