Saturday, October 18, 2008

Lesson 38 - How to say "Please" & "Thank You" in Surath

Taken from "A Dictionary of the Dialects of Vernacular Syriac as Spoken by the Eastern Syrians of Kurdistan, Northwest Persia, and the Plain of Moṣul" By Arthur John Maclean

Many people in our community believe that there is no way to say such pleasantries as "Please" or "Thank you" in Surath. I would like to challenge this commonly held belief, utilizing an entry in the aforementioned dictionary, as follows:

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The moral of the story is... while there isn't an "exact" translation of "Please" or "Thank You", the phrases Basmalookh (if you please), Basma Gyanookh, Gyanookh Bassymta, Bassymootookh, and Hawe Bassymta all would be appropriate pleasantries that could be used.

...your thoughts?


Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Lesson 37 - To Fix/Repair ܡܨܲܠܘܿܚܸܐ (Past, Present, Future)

VERB: TO FIX/REPAIR
ROOT:
ܡܨܲܠܘܿܚܸܐ
TENSE: PAST
INF: msalohe

Note: Both the "s" and the "h" are guttural. This verb is adopted from Arabic.

I fixed: msulih-ly

You (m) repaired: msulih-lookh
You (f) fixed: msulih-lakh

He repaired: msulih-lih

She repaired: msulih-lah

We repaired: msulih-lan
Ye/y'all fixed: msulih-lokhoon
They repaired: msulih-lay


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VERB: TO FIX/REPAIR
ROOT:
ܡܨܲܠܘܿܚܸܐ
TENSE: PRESENT
INF: msalohe

I fix: ana ki-msalhin

You (m) repair: ayit ki-msalhit

You (f) fix: ayat ki-msalhat

He repairs: awo ki-msalih

She fixes: aya ki-msalah

We repair: akhny ki-msalhukh

Ye/y'all fix: akhton ki-msalhootoon

They repair: anay ki-msalhay


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VERB: TO FIX/REPAIR
ROOT:
ܡܨܲܠܘܿܚܸܐ
TENSE: FUTURE
INF: msalohe


I will fix: ana bid msalih

You (m) will repair: ayit bid msalhit

You (f) will fix: ayat bid msalhat

He will repair: awo bid msalih

She will fixes: aya bid msalah

We will repair: akhny bid msalhukh

Ye/y'all will fix: akhton bid msalhootoon

They will repair: anay bid msalhay

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Lesson 36 - To hurt ܡܪ (Past, Present, Progressive, Future)

VERB: TO HURT
ROOT:
MR (ܡܪ)
TENSE: PAST
INF:

I hurt: mre-ly

You (m) hurt : mre-lookh
You (f) hurt: more-lakh

It/He hurt: mre-lih
It/She hurt: mre-lah

We hurt: more-lan
Ye/Y'all hurt: mre-lokhoon
They hurt: mre-lay

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VERB: TO HURT
ROOT:
MR (ܡܪ)
TENSE: PRESENT
INF:

I hurt: k-marin

You (m) hurt : k-marit
You (f) hurt: k-marat

He hurt: k-mari
She hurt: k-mara

We hurt: k-marookh
Ye/Y'all hurt: k-marootoon
They hurt: k-mary

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VERB: TO HURT
ROOT:
MR (ܡܪ)
TENSE: PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
INF:

I am hurting/I am in pain: Eewin bimra-a

You (m) are hurting : Eewit bimra-a
You (f) are in pain: Eewat bimra-a

He is hurting: Eelih bimra-a
She is in pain: Eelah bimra-a

We are hurting: Eewookh bimra-a
Ye/Y'all are in pain: Eewotoon bimra-a
They are hurting: Eelay bimra-a

_________________________________
VERB: TO HURT
ROOT:
MR (ܡܪ)
TENSE: FUTURE
INF:

I will hurt: b-marin

You (m) will hurt : b-marit
You (f) will hurt: b-marat

He will hurt: b-mari
She will hurt: b-mara

We will hurt: b-marookh
Ye/Y'all will hurt: b-marootoon
They will hurt: b-mary