( Beginning of the story )
ハー
ha
イシカル コタン
Iskar kotan
Village of Ishikari
コタン エトコ
Kotan etoko
Hill of the village
アコホラリ ワ オカヤン
A=kohorari wa okay=an
I was living.
パウ パウ ハエエエエエ (Refrain)
Paw paw haeeeee
イシカル コタン
Iskar kotan
Village of Ishikari
コタン エトコ
Kotan etoko
Hill of the village
アコホラリ オカヤン アワ
A=kohorari okay=an awa
I was living there, but
ポコインネアン マ
Pokoinne=an ma
I had a lot of children
アンポ ウタル
An=po utar
My children
アンレス クス
An=resu kusu
In order to raise them
トアニンマ タアニンマ
Toaninma taaninma
Here and there
テルケテルケアン カネ
Terketerke=an kane
I was flying about
パイェカイアン マ
Payekay=an ma
I was walking about
アンポウタリ
An=poutari
My children
アンエレ クン ペ
An=ere kun pe
Something to feed them
アンエモマシヌ ワ
An=emomasnu wa
I collected
アンルラ ワ
An=rura wa
I carried
アンポウタリ
An=poutari
My children
アンレス カネ オカヤン
An=resu kane okay=an.
I was raising.
I was living in village of Iskar, on the hill of the village.
The place I was living, was village of Iskar, on the hill of the village. I had lots of children, and in order to raise my children, I flied around and walked around here and there.
I collected things (which ought to) feed my children, carried them, and raised my children.
| ア | A= | (Variant of An=) |
| アワ | Awa | Where (Not interrogative) |
| アン | An= | I |
| アン | =An | I |
| イシカル | Iskar | Ishikari (pn.) |
| ウタル | Utar | Plural particle. "People" as an independent word. |
| エトコ | Etoko | Hillside (genitive), base form etok. |
| エモマシヌ | Enomasnu | To collect, gather |
| エレ | Ere | To feed |
| オカヤン | Okay=an | Contraction of オカイ・アン (unchanged in Roman) |
| カネ | Kane | While |
| クス | Kusu | Because, in order to |
| クン | Kun | Should, ought to do |
| コタン | Kotan | Village |
| コホラリ | Kohorari | To live in |
| タアニンマ | Taaninma | To hither (Taani + un + wa) |
| テルケテルケ | Terketerke | To fly around. Terke by itself means "to jump" |
| トアニンマ | Toaninma | To thither (Toani + un + wa) |
| ハー | Ha- | (Opening sound) |
| パイェカイ | Payekay | To walk around (pl.) |
| パウ | Paw | (Onomatopoeia of a dying fox) |
| ハエエエエエ | Haeeeee | (Meaning unknown) |
| ペ | Pe | Nominalizer |
| ポ | Po | Child |
| ポウタリ | Poutari | Children (Genitive). Base form Poutar. |
| ポコインネ | Pokoinne | To have many children. Po (children) + ko (to him/her) + inne (to be many) |
| マ | Ma | And, while. Variant of Wa. |
| ルラ | Rura | To carry |
| レス | Resu | To raise |
| ワ | Wa | And, while. |
Tuytak is a form of Ainu literature. This Tuytak was collected by Hiroshi Nakagawa (Chiba University) in 1985 from Ms. Yumi Okamoto. We only introduced the beginning lines here.
Tuytak is a tale where the gods tell their stories in the first person narrative. Gods appear as heroes in forms of various animals and birds, such as bear, rabbit, owl and crane. This form of narrative is generally known as shinyou (神謡) in Japanese. In Ainu, it is known as Tuytak in Samani and Urakawa, Kamuy Yukar from Shizunai to Western Iburi, Oyna in Tokachi, Kushiro and Asahikawa. (Generally known as "Yukar" in English.)
The word Tuytak is used in Tokachi, Kushiro and Asahikawa as well but there it means "Olden Tales." "Olden Tales" in Samani and Urakawa is Isoytatki, and Uwepeker in Iburi.
The refrain (Ainu: sakehe saha) "paw paw haeeeee" is repeated every line, and it is a characteristic of Tuytak. (Some of the lines in the text were combined to facilitate annotation) The refrain differs in different parts of the story.
The hero of this Tuytak is Pawsekamuy, a fox. This is very similar to the other tale collected by Shigeru Kayano in Biratori, which is published as 『キツネのチャランケ(Kitsune no Charanke)』 and is a well-known tale.
So far we have learned the basics of Ainu language. This Tuytak may have been a bit too difficult and it is because the language of the oral literary tradition, Classical Ainu, differs from the Modern Colloquial Ainu.
For example, the first person singular pronominal is アン- an= or -アン =an instead of the familiar ク ku=. "I rest" in Modern Ainu is クシニ ku=nisi, but it is シニアン nisi=an in Classical Ainu. Notice that this =an looks same as the Colloquial =an for the first person plural. The independent pronoun differs as well, Classical pronoun for "I" is アノカイ Anokay instead of Colloquial クアニ kuani.
The plural forms of the nouns (cf. Lesson 10) are used not only for the plural subjects, but singular subject "I" as well in Classical Ainu. "I go" would be クオマン ku=oman in Colloquial, パイェアン paye=an in Classical.
Example: "I go down to the shore and catch fish"
Modern: クアニ アナク ピシ タ クサン マ チェプ クコイキ。
Modern: Kuani anak pisi ta ku=san ma cep ku=koyki.
Classical: アノカイ アナク ピシ タ サプアン マ チェプ アンコイキ。
Classical: Anokay anak pisi ta sap=an ma cep an=koyki.
Literally: I (topic marker) shore (to) go down-(I) and fish (I)-catch.
チヌカルクル ネイ タ アン？
Cinukarkur ney ta an?
Where is Big Dipper?
ニサッタ エノン エチパイェ？
Nisatta enon eci=paye?
Where do you (pl.) go tomorrow?
Ney ta is used to ask "where" a person or a thing is located, while enon is used to ask the destination of a movement. A related word onon is used to ask "from where."
| Ney ta | "Where" | Locative |
| Enon | "Whither" | Allative |
| Onon | "Whence" | Ablative |
オノン エチアルキ？
Onon eci=arki?
Where do you come from? (pl.)
Enon is used in Shizunai, Eastern Hidaka and Tokachi areas. It may be hunakun, hinakun, neyne or newn in other regions.
1) Where is your father?
2) Where do you want to go tomorrow?
1) エコル アチャ ネイ タ アン E=kor aca ney ta an.
2) ニサッタ エノン エチパイエ ルスイ Nisatta enon eci=paye rusuy.
| アン | An | To be |
| ネイ | Ney | Where |
| コル | Kor | To have, hold |
| エ | E= | You |
| アチャ | Aca | Father |
| タ | Ta | Locative particle |
| ルスイ | Rusuy | Desiderative particle |
| エチ | Eci= | You (pl.) |
| ニサッタ | Nisatta | Tomorrow |
| パイェ | Paye | To go (pl.) |
| エノン | Enon | Whither |
| チヌカルクル | Cinukarkur | The Big Dipper. Made of ci=nukar=kur, "the one which we behold." The name comes from its function as a reference point to tell the directions. |
ネプ エエ ルスイ？
Nep e=e rusuy?
What do you want to eat?
ネプ カイ ケラアン クワシ クエ ルスイ。
Nep kay keraan kuwas ku=e rusuy.
I want to eat some tasty snacks.
Nep is the basic interrogative to ask "what". It can form compounds with other particles as well, such as nep kay "something", nep kusu "for what- why" and nep ta an pe "something, for what reason" etc.
Kay is not used independently, and it is used after an abstract word: nep kay "something" (what-certain) or enon kay "somewhere" (what-place).
1) What will you wear tomorrow?
2) Do you have some good ideas?
1) ニサッタ ネプ エミ ワ エオマン Nisatta nep e=mi wa e=oman.
2) ネプ カイ ピリカ サンニヨ エチコル ヤ Nep kay pirka sanniyo eci=kor ya.
| ミ | Mi | To wear |
| ネプ | Nep | What (Interrogative). Hemanta in some dialects. |
| エ | E= | You |
| ワ | Wa | And |
| ニサッタ | Nisatta | Tomorrow |
| オマン | Oman | To go |
| サンニヨ | Sanniyo | Thought, Idea |
| ヤ | Ya | Interrogative particle |
| ピリカ | Pirka | To be good |
| エチ | Eci= | You (pl.) |
| ネプカイ | Nep kay | Something |
| ク | Ku= | I |
| クワシ | Kuwas | Candy, snack. From Classical Japanese Kuwashi. Topenpe or Rurkorpe in some dialects. |
| ケラアン | Keraan | To be tasty, to taste good |
| ルスイ | Rusuy | Desiderative particle. |
アンミプ ポロンノ エミ ヤッカイ エメウン ナンコル。
Anmip poronno e=mi yakkay e=meun nankor.
You feel (lit. are) cold even if you wear a lot of clothes.
ニサッタ ウパシ アシ ヤッカイ モンライケアシ クス ネ。
Nisatta upas as yakkay monrayke=as kusu ne.
We will (lit. are decided) to work even if it snows tomorrow.
Yakkay is a conjunction placed after the subordinate clause to express "even if so…" or "despite that…", in a manner similar to korkay in lesson 39. Keep in mind that Ainu subordinate clauses come before the main clause.
1) I am not even finding work.
2) I suppose my son doesn't run away even if I am angry.
1) モンライケ クエシタン ヤッカイ イサム Monrayke ku=estan yakkay isam.
2) クイルシカ ヤッカイ クポホ ヘンネ キラ ナンコル Ku=iruska yakkay ku=poho henne kira nankor.
| モンライケ | Monrayke | Work, to work |
| イサム | Isam | Not to exist |
| ク | Ku= | I |
| エシタン | Estan | To find, search |
| キラ | Kira | To run away |
| ポホ | Poho | Son (genitive) |
| ナンコル | Nankor | Suppositional particle |
| イルシカ | Iruska | To be angry |
| ヘンネ | Henne | Negation |
| アシ | As | To fall |
| アシ | =as | We (exclusive) |
| アンミプ | Anmip | Clothing. |
| ウパシ | Upas | Snow |
| エ | E= | You |
| クス | Kusu | Because. Kusu ne "intended/planned to do" |
| ニサッタ | Nisatta | Tomorrow |
| ネ | Ne | Copula (to be) |
| ポロンノ | Poronno | A lot, many, much |
| ミ | Mi | To wear |
| メウン | Meun | To be cold. Merayke in some dialects. |
| ヤッカイ | Yakkay | "Despite, even if." Yakka in some dialects. |
ネコン イキ ワ nekon iki wa
...in what way
シクプ アワン ペ sikup awan pe
one who was born
アンネ イネ an=ne ine
I was, and
チオルクシテコ ciorkusketo
in such a place
アトゥイソ カ タ atuyso ka ta
on the ocean
モムモムアン カネ mommon=an kane
floating and floating
オカアン マ oka=an ma
was, and
アコヤイヌパ a=koyaynupa
I noticed there
アヨロロペ ayororope
アヨロロペ ayororope
アヨロロペ ayororope
ネコニキ ワ nekon iki wa
...in what way
シクプ アワン ペ sikup awan pe
one who was born
イパンネ キ テク ipan=ne ki tek
I was
タン ヌプル アトゥイ tan nupur atuy
this great sea
アトゥイソ カ タ atuyso ka ta
on the ocean
モムモムアン カネ mommon=an kane
...floating and floating
オカヤン キ ワ okay=an ki wa
while I was
アコヤイヌパ a=koyaynupa
I noticed there.
I was one born in what way, (that I do not know). I was floating and floating on the ocean, and I noticed there. Ayororope, ayororope, ayororope. I was born in what way, (that I do not know), I was floating and floating on the great ocean, and I noticed there.
| ア | A= | I. Variant of =an. |
| アトゥイ | Atuy | Sea |
| アトゥイソ | Atuyso | Open sea. So "wide area" |
| アヨロロペ | Ayororope | (Has no meaning) |
| アワン | Awan | And |
| アン | An= | I |
| アン | =An | I |
| イキ | Iki | To do |
| イネ | Ine | And |
| イパン | Ipan= | I. (Appears only in tales) |
| オカ | Oka | To be, to exist. Variant of Okay. |
| カ | Ka | Above |
| カネ | Kane | …ing, while |
| キ | Ki | To do |
| コヤｙヌパ | Koyaynupa | To notice there. |
| シクプ | Sikup | To grow up |
| タ | Ta | Locative particle |
| タン | Tan | This |
| チオルクシテコ | Ciorkusteko | In what way |
| テク | Tek | And |
| ヌプル | Nupur | Spiritually powerful, great. To be of deep color. |
| ネ | Ne | Copula |
| ネコニキ | Nekoniki | Contraction of ネコン イキ. (Change in Kana only) |
| ネコン | Nekon | In what way |
| ペ | Pe | Nominalizer |
| マ | Ma | And. Variant of Wa. |
| モムモム | Mommom | Floating and floating. Mom by itself is "to float" |
| ワ | Wa | And |
This is a sample of a Yayrap, a heroic epic narrative orally transmitted in Samani area. This Yayrap was performed by Ms. Yumi Okamoto. It is a difficult task to sing Yayrap, one must practice to sing continuously for a prolonged time. The language itself is quite difficult as well, as it employs Classical Ainu.
This Yayrap begins with chanting ayororope between the lines, but it has no meaning, it just lets the listeners to know that the narrative begins. This occurs repeatedly between lines or phrases.
This is the end of part ten. You can continue with part XI of this course.
Thanks for your interest in this course! If you discovered any mistakes or you just want to say something then please let us know 
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