The Ilomi Language

Version 2

Last update: 2006-03-19

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McGuffey Reader Translation

McGuffy Reader source exercises and initial translations provided by Gary Shannon.

Volume 1 Section 1

  1. I see a boy.
    ami esi apepyu.
    • ami = I; me
    • esi = to see
    • apepyu = boy, lad (lit. child-male)
    • ape = child
    • pyu = masculine suffix
    • When a word ends in the same vowel that begins the next word, separate the two with a glottal stop.
    • Normally words are not capitalized.
    • Written punctuation is always optional but is used for its familiarity.
  2. I see a girl.
    ami esi apekya.
    • apekya = girl (lit. child-female)
    • kya = feminine suffix
  3. I see a boy and a girl.
    ami esi apepyu e apekya.
    • e = and
  4. The boy can see the girl.
    apepyu epo esi apekya.
    • epo = able (to ...)
    • Modifies the verb that follows. "I can see ..." -> "ami epo esi..."
  5. I can see the girl and the boy.
    ami epo esi apekya e apepyu.
  6. I can see the girl.
    ami epo esi apekya.
  7. See the man!
    o esi atapyu.
    • o marks the imperative verb
    • atakya = man (lit. person-male)
  8. See the boy and the man!
    o esi apepyu e atapyu.
  9. The man has a hat.
    atapyu emi alapu.
    • emi = to possess or have (not necessarily to own)
    • alapu = hat
  10. Has the boy a hat?
    uwe apepyu emi alapu?
    • uwe can begin a sentence which is a question that expects a yes or no answer.
    • Other uses for uwe will be explored later.
  11. The boy can run.
    apepyu epo elele.
    • elele = to run
  12. Can the man run?
    uwe atapyu epo elele?
  13. The man can see the boy run.
    atapyu epo esi a apepyu elele.
    atapyu epo esi apepyu elele.
    • Contrast with: apepyu elele a atapyu epo esi axa. (The man can see the running boy.)
    • a = Clause division marker. Other uses of a will be explored later.
    • axa = she/he
    • "x" in Elomi is pronounced like the English "sh". axa is pronounced "asha".
  14. I have a hat.
    ami emi alapu.
  15. I have a doll.
    ami emi axukinyata.
    • axuki = toy; plaything
    • ata = person
    • axukinyata = doll (lit. toy-person, or person-shaped toy)
  16. See my doll!
    o esi axukinyata u ami.
    • u = of, possesive, as belonging to (in this instance) Other uses of u will be explored later.
  17. Can the doll see?
    uwe axukinyata epo esi?
  18. I can see my doll.
    ami epo esi axukinyata u ami.
  19. Has the doll a hat?
    uwe axukinyata emi alapu?
  20. My doll has a hat.
    axukinyata u ami emi alapu.
  21. The girl has a doll and a hat.
    apekya emi axukinyata e alapu.
  22. Can the boy play?
    uwe apepyu epo exuka?
    • exuka = to play with (As with a toy or game. Not applied to music or other performance arts.)
    • When exuka takes an object it is the name of the game or toy.
  23. The boy can run and play.
    apemu epo elele e exuka.
  24. The boy can play ball.
    apemu epo exuka apalu. (... can play with the ball.)
    • apalu = ball
  25. Can the man play ball?
    uwe atapyu epo exuka apalu?
  26. The man may see the boy play.
    atapyu esa esi apepyu exuka.
    • u = before a verb indicates passive
    • esa = to have permission to; to be permitted to
  27. May the man take the ball?
    uwe atapyu esa eku apalu?
    uwe atapyu eku onyesa apalu?
    • enyeku = to give, to donate
    • eku = to take; to receive
    • eny prefix on a verb renders it causative.
    • onyesa = permissably; allowably
  28. The boy may take the ball.
    apepyu esa eku apalu.
    apepyu eku onyesa apalu.
  29. Can the girl see the baby?
    uwe apekya epo esi apetwi?
    • apetwi = baby (lit. child-small)
    • apetwitwi = infant (Redoubling twi suffix to indicate infant, or newborn baby.)
  30. Can the baby see the little girl?
    uwe apetwi epo esi apekya oxumwa?
    • oxu = big, large
    • oxumwa = small, tiny (lit. opposite of big)
  31. The baby has a big doll.
    apetwi emi axukinyata oxu.
  32. The little girl has a ball.
    apekya oxumwa emi apalu.
  33. I can see the baby.
    ami epo esi apetwi.
  34. Can the baby see my big hat?
    uwe apetwi epo esi alapu oxu u ami?
  35. The baby may have my ball.
    apetwi esa emi apalu u ami.
  36. Take the ball, baby!
    apetwi o eku apalu.
  37. The man has a little dog.
    atapyu emi akansu oxumwa.
    • akansu = dog
  38. The boy has a big dog.
    apepyu emi akansu oxu.
  39. See the little dog run!
    o esi a akansu oxumwa elele.
    o esi akansu oxumwa elele.
  40. He has my ball.
    axa emi apalu u ami.
  41. May the big dog have it?
    uwe akansu oxu esa emi aso?
    uwe akansu oxu emi onyesa aso?
    • aso = it (an inanimate object)
  42. May he take it?
    uwe axa esa eku aso?
  43. The little dog may have the ball.
    akansu oxumwa emi onyesa apalu.
  44. He may run and play with it.
    axa elele e exuka onyesa aso.
    • Remember that ixuka is "play with" when it takes an object so no preposition is used.
  45. See the little bird!
    o esi amalu oxumwa.
    • amalu = bird (Specifically song bird, not usually applied to game birds, birds of prey, or domestic farm birds like chickens or turkeys.)
  46. May the baby have it?
    uwe apetwi esa emi aso?
  47. May she take it?
    uwe axa eku onyesa aso?
    uwe axa esa eku aso?
  48. She can not take it.
    axa esamwa eku aso.
    • Contrast this with: axa eku onyesamwa aso. = She takes it without permission.
    • esamwa = is not permitted to ("esa" + mwa")
    • onyesamwa = forbiddenly; without permission ("ony" + "esa" + "mwa")
  49. The bird can fly.
    amalu epo efole.
    • efole = to fly
  50. The baby can not have the bird.
    apetwi esamwa emi amalu.
  51. She can not fly.
    axa epomwa efole.
    • epomwa = cannot; is unable to ("epo" + "mwa")
  52. She may play with my doll.
    axa esa exuka axukinyata u ami.
  53. She may have my big hat.
    axa esa emi alapu oxu u ami.
  54. I see a man and a dog and a cow.
    ami esi atapyu e akansu e amuka.
    • amuka = cow
    • amukapyu = bull
  55. The cow is with the man.
    amuka eyo unpa atamu.
    amuka unpa atamu.
    • eyo = is (copula); often be omitted in simple statements.
    • unpa = near; alongside; with; in the company of
  56. The dog has a big hat.
    akansu emi alapu oxu.
  57. He is a good little dog.
    axa eyo akansu oxumwa oke.
  58. He may take the hat to the man.
    axa esa eloso alapu utu atapyu.
    • eloso = carry; transport; take (but not take as in take away or accept)
  59. The man is good to the dog.
    atapyu eyo oke uka akansu.
    • oke = of good quality; good; correct
    • uka = regarding; with respect to; in connection with
  60. The cow can run.
    amuka epo elele.
  61. She can not play.
    axa epomwa exuka.
  62. The baby can not have the bird.
    apetwi esamwa emi amalu.
  63. She can not fly and catch it.
    axa esamwa efole e elapela anma.
    • elapela = to catch; to capture; to enslave; to domesticate
    • anma = it (non-human animate)
  64. Can she catch the good little girl?
    uwe axa epo exilo apekya oxumwa oke?
    • exilo = to catch up with or overtake; to draw even with
  65. Come, baby, come!
    apetwi o enyulu.
    • enyulu = to come near; to approach
    • ulu = near
  66. Come and catch me.
    o enyula e exilo ami.
  67. Catch me and my big doll.
    o exilo ami e axukinyata oxu u ami.
  68. Catch me, and you may have the doll.
    iyu ate exilo ami eye ate esa emi axukinyata.
    ate esa emi axukinyata iyu ate exilo ami.
    • ate = you
    • iyu = if ...
    • eye = ... then (can be omitted if the "if" clause follows the "then" clause.)
  69. You may have it to play with. (... have it and play with it.)
    ate esa emi aso e exuka aso.

    70. Section 1 Review

  70. The boy has a big dog.
    apepyu emi akansu oxu.
  71. You may see the dog play ball.
    ate esa esi akansu exuka apalu.
  72. Can he catch it?
    uwe axa epo elapela aso?
  73. May I run and take it?
    uwe ami esa elele e eku aso?
  74. The man with the big hat has a cow.
    atapyu unyemu alapu oxu emi amuka.
    • unyemu = with; having.
  75. The girl is good to the little baby.
    apekya eyo oke uka apetwi onte.
    • onte = small [synonym for oxutwi]
  76. The baby may have my big doll.
    apetwi esa emi axukinyata oxu u ami.
  77. She can not catch the bird.
    axa epomwa elapela amalu.
  78. She may come with me and see the bird fly.
    axa esa enyutu unpa ami e esi amalu efole.
    • enyutu = to go

Volume 1 Section 2

  1. Come with me, and see the boys.
    enyutu unpa ami e esi apepyu.
  2. One little boy has a drum.
    ay'mo apepyu onte emi atinpa.
    • atinpa = drum (from "timpani")
  3. Two boys have big hats.
    ay'tu apepyu emi alapu oxu.
  4. One boy has a ball.
    ay'mo apepyu emu apalu.
  5. See the boys go!
    o esi apepyu enyutu!
  6. See the boys go with the drum.
    o esi apepyu enyutu unyemi atinpa.
    o esi apepyu enyutu a, emi atinpa.
  7. One, two; one, two; drum, drum!
    ay'mo ay'tu ay'mo ay'tu a, enyamiloti atinpa
    • enyamiloti = to make music with; to play (an instrument)
  8. The girls have come to play with the baby.
    apekya enyulu exuka apetwi.
  9. Two girls have little dolls.
    ay'tu apekya emi axukinyata onte.
  10. One girl has a red dress.
    ay'mo apekya emi atito omi.
    • atito = dress (Italic ~ "vestito")
  11. The baby is glad to see the girls.
    apetwi eyo ofi uka esi apekya.
    • uka = to; toward; with respect to; regarding
  12. The girl with the red dress is May.
    apekya unyemi atito omi eyo ime.
    • omi = red
  13. May is glad to see the good baby.
    ime eyo ofi uka esi apetwi oke.
  14. She will take the baby to see the bird.
    axa eloso apetwi uso esi amalu.
    • eloso = take; carry; transport
  15. Come with me, little May.
    ime onte o enyutu unpa ami.
  16. We will go to the field.
    amixa enyutu akanpa.
    • amixa = we (they and I, not you)
    • akanpa = field
  17. We will go and see the cows.
    amixa enyutu esi amuka.
  18. The cows are in the field.
    amuka eyo umi akanpa.
    • umi = in; within; inside
  19. My cow is red.
    amuka u ami eyo omi.
  20. Two cows are not red.
    ay'tu amuka eyomwa omi.
  21. One and two are three.
    ay'me upu ay'tu enyoka ay'si.
    • upu = plus
    • enyoka = equals
  22. We have three cows.
    amixa emi ay'si amuka.
  23. Three birds are in the tree.
    ay'si amalu umi apoli.
    • apoli = tree
  24. One is a pretty red bird.
    ay'me eyo amalu ola e omi.
    • ola = pretty
  25. You can not catch it.
    ate epamwa elapela anma.
    • anma = it (animate, non-humanoid)
  26. It is high in the tree.
    anma onyutemwa umi apoli.
    • onyutemwa = high
  27. The red bird can see the boys with the drum.
    amalu omi epa esi apepyu unyemi atinpa.
    amalu omi epa esi apepyu u unyemi atinpa.
    • u preceding a preposition clarifies that it applies to the preceding noun. Usually can be omitted and left to context.
  28. It can see the little girl with the red dress.
    anma epa esi apekya onte unyemi atito omi.
    • onte = small (=oxuni)
  29. It can see the good baby and the pretty doll.
    anma epa esi apetwi oke e axukinyata ola.
  30. It can see the man in the field.
    anma epa esi atapyu uta akanpa.
  31. Pretty birds, will you fly to me?
    ame amalu ola o efole utu ami a oxe.
  32. The little boy has a red wagon.
    apepyu onte emi akoxotwi omi.
    • akoxotwi = wagon ("akoxo" + "twi" = lit. coach-small)
  33. Is it not a pretty one?
    uwe aso eyomwa ola?
    • aso = it (inanimate)
  34. The boy will let little May ride in it.
    apepyu enyesa onsu ime onte u eloso aso.
  35. Come, May, come and see my wagon.
    ime o enyulu a, o enyulu esi akoxotwi u ami.
  36. You may get in it, and have a ride.
    ate u esa enyutunyumi aso e u eloso.
    • enyutunyumi = enter ("enyutu" + "umi" = lit. go-in)
  37. I will take you with me to the fields.
    ami eloso onsu ate unpa ami utu akanpa.
  38. You may have a good ride.
    ate esa emi anyeloso oke.
    • anyeloso = a ride
  39. Is the drum in the wagon?
    uwe atinpa umi akoxotwi?
  40. Let me get it. Now we will go.
    o esa ami eku aso. iwi amite enyutu oto.
  41. See my pretty red apple!
    o esi apomu ola e omi u ami!
    • apomu = apple
  42. I have three good apples.
    ami emi ay'si apomu oke.
  43. One is red, and two are yellow.
    ay'me omi e ay'tu olo.
  44. I will give you the red one.
    ami enyeku onsu ay'me omi.
  45. May I have a yellow one, too?
    uwe ami esa emi ay'me olo oka.
  46. Yes. If you are a good girl.
    awa iyu ate eyo apekya oke.
    • iyu = if
  47. I see a big red apple in the tree.
    ami esi apomu oxu e omi u umi apoli.
  48. Will you let me get it?
    uwe ate enyesa ami enyutu eku anma?
  49. Yes, you may if it is not too high.
    awa ate esa iyu anma eyomwa onyutemwa oma.
    • oma = too much; excessive
  50. Frank and little May are in the field with the wagon.
    ifranko e ime onte eyo umi akanpa unpa akoxotwi.
  51. They have come to find flowers.
  52. May has a red flower.
  53. Frank has three yellow flowers.
  54. He will let May have them.
  55. She will take them to the wagon
  56. She is glad to get the pretty flowers.
  57. Come here, girls! I see a nest.
  58. Little birds are in it.
  59. One, two, three.
  60. The little birds can not fly.
  61. They are not pretty.
  62. They will get pretty by and by.
  63. The big bird is not here now.
  64. She is high in the apple tree.
  65. She will come to them by and by.
  66. She will come and feed them.
  67. The boys like to go to the woods.
  68. Here they are now.
  69. Here are the horse and the wagon.
  70. And here is the boy with the drum.
  71. They like to play in the woods.
  72. They like to find pretty flowers.
  73. If they find little birds in a nest, they will not take them.
  74. By and by they will go home.
  75. They will ride home in the wagon.
  76. Will you let me ride home with you, Frank?
  77. Yes, May, you may sit by me in the wagon if you like.
  78. Get in, and give me the whip.
  79. I will not whip the good horse.
  80. Now, here we go!
  81. Here is the apple tree, but we can not see the nest in it.

    82. Section 2 Review

  82. Here are three boys and two girls by the big apple tree.
  83. One boy has a yellow drum and one has a whip.
  84. The boy in the red wagon is Frank.
  85. The girls are glad to see Frank.
  86. He will give them a ride.
  87. They like to go with him to the fields and the woods.
  88. May we ride with you, Frank?
  89. Yes, girls, get in! And you, too, boys!
  90. Sit by me and see the good horse go.
  91. Now we will go to the woods to find flowers and see the pretty birds.
  92. In one tree you can see a nest, but you can not see the little birds.
  93. You may see the big bird if she comes to feed the little ones.
  94. She has a pretty home high in the tree.

Volume 1 Section 3

  1. Do you see this? It is my kite.
  2. My father gave it to me.
  3. Is it not a pretty one?
  4. He gave me this drum, too.
  5. You may go with me and see me fly my kite.
  6. You may take the drum with you.
  7. Are you not glad my father gave it to me?
  8. Frank and John are in the field.
  9. They have come here to play.
  10. How high can you jump, Frank?
  11. Can you jump as high as this?
  12. I can not jump high, John, but I can jump far.
  13. See! I can jump as far as to the big apple tree.
  14. Now, John, let me see you jump.
  15. Here is May with her kitten.
  16. Her mother gave the kitten to her.
  17. She is kind to the pretty kitten.
  18. She likes to see it jump and play.
  19. See it run with May's ball!
  20. It does not run far with it.
  21. If May can get the ball she will not take it.
  22. She will give it to the kitten to play with.
  23. This is little Lucy.
  24. Her home is far away.
  25. She has come to see Frank and May.
  26. All the little girls love Lucy.
  27. They are kind and good to her, and she loves them.
  28. Frank will let her ride with him in the big wagon.
  29. He will give her the whip, and the horse will go fast.
  30. The horse will go fast and far, but he will not run away.
  31. Look, Frank! See my pretty flowers.
  32. Mother gave them to me.
  33. She gave them to me this morning.
  34. Do you not think they are pretty?
  35. How many flowers have I?
  36. Here are three my mother gave me.
  37. My father gave me two red ones.
  38. How many are three and two?
  39. I will keep the red flower.
  40. I will give all my yellow flowers to Lucy.
  41. She will like them.
  42. She will take them home with her.
  43. Good morning, little bird.
  44. Good morning, kind Lucy.
  45. How pretty your nest is, little bird!
  46. May I look at the little ones in it?
  47. Yes, you may look at them, but you must not take them away.
  48. How many birds have you?
  49. Let me see. One, two, three, four.
  50. I do not think they are pretty.
  51. They may not be pretty now, but I love them, little girl.
  52. Frank has gone to the field with his kite.
  53. He likes to play with it.
  54. It is the kite his father gave him.
  55. He will run and the kite will fly.
  56. He can run very fast, and the kite can fly very high.
  57. John does not like to run with a kite.
  58. He likes to play on his drum.
  59. He will play on his drum, and Frank will run with his kite.
  60. Oh, mother, come here!
  61. See this pretty flower.
  62. I think it is a rose.
  63. Is it not a yellow rose?
  64. Yes, May. It is a yellow rose.
  65. If you will come with me, I will give you some red roses.
  66. May I have them to keep, mother?
  67. You may keep some of them, but you must give some to Lucy.
  68. Oh, yes! I will give her four red roses, and one yellow rose.
  69. I will give her some to take home to her mother, too.
  70. Do you like yellow roses, mother?
  71. Yes, May, I think they are very pretty.
  72. John was a good boy this morning.
  73. His mother gave him a pretty book.
  74. He was very glad.
  75. "Oh, mother," he said, "how kind you are to give me this book!
  76. "I think it is very pretty."
  77. "You must take good care of it," said his mother.
  78. "Yes, mother," said John, "and I will let Lucy and May look at it too.
  79. "They like to look at pretty books."
  80. "The girls will think you are a very kind little boy."
  81. "They will take good care of your book."
  82. All the boys and girls are going to school this morning.
  83. You can see them as they go.
  84. Little Lucy is not with them.
  85. She has gone to her home, far away.
  86. But I see May and some other girls.
  87. John has his new book.
  88. Some of the other boys have books, too.
  89. I do not see Frank, but I think he will come soon.
  90. Look at this picture.
  91. It is the picture of my pet kitten.
  92. Do you not think she is a pretty pet?
  93. One morning as I was going to school, I found this kitten.
  94. She was by a tree in the woods.
  95. After school I took her home.
  96. "Mother," I said, "see this pretty little kitten."
  97. "May I keep her as a pet?"
  98. Mother said, "You may keep her if you will take good care of her."
  99. I am kind to my kitten.
  100. I feed her and she loves me.

    101. Section 3 Review

  101. My mother gave me a new book.
  102. I took it to school one morning, to let the girls see the pictures.
  103. Soon after this I found my pet kitten and took her home with me.
  104. I like to play with my pet kitten.
  105. I will do as mother says.
  106. I will take good care of the kitten.
  107. I love little Lucy.
  108. But now she has gone far away to her home.
  109. I like to see John run with his kite.
  110. He can run as fast as the other boys, but he can not jump far.
  111. He does not like to look at books and pictures, but he can play on a drum.

Volume 1 Section 4

  1. The name of this little girl is Rose.
  2. Do you think she looks like a rose?
  3. Do you think Rose is a pretty name?
  4. Rose goes to school.
  5. She can read and write.
  6. At home, she likes to read to her mother.
  7. She likes to look at the pictures, too.
  8. Tell me, Rose, how well you can read.
  9. Can you read well in your book?
  10. I think you can write very well.
  11. Can you write your name?
  12. Can you tell me the name of this pretty little bird?
  13. It is so little it can not fly very far.
  14. Some of the boys found it in the woods, as they were going to school one day.
  15. It was not in a nest.
  16. Frank said; "I will take the little bird home with me.
  17. It will be a good pet."
  18. So Frank took it as he said.
  19. He is kind to it and feeds it. but he will not keep it.
  20. Some day it can fly well.
  21. Then Frank will let it go.
  22. It will fly away with the other birds.
  23. Come, girls let us play with our dolls.
  24. We will play school.
  25. Our dolls will be the children.
  26. Our dolls are as good as some children are.
  27. They have their books, and I think, they will learn very fast.
  28. Soon we shall see how well they can read.
  29. This doll is not so good as the others.
  30. She does not like to go to school very well.
  31. She must sit by me and look at her book.
  32. As soon as she can read well, she may go home and play.
  33. She goes to school day after day, but she does not learn.
  34. She can not write at all.
  35. She can not tell her name.
  36. This is my little doll.
  37. Her name is Lucy.
  38. Do you thik she is pretty?
  39. "How tall you are, Henry!"
  40. "Yes, father, I shall soon be a man.
  41. I am as tall as the table, now."
  42. "What can you see on the table?"
  43. "I can see your big book, father."
  44. "What do you see by the book?"
  45. "Oh, I see some pictures.
  46. Two pictures are by the book, and two are not by the book."
  47. "How many are two and two, Henry?"
  48. "Two and two are four."
  49. "You do well. If you learn fast, you may soon go to school.

Volume 1 Section 4