2012/08/16

SamSkandinavisk Text Sample


In SamSkandinavisk:

Snart skall vi dverger endeligt besegre våre nuvärende fjender ok hevne alle gammle vanärer. Då skall det väre en ny gulltid för den skeggige slekt. Hvis männene ok halflingerne kenner sin rang ok klasse, de skall have ären för at tjäne oss. Halflingerne skall röre vår gröt ok bäre våre ölkrus. Männene skall slite i våre gullgruber ok hente ting  för oss som står på höge hyller.

Translation In English:

Soon we dwarves will finally defeat our current enemies and avenge all ancient dishonors. Then there will be a new golden age for the bearded race. If the men and the halflings know their place, they shall have the honor of serving us. The halflings will stir our porridge and bear our ale tankards. The men shall toil in our gold mines and fetch things on high shelves for us.

I hope this initial attempt at SamSkandinavisk is at least partially intelligible to speakers of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish -- the response I've had on Facebook has been fairly positive. It illustrates at least a few features of interest: Enclitic definite articles such as -en and -erne. Non enclitic definite articles using de and den.  Regular plurals formed with -er and irregular plurals such as mænnene for "the men" and ting for "things". 

It's still a bit rough in places, the noun and adjective system needs some major work. I've not yet decided on some things that differ markedly between the source languages -- such as when to use enclitic definite articles and when to put them in front of the noun. And when and what declensional endings to put on adjectives. The Scandy languages have a blessedly simple verb system, but they make up with it by having an absolute minefield when it comes to nouns and adjectives.

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