Even simple texts are difficult

["G. Dyke" <gordon.dyke@bluewin.ch>]

I wanted to translate something that I could actually read afterwards ; the
tale of peter rabbit seemed like a good place to start. I had quite a few
problems all the same... here goes: (approximate interlinear translation
which follows the lojban if I'm confident about the construction and the
original when I think I got something wrong)

.ibazuki vomei ke cmalu ractu
there were four small rabbits.

.i lei go'i se cmene la flops .e la mops .e la mapreb .e la pityr
these were called flopsy, mopsy, cottontail, and peter,

I'm trying to describe a mapping of names onto four objects which have only
sofar been described as a mass how should I do this?

.i ra joi lera mamta cu xabju lo canre derxi noi ni'a mutce barda ckune
they lived with their mother in a sandbank under a big fir tree

I'm not sure about the joi lera mamta but I'm even more doubtful about kansa
(any other suggestions?...)
I'm also not intirely sure about my modal...

.ilu ju'i doi mibdib. sei la tolci'o nin ractu cu cusku ca pa cerni se'u
.e'a do klama mo'ine'i le foldi .a mo'ire'o le klaji

"Now my dears" said old mrs Rabbit one morning "you can go into the field or
down the road

la tolci'o nin ractu is obviously wrong - what should I do about it?
modals: I think the whole lot don't parse...
anything better for one morning?

.iku'ibo ko na mo'ine'i klama le purdi po la nan mygregor
but don't go into mr mcgregor's field

I got the modal right here (I think) yay

.imu'ibo ledo patfu pu va se raktu la nin mygregor. lenu ri setca ra lo
pilstasu
because you father met with an accident there : he was put into a pie by mrs
mcgregor

accident=??
pie=??????????????
I like this construction, it has the same underlying humour as the english

.i ko klama je na se raktu .e'o
run along now and don't get into mischief

hmm... any better suggestions?

.i mi klama fi le zdani li'u
I'm going out"

good

(add to previous word "god")

that's terrible...

All suggestions most welcome...

Greg

--

"Don't you sometimes think people should change their sigs once in a while?"
*me*