Olwöa analysis swap

[_Just_A_Sketch]

Here is my thread for the analysis swap. I'll be using Olwöa for this game, as evidenced by the title. Olwöa is spoken by anthropomorphic bee-like creatures in a temperate forest in the foothills of a mountain range. The speakers are non-industrial, so no advanced technology.

I'll be following the same rules outlined by Trailsend:

I'll be playing the part of a "lay" speaker—that is, someone who speaks the language but has no linguistic training. I'll be able to tell you how to say things in different situations, maybe give intuitive explanations of how I think about why you say something, but won't be able to give you any technical analysis. (And my explanations might not actually hold up to scrutiny, just like happens with fluent speakers of natural languages.)

Some notation conventions I'll use: I'll number any sentences I give, to make it easier for folks to reference specific sentences. If it would help, feel free to ask whether you could say a particular sentence; if you can, I'll repost it with a number. If you can't, I'll number it but mark it with an asterisk to show it's ungrammatical. For example,

1) This sentence is grammatical.

2*) This sentence not is grammatical.

[Kesshin]

"How would you say 'to be or not to be' in Olwöa?"

[Arayaz]

"Hello!" I wave to my Olwöa informant. "Or, I should say ─ ah ─" I pause, somewhat embarrassed, knowing I should've at least studied the basics before coming here "─ how would I greet you in Olwöa?"

[Trailsend]

Olwöa is spoken by anthropomorphic bee-like creatures in a temperate forest in the foothills of a mountain range.

Yes hello, I love everything about this.

Is there some kind of object that a typical Olwöa speaker would be likely to have on them? Like a piece of clothing, or some kind of tool? (Like shoes, keys, a knife, a waterskin?)

Also, how would you say: What is that?

[_Just_A_Sketch]

"Hello!" I wave to my Olwöa informant. "Or, I should say ─ ah ─" I pause, somewhat embarrassed, knowing I should've at least studied the basics before coming here "─ how would I greet you in Olwöa?"

Since you're the one beginning the conversation, you'd say:

1a) A oabolw.

And then I'd say:

1b) Ajan e geobeka.

Olwöa is spoken by anthropomorphic bee-like creatures in a temperate forest in the foothills of a mountain range.

Yes hello, I love everything about this.

Is there some kind of object that a typical Olwöa speaker would be likely to have on them? Like a piece of clothing, or some kind of tool? (Like shoes, keys, a knife, a waterskin?)

Also, how would you say: What is that?

You would say:

2) Bubo ga?

(Many of the speakers adorn themselves in colorful fabrics in the form scarves, shawls, or other similar coverings. This speaker has a pale orange piece of fabric wrapped around her neck. Many speakers also carry around woven baskets. I should also add that the speakers are very small, a less than half the height of an average person.)

[Trailsend]

Spoiler:

(Many of the speakers adorn themselves in colorful fabrics in the form scarves, shawls, or other similar coverings. This speaker has a pale orange piece of fabric wrapped around her neck. Many speakers also carry around woven baskets. I should also add that the speakers are very small, a less than half the height of an average person.)

aaaaaaAAAAHHHHH I LOVE THEM <3 <3 <3

I take a bright purple scarf out of my things and hold it out to her.

Bubo ga?

[_Just_A_Sketch]

Spoiler:

aaaaaaAAAAHHHHH I LOVE THEM <3 <3 <3

Thank you!! I should post their design later, I think they're very cute.

I take a bright purple scarf out of my things and hold it out to her.

Bubo ga?

3) Bubo laibe.

She points to her own scarf

4) Debu laibe.

"How would you say 'to be or not to be' in Olwöa?"

Hmmm, I don't think we have a word like "to be", but if you wanted to say something like "to be loud or not to be loud" then you could say:

5) Jhenha jazo jhenha.

[Flavia]

oh look what a nice coincidence, the langs we chose for our analysis swaps are both spoken by anthropomorphic insect-like winged creatures :3

I approach the gathered aliens with caution. One of them must be the informant I was told about. I listen to their conversation for a while, and join them when I get the chance:

A oabolw!

How do you say "what's your name"?

[Trailsend]

Spoiler:

3) Bubo laibe.

She points to her own scarf

4) Debu laibe.

Awesome, we have:

bubo, that?
debu, this?

Confident they're demonstratives, and ga is the question word, but it might not be a this/that distinction. Let's try:

I take the purple scarf and carry it a few yards away, set it down on some grass, and then come back to you.

What about now? I point at the scarf. Can I still say, "Bubo ga?"

[_Just_A_Sketch]

Yes! That's correct!

I take a bright purple scarf out of my things and hold it out to her.

Bubo ga?

3) Bubo laibe.

OOC: I just realized I messed up here, that should be "Debo ga?"...

[Arayaz]

Since you're the one beginning the conversation, you'd say:

1a) A oabolw.

And then I'd say:

1b) Ajan e geobeka.

"Well then, a oabolw," I say. I pick up a rock from the ground. "Debo ga?"

Spoiler:

Yes! That's correct!

Bubo ga?

3) Bubo laibe.

OOC: I just realized I messed up here, that should be "Debo ga?"...

Is it still bubo laibe, or should that be debo laibe?

[_Just_A_Sketch]

Since you're the one beginning the conversation, you'd say:

1a) A oabolw.

And then I'd say:

1b) Ajan e geobeka.

"Well then, a oabolw," I say. I pick up a rock from the ground. "Debo ga?"

Ajan e geobeka! Bubo jen.

Spoiler:

Bubo ga?

3) Bubo laibe.

OOC: I just realized I messed up here, that should be "Debo ga?"...

Is it still bubo laibe, or should that be debo laibe?

OOC: It would be "Bubo laibe"

[Trailsend]

Spoiler:

Okay, now just to be sure... :P

I pick up the purple scarf and carry it aaaaaaall the way to the far side of the space we're in (a clearing? a village?), so it will still be visible but only just, and then walk aaaaaaall the way back to you. I point at the scarf.

Can I still say, 'Bubo ga?'

[_Just_A_Sketch]

Yes, that's still "bubo ga?".

[Trailsend]

Spoiler:

Okay, all signs so far point to two degrees of proximity: Debo for close, and bubo for far. Something someone else is holding seems to count as far.

(Okay, I think I know my next move, but first, did you catch this question from Flavia, Sketch? I think I cut them off.)

A oabolw!

How do you say "what's your name"?

[_Just_A_Sketch]

Spoiler:

Okay, all signs so far point to two degrees of proximity: Debo for close, and bubo for far. Something someone else is holding seems to count as far.

(Okay, I think I know my next move, but first, did you catch this question from Flavia, Sketch? I think I cut them off.)

A oabolw!

How do you say "what's your name"?

Spoiler:

Im not going to say whether or not you're right about the degrees of proximity but I feel I should add that I'm really bad with them in real life for whatever reason, so I hope that's not messing with the analysis...

(I haven't forgotten it, I just need to get around to making the proper words for name stuff, and for once I've been doing my work instead of procrastinating. You can do your next move now though.)

[Arayaz]

"Hmm." I put the rock on the ground, then pick it back up and hold it firmly in my hand. "What would you call what I'm doing to it now?"

[_Just_A_Sketch]

I would say that:

6) ejan jen moghan.

[Arayaz]

I would say that:

6) ejan jen moghan.

Spoiler:

Could that ejan be related to ajan in ajan e geobeka?

"Okay," I say. "And" ─ I drop the rock ─ "what did I just do?"

[_Just_A_Sketch]

Spoiler:

Ughh I'm so bad at translations, "ajan e geobeka" is supposed be "ajan e jobeka"...
I've rearranged my tables so hopefully I will stop making that mistake.

A oabolw!

How do you say "what's your name"?

Ajan e jobeka! We have a few ways to ask for someone's name, but in this case I'd say:

7) ejan ga mobhate?

I would say that:

6) ejan jen moghan.

"Okay," I say. "And" ─ I drop the rock ─ "what did I just do?"

8) ejan jewo mozazezelh.