A Text in Old Ea

An Account of a Spring Sacrifice in Old Ea

A rare dated work in Old Ea! In this invaluable account, a priest or priestess recounts the performance of a springtime sacrifice.

The text

.. úchar . ciliditàpi füshín/à tírrdën anílëp/sèsche
lúthi ëànga, àr tycàlëng keplüthiànni týlch/
àr tycàlëng lúthi, tóliö ëàng cötýrr tè àr
anílëng à tycàlë níltë/tè àr
tycàlëng kepéatýnö týlch/alàla ëàmliö
sëlítya

Interlinear text

.. úchar .

second day sixth "month" first year

Sunday, March 16, 1986

cilidit -àpi füshín

rise ACT.PT mild season

Springtime

à tírrdë -n anílë -p

the bird -PL sing -PRES

The birds sing

sèsche lúthi ëà -ng -a

first flower be -PAST -PERF

The first flower has existed

àr tycàlë -ng kep- lúthi -àn -i týlch

I sacrifice -PAST DAT- flower -PL -ADJ goddess

I sacrificed to the flower goddess

àr tycàlë -ng lúthi

I sacrifice -PAST flower

I sacrificed a flower

tóliö ëà -ng cötýrr

which be -PAST crocus

which was a crocus

tè àr anìlë -ng à tycàlë níltë

and I sing -PAST ART sacrifice song

and I sang the sacrifice song

tè àr tycàlë -ng kep- èaty -nö týlch

and I sacrifice -PAST DAT- life -GEN goddess

And I sacrificed to the goddess of life

alàla ëàmliö sëlítya

EXCL this day

Glory to this day

Conclusions

This early text shows several of the characteristics of Old Ea:

separate pronouns are used instead of verb agreement
the first person singular plural is àr rather than the later à
the only plural is -àn, -n, which in Classical and Modern mërèchi is used for uncountable or total plurals only
tenses are marked after the verb rather than before, and -p is present tense instead of imperfective aspect
past perfect is shown by an -a after the past tense marker -ng
there is no separate copula; the verb ëà "to exist" is used
no accusative is used in this text
nouns can modify each other by being placed in apposition
the conjunction "and" is tè /tE/ instead of të /te/
adpositions are marked on the first noun or adjective in the noun phrase, rather than the head noun

Words which appear in this text

à
alàla
anílë
àr
cilidit
cötýrr
ëà
ëàmliö
èaty
füshín
kep
lúthi
níltë
sèsche
sëlítya
tè
tírrdë
tóliö
tycàlë
týlch
úchar

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Last updated: 12/15/2008

..	úchar	.
second day	sixth "month"	first year
Sunday, March 16, 1986

àr	tycàlë	-ng	kep-	lúthi	-àn	-i	týlch
I	sacrifice	-PAST	DAT-	flower	-PL	-ADJ	goddess
I	sacrificed		to the flower				goddess

tè	àr	anìlë	-ng	à	tycàlë	níltë
and	I	sing	-PAST	ART	sacrifice	song
and	I	sang		the	sacrifice	song