Linda Poboto, Part 3

Text and Translation

Lirunos linda besarino aŋaka. Linda tili arenda tili bese saŋi. Lidu luguradu sano. Erenaza saka, liyenen yeremeto.

Saya nadu evi, “Linda laki koyo yeleŋe. Samas dimidimi yakato! Sadu gehevanen yaŋi!” Liyes erena dimidimi nakato aŋaka.

And then I see my uncle. He is my late grandmother’s uncle. He comes to help me. He grasps the spirits and the game with me stops.

He says to them, “This person is my daughter. Stop hitting her! Be good to her!” And then the spirits stop hitting me.

Interlinear and Explanation

Lirunos linda besarino aŋaka.

And then I see my uncle.

Technically, besari is mother’s mother’s brother.

Linda tili arenda tili bese saŋi.

He is my late grandmother’s uncle.

Technically ari is mother’s mother’s and bese is mother’s brother. And the adjective tili, last seen modifying the noun lono ‘day’, can also modify kinship terms.

Lidu luguradu sano.

He comes to help me.

Erenaza saka, liyenen yeremeto.

He grasps the spirits and the game with me stops.

Saya nadu evi, “Linda laki koyo yeleŋe.

He says to them, “This person is my daughter.

Technically, laki is a woman’s daughter or a man’s sister’s daughter.

Samas dimidimi yakato!

Stop hitting her!

Uncle does not use indirect, polite commands. He is direct, using the non-rational animate pronouns to convey an imperative.

Sadu gehevanen yaŋi!”

Be good to her!”

Liyes erena dimidimi nakato aŋaka.

And then the spirits stop hitting me.

The conclusion will post on Monday. Have a good weekend!