Entirely random

[textualdeviance]

Just throwing this out:

Anyone around who can help me with some small translations into Russian, Chinese (probably Cantonese, though I'm primarily interested in something used by aristocracy) and/or any of the Coast Salish languages?

Approximations are fine, and these would only be a small assortment of nouns, plus a general overview of word structure and naming conventions.


Novel project. I have a few alt history cultures I want to base on the 18th/19th century versions of these cultures and their languages. The end versions will be bastardized, but I want to know what I'm bastardizing before I do so.

If you help me with this, I'll let you in on a short summary of the story. :)

Comments

[falcongirl.livejournal.com]

I can possibly help on the Russian. I have a metric assload of antique Ruskiya dictionaries and I used to be really fluent. I'm rusty as fuck, though, so it may take me a bit.
-T

[textualdeviance.livejournal.com]

Awesome. Thank you!

Really, all I'm going to need is just some object and place names and possibly some roots of common people names.

What I'm going for is an idea of each culture having its own language history which then passed into a common tongue. So older place names and people naming conventions and such would be in the original language.

Primarily I want to start with basic geographical features: Mountain, lake, river, waterfall, meadow, forest, etc. Then go into adjective descriptors for those: Green, icy, broad, deep, thick, etc. Also some common materials: wood, stone, metals, etc.

The problem I'm running into with what research I've tried to do so far is everything gets translated into Cyrillic, and I can't parse that in the slightest. One of these days, I should pick that up, I suppose. :)

[papamishka.livejournal.com]

Gimme. 'll be happy to help.

[textualdeviance.livejournal.com]

Oooh, terrific! Thanks!

So basically, I'm looking for pre-1700s common Russian.

At the moment, I just need some general words for the following:

Geographic/nature:

Mountain
River
Tree
Lake
Hill
Flood
Ocean/Sea
Snow
Rain
Ice
Underground
Cave
Fire

And some common materials:

Iron
Copper
Bronze
Wool
Steel

And colors:
Red
Green
Yellow
Blue

I'd also like to find a woman's name that means something like peacemaker, leader or courage.

Thanks again!

[papamishka.livejournal.com]

Mountain - GORA
River - REKA
Tree – DEREVO, DREVO
Lake - OZERO
Hill - HOLM
Flood - POTOP
Ocean/Sea – OKIYAN, MORE-OKIYAN (“ya” – as in German “ja”)
Snow - SNEG
Rain – DOJD (“J” as “S” in “pleasure”. Last “d” very soft)
Ice – LYOD (“yo” – as in third)
Underground – You’ll have to give me some context here.
Cave – PESCHERA
Fire – OGON or PLAMYA

And some common materials:

Iron – JELEZO (“J” as “S” in “pleasure”). JELEZNY – made of iron
Copper – MED (soft “D”), MEDNY – made of copper
Bronze – BRONZA, BRONZOVY
Wool – SHERST, SHERSTYANOY
Steel – STAL (soft “L”), STALNOY

And colors:
Red – KRASNY, BAGROVY (Eye of Sauron red)
Green - ZELENY
Yellow - JELTY
Blue – SINIY, GOLUBOY (light blue)

I'd also like to find a woman's name that means something like peacemaker, leader or courage.

Most of 17th century names were of Greek, Roman or Bible origin. But I could give you a few ancient Slavic names:

MIROSLAVA – glory of peace (or “world glory” since Russian MIR can mean both)
Hmmm… Actually, that’s all I was able come up with. I’ll have to think and check on the net.

[textualdeviance.livejournal.com]

This is wonderful. Thank you so much!

[papamishka.livejournal.com]

Happy to help.
I just want to mention one more thing. In Russian not only every living thing but all the objects have to be male, female or neutral. And the endings of all the adjectives and verbs differ because of that. It's rather complicated.
So if you are planning to combine those words I gave you ("Red mountain" or "Steel Lake" etc), better check with me first unless you want to create an equivalent of "I does".
mrousine@gmail.com

[textualdeviance.livejournal.com]

I will keep in touch. Thanks again!

[crooked-hill.livejournal.com]

I have co-workers who speak Russian and I belive Welsh - I'll ask on Monday