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You are given the task as translator for a new language. There is no dictionary but you are given the following translations to help you.

  • kisha dogafam kotirash ‘Someone has shot the squire.’
  • flori konekash dogredam ‘The barmaid has seduced the colonel.’
  • kisha drosin doflorim ‘Someone strangles the barmaid.’
  • doflorim lecha kowidash ‘The milkman has found the barmaid.’
  • pelin goli domelim ‘The librarian calls the postmistress.’
  • dobarnam kopelash rola ‘The vicar has called the inspector.’
  • barna dolecham kopetash ‘The inspector has questioned the milkman.’
  • widin dogafam fela. ‘The doctor finds the squire.’

You are given three tasks. First translate the following into English:

  • greda dofelam petin
  • kisha kodrosash dogolim

Then translate this into the new language:

  • ‘The postmistress seduces the vicar.’

This question comes from http://www.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxford/field/field_document/OLAT%202009.pdf

Simd
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  • Has a correct answer been given? If so, please don't forget to $\color{green}{\checkmark \small\text{Accept}}$ it :) – Rubio Jul 19 '19 at 02:02

1 Answers1

7

1. The colonel questions the doctor.
2. Someone has strangled the librarian.
3. Meli nekin dorolam.

Explanations:

By sentences 2 to 4 (and others) we can deduce that do(X)m is the accusative version of (X). Therefore greda is colonel for instance.
When (X) is the root of a verb, (X)in is the simple present while ko(X)ash is the present perfect. You know that from pelin and kopelash.

Arnaud Mortier
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