The Story of the Tower of Babel

The following was taken from the journal of Alma Walker:

"Thursday November 16th, 1871. I had a most curious conversation with J[oseph] about the bewildering number and general confusion of tongues, doubtless prompted by my inquiries concering the Tuh-vah [sic] people, with whom he spent so much of his youth. I felt compelled to read aloud the account from the book of Genesis concerning the confusion of tongues and the Lord's scattering of that proud but fallen people. J remarked that the Tuh-vah would have enjoyed this story, and asked if I would like to hear it as they might have told it. I responded that I would very much, whereupon he related it to me in the Tuh-vah dialect as follows."

phonetic transcription

(1) huiSi leqa su3uuqa huiSi teva (2) hu3ahe3ahee meDavu Sinaa keniva eaqa kiZire hu3aDe yu (3) huyakkee hawanambaqana (4) huhawaqakkassa hanima eZiqe u3aiqu kuvine huwawereZii pewarilgatta meDasewe (5) husahu qamana eviDe hanimaa a3asa tu3ua (6) huya3ee qamana hasua iSi tu3ua huiSi leqa nequ huqanani numuqappulba eqana eamine (7) wasahu huhawanuru leqane numuhuyu eDeppa (8) huri3a meDasewe tu3ua qamana huavuva e3asa hanimaa (9) huDee~ pavere anuru yu leqa tu3ua qamana eri3a yure meDasewe

orthographic (phonemic) transcription

(1) huisi leqa sukuuqu, huisi tepa. (2) hukahekahee metapu sinaa kenipa eaqa kitile. hukate yu. (3) huyakkee, hawananpaqana. (4) huhawaqakkassa hanima etiqe ukaiqu kupine. huwaweletii pewalilkatta metasewe. (5) husahu qamana epite hanimaa akasa tukua. (6) huyakee qamana, hasua! isi tukua huisi leqa nequ. huqanani humuqappulpa eqana eamine. (7) wasahu huhawanulu leqane numuhuyu eteppa. (8) hulika metasewe tukua qamana huapupa ekasa hanimaa. (9) huten papele, anulu yu leqa tukua qamana elika yule metasewe.

morpheme-by-morpheme analysis

Verse 1

huisi leqa sukuuqu huisi tepa.

hu=  0- isi leqa     sukuu   =qu hu=  isi tepa
and= 3- one language earth:B =to and= one speech

And to the earth one language and one speech.

Verse 2

hukahekahee metapu sinaa kenipa eaqa kitile. hukate yu.

hu=  0-    kahekahee   meta   =pu sinaa  kenipa e=  0- aqa
and= 3>3'- find:DIST:B region =in Shinar mesa   SS= 3-journey

kiti =le   hu=  0- kate  yu
east =from and= 3- dwell there

And they found in the land Shinar a mesa as they journeyed east; and they dwelt there.

Verse 3

huyakkee, hawananpaqana.

hu=  0-    yakkee  ha= wa-  nanpa + qana
and= 3>3'- say:G:B !=  1>3- adobe + make

And they said, Let us make adobe

Verse 4

huhawaqakkassa hanima etiqe ukaiqu kupine. huwaweletii pewalilkatta metasewe.

hu=  ha= wa-  qa"- kassa   hanima e=  0- tiqe  ukai =qu kupi -ne
and= !=  1>3- CBA- build:G pueblo SS= 3- reach sky  =to head -3p

hu=  wa-  weletii  pe=  wa-  lilka     =tta      meta   =sewe
and= 1>3- know:L:B IRR= 1>3- scatter:L =sometime region =through

And we will build ourselves a pueblo whose top will reach to the sky; and we will be famous if we are scattered sometime throughout the region.

Verse 5

husahu qamana epite hanimaa akasa tukua.

hu=  0- sahu      qana e=  0- pite hanimaa  a=  0-    kasa
and= 3- descend  make SS= 3- see  pueblo:B DS= 3>3'- build

tukua
person:COLL:B

And God [lit: Creator] came down to see the pueblo the people were building.

Verse 6

huyakee qamana, hasua! isi tukua huisi leqa nequ. huqanani humuqappulpa
eqana eamine.

hu=  0-    yakee   qana ha= 0-    sua  0- isi tukua
and= 3>3'- say:B  make !=  3>3'- look 3- one person:COLL:B

hu=  0- isi leqa     ne  =qu hu=  0-    qana =ni
and= 3- one language DEM =to and= 3>3'- do   =this

hu=  mu=  0-    qa"- pulpa  e=  0-    qana e=  0-    ami    =ne
and= NEG= 3>3'- CBA- stop:L SS= 3>3'- do   SS= 3>3'- desire =DEM

And God said, Look! To the people one language, and they do this (thing), and they will not be stopped (from) doing what they desire.

Verse 7

wasahu huhawanulu leqane numuhuyu eteppa.

wa- sahu    hu=  wa- nulu leqa     =ne hu=  mu=  0-    huyu
1-  descend and= 1-  mix  language =3p and= NEG= 3>3'- understand

e=  0-    teppa
SS= 3>3'- speak:G

I will go down and mix their language and they will not understand what they speak to each other.

Verse 8

hulika metasewe tukua qamana huapupa ekasa hanimaa.

hu=  0-    lika    meta   =sewe    tukua           qana
and= 3>3'- scatter region =through person:COLL:B  make

hu=  a=  0-    pupa e=  0-    kasa  hanimaa
and= DS= 3>3'- stop SS= 3>3'- build pueblo:B

And God scattered the people throughout the land and they stopped building the pueblo.

Verse 9

huten papele anulu yu leqa tukua qamana elika yule metasewe.

hu=  0-    ten  papele a=  0-    nulu yu    leqa     tukua
and= 3>3'- name Babel  DS= 3>3'- mix  there language people:COLL:B

  qana e=  0-    lika    yu    =le   meta   =sewe
 make SS= 3>3'- scatter there =from region =through

And its name (is) Babel, (because) God mixed the people's language and scattered them from there through the land.

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