I decided that I am going to try and write a poem in another language. But just to be different I am going to research Native Indian languages and try to write a poem in their language. I know there is quite a substantial number of tribes and they all spoke differently but I think that this will be a rather fun experience and challange. Learning something new is always fun I think and this will be one hell of a challange if you ask me. Anyone else ever tried something like this?
i sometimes write poetry in french, but i have been speaking and writing french since taking 3 years of it high school decades ago and have spent much time in france, including living there full time for nearly a year... and even then, i still need a native french-speaker to go over it for me to catch any grammar or idiom goofs... for you to just 'instantly' try to learn a very complex language with absolutely no syntactical or grammatical connection to english, such as the amer-indian ones and then expect to be able to write poetry, which is the most refined of all uses of a language in it, does not sound doable, imo, unless you live among the people whose tongue you want to use, and become fluent in speaking it first... i've lived with the hopi, have been among people of many tribes in both the us and canada and speak from personal experience when i say that any tribal language will not be anywhere near as 'easy' to learn as french or spanish or any of the languages on which english is based... and to be able to use a new language as subtlely and as elegantly as poetry requires would take something on the order of the miracle of 'speaking in tongues' imo... especially if you haven't learned to use any other language but your own birth one, till now... the other problem you'll face is that tribal languages are not written ones, but are only oral, passed down from one generation to the next... so, even if you can find a glossary or dictionary someone has written on hopi or cree or ojibway or whatever, that is not going to give you the grammar and syntax... only living with and learning by being there, or being taught by native speakers can do that... i'm not saying you aren't capable of doing this, just that you seem to not understand the problems you'll face in trying to, as their are all kinds of subtle nuances to using others' languages that book learning can't teach... but i wish you well, in the endeavor... which tribe's tongue do you intend to study and write your poem/s in? love and hugs, maia
here's a case in point, torana... if you know any french, you'll see how much had to be changed to fit the same meaning into french idiom/grammar... and, needless to say, rhyming and meter goes out the window!: armed & dangerous if my arms could hold all my heart does I would cuddle the world in a hug every woman and child who huddles in fear would be safe and warm and snug if my arms were as wide as the oceans I would open them to all the poor each refugee family whose hope is gone would be sheltered and feel secure if my arms were as strong as my will is I would gather up every newborn all the unwanted babies who’d rather not live would sleep happily there ‘til morn if my arms had the power of nations’ I would use it to disarm all men any weapon turned loose in anyone’s hand would never be fired again if my arms could stretch ‘round this planet I would repair the damage man’s done all the trees and seas, air tainted and spoiled would recover, one by one if my arms could hold all my heart does I would heal all in my embrace each hurt body or heart to feel my touch would wear a smile on its face I’d billions enfold their sorrows untold comfort through the night keep all close to my heart stop tears when they start fix every wrong in sight and make everyone all right if my arms could just hold all my heart does... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... armée et dangereuse si mes bras pouvaient contenir autant que mon coeur je serrerais le monde dans mes bras chaque femme et enfant transi de peur serait en sécurité, bien au chaud et content si mes bras etaient aussi vaste que les oceans je les ourvrirais à tous les pauvres chaque famille de réfugiés qui a perdu l’espoir serait abritée et se sentirait en sécurité si mes bras étaient aussi forts que mon âme je ramasserais tous les nouveaux-nés chaque bébé non-désiré qui ne voudrait pas vivre y dormirait toute la journée si mes bras avaient la puissance des nations je l’exercerais pour désarmer tous les hommes aucune arme dans aucune main ne tirerais plus jamais si mes bras pouvaient s’etendrent autour de la planete je reparerais les dommages commis par l’homme tous les arbres et les mers, l’air vicié et souillié se rétabliraient, un a un si mes bras pouvaient contenir autant que mon coeur je guerirais tout que m’embrasse chaque corps, coeur blessé qui sentirait mon toucher porterait un sourire sur son visage j’envelopperais tous les familles leurs peines inouies consolerais nuit et jour garderais tous pret de mon coeur arrêterais ses larmes dès le début réparerais tous les maux en vue et rendrais tout le monde meilleur si mes bras pouvaient contenir autant que mon coeur...
maia I completely udnerstand how difficult this endeavour is going to be. I never once said it was going to be easy. I have found a place where it shows me a paragraph of Navajo Language and it is extremely confusing. But I am not going to give up hope what so ever. I have decided to take on an endeavour like this and I am going to try my hardest to fulfil it. I know it may take several years to do so, but no one ever said that things we wish to do in life are easy now did they? Everything we do in life is a challenge. I just decided to take on something that would give me the challenge that I desire.
...i didn't say you did... ...if you had said you intended to take years to do this in the first place, my reply would have been very different... as it is, what you wrote in your first post made it sound as if you would just consult dictionaries or whatever and then attempt to write a poem in a tribal language in a much shorter period of time... so, my reply addressed that, my not having any idea you intended to make this a long term project... sorry for the confusion... and at my age and level of experience in life all over the world, i'd surely be the last person to say or assume that acomplishing anything we wish to do in life would be 'easy'... love and hugs, maia
maia when I take on a challenge like this I expect it to take several years. For all I know it could take 20 years before I can sit down and write a poem in this language, or I may very well fail completely. But the thing is that I am giving it a go. I amy consult dictionaries if there are any, but not to learn the language. I had actualy taken a look at some pages through wikipedia just so I could see what the language was like and honestly it is rather confusing if you ask me. But it has not dampened my spirits and I will give it a go. Apology accepted maia. Torana
That sounds like a lot of fun; challenging, but fun I'm trying to conquer Italian, maybe one day I'll be able to write a poem or novel in it. Good luck with your endeavour!
then, how are you going to learn the language?... are there any Diné nearby, who you can get to teach you?
Actually maia no there are not. Which makes the challenge even harder still. Which I feel is a good thing. For me to do this and to try and succeed I am going to have to travel. Like I said maia I know that this will not be an easy process. But when I decide to do something and take on new challenges, I take them on in a very big way. I know there are a lot of obstacles in my path with this challenge, but no obstacle is too big to overcome.
so, you are planning to live on the navajo rez, while you learn the language?... that really is a major challenge!... as i've been all over navajo country and have known and dealt with many of them, let me know if you need any info on going/staying there, or the nature of these tribal people... i hope you realize it's very barren land, but if you are familiar with your own desert outback, it won't be a great shock... keep me posted, will you?... i'd love to know how your adventure will play out... love and hugs, m maia3maia@hotmail.com
Tahnk you kindly maia. I would definately be interested in hearing about your experiences is you are willing to share a little so I know what to expect a little more. This is all sstill in the early stages so it will be some time before I can do so. But yes maia that is exactly what I am planning on doing.
i'm happy to help with any info you might need, so just drop me a line 'at home' when you're planning the details of your adventure... i'm curious... why did you pick navajo, over all the other tribal languages?...
Yes I am still trying to conquer it and I won't be giving up antytime soon I've had to put it on hold for the time being due to some things that have arisen lately, but things should be full steam ahead with it all next year sometime. I've had some great help and hopefully I should be able to get back into it all again by mid year. Just I've had to prioritize at the moment. I will keep you updated though.
