Appendix:Literature/Schleicher's fable

Schleicher's fable is an artificial text composed in the reconstructed language Proto-Indo-European (PIE), published by the German linguist August Schleicher in 1868 (the year of his death). Schleicher was the first scholar to compose a text in PIE. The fable is entitled Avis akvāsas ka ("The Sheep and the Horses").

Various scholars have published revised versions of Schleicher's fable since his original text as the idea of what PIE should look like changed over time. The fable may serve as an illustration of the significant changes that the reconstructed language has gone through during the last 140 years of scholarly efforts.

English

The Sheep and the Horses

① A sheep that had no wool saw horses, ② one of them pulling a heavy wagon, ③ one carrying a big load, ④ and one carrying a man quickly. ⑤ The sheep said to the horses: ⑥ “My heart pains me, seeing a man driving horses.” ⑦ The horses said: “Listen, sheep, our hearts pain us when we see this: ⑧ a man, the master, makes the wool of the sheep into a warm garment for himself. ⑨ And the sheep has no wool.” ⑩ Having heard this, the sheep fled into the plain.

Proto-Laenkean

*ŋakʰtʰas kʰegtʰezajte wotʼ

① *ŋakʰtʰas ᵐbæjngʱetʼad hæjzi pesŋwajʔas kajʔjeci kʰegtʰezed lɯrdʔjedeci, ② slɯhezɯso ʔasas kʼjiwgecetʼad hutlétad ᵐbajkʰjebowci, ③ slɯhezɯso ʔasas garad bʱajttʰad bʱajtjebowci, ④ slɯhezɯso ʔasas kʰeghɯɟ skamtʰad bʱajtjebowci. ⑤ ŋaktʰas kʰegtʰeziwm dwomjedeci: ⑥ “bʱehr̥hen cʼaman skæjtʼʔr̥bʱaci gʱe skamtʰas ᵐbæjngʱes kʰegtʰezed skjupʼʔaci lɯrdʔakʰus.” ⑦ kʰegtʰez dwomjawdetja: “hm̥íwtʼʔar, ŋakʰtʰas, ᵑgjm̥tʼór̥heziwco cʼameziwco skæjtʼʔr̥bʱaci ᵐbæjngʱehɯɟ lɯrdʔɯwtʼos gʱe: ⑧ skamtʰas, hwl̥tʼkʰwés, ŋakʰtʰɯg pesŋwajʔɯg ɟiwkʰeced ɟrɯkʰad ᵑgihm̥ ⁿdetʔaci. ⑨ skajdʱgʱe ŋakʰtʰad hæjzi pesŋwajʔas kajʔʔaci.” ⑩ ᵐbæjngʱehɯɟ skajdʱad humjedeci, ŋakʰtʰas rwewŋm̥ ʔɯci pæwkʼjedeci.

Kirvic

ჹაკთას·ო·კათი Ṇakthas ō kāthi
① ჹაკთას·ლიაკე·ისმოას·ხოიბუს·კათიზი·ლირვის ② ან·ლიზისკე·ა·ბოკთა·ბათა·აქქიტა ③ ა·ჭიათა·ღარა·პოსსიტა ④ ოკ·ა·აკანტა·პოსსიტა·აწუსკი ⑤ ჹაკთას·კათიზინ·ვომის
① Ṇakthas, liāke ismōas ḥōibūs, kāthizi lirvis, ② an līzīske ā bōktha batha ākkhita, ③ ā c̣iatha ṛara pōssita, ④ ōk ā akanta pōssita acūskī. ⑤ Ṇakthas kāthizīn vomis:

Laefevian

Ñaht ô heiþir
① Ñaht, kwiǧ pênjis señwêda, laljis heiþi, ② makwiruôns san mêšis žoǧwe uste, ③ san virêsis ôrte vênte, ④ san kô haiskaj virêsis irrane. ⑤ Ñaht lônmis heiþiron: ⑥ „Jam vi šubbas, maeǧ dalla irrane, kwiǧ žieddas heiþi.” ⑦ Heiþir unhnulžôs: „Ympohdar, ñaht, jam šubbas njundi, maeǧ dallod ke·lo: ⑧ irran, luhwe, ñyn ñahtugôtan señwêdôtan tannas ormyte kungwede angear. ⑨ Ô ñaht hwalôhkas señwêdôze.” ⑩ Maeǧ ke ylmis, ñaht jøpjøžis humbyrrele.
Forms in bold are direct descendants of forms in the Proto-Laenkean text.

Sentence glosses
1	Ñaht, kwiǧ pênjis señwêda laljis, heiþi, / ˈŋaxt | kwiɣ ˈpɛɲis ˈseŋwɛda | ˈlaʎis ˈxeiθi / sheep.nom.sg rel have_not-ind.pret-3s wool-gen.sg see-ind.pret-3s horse-acc.pl “A sheep that had no wool saw horses,”
2	makwiruôns san mêšis žoǧwe uste, / ˈmakwiruɔns ˈsan ˈmɛʃis ˈʒoɣwe ˈuste / which-pl.abl-rel one pull-ind.pret-3s heavy-acc.sg cart-acc.sg “one of them pulling a heavy wagon,”
3	san virêsis ôrte vênte, / ˈsan ˈvirɛsis ˈɔrte ˈvɛnte / one carry-ind.pret-3s big-acc.sg load-acc.sg “one carrying a big load,”
4	san kô haiskaj virêsis irrane. / ˈsan kɔ ˈxaiskaj ˈvirɛsis ˈirrane / one and quickly carry-ind.pret-3s human-acc.sg “and one carrying a man quickly.”
5	Ñaht lônmis heiþiron: / ˈŋaxt ˈlɔmmis ˈxeiθiron / sheep.nom.sg say-ind.pret-3s horse-dat.pl “The sheep said to the horses:”
6	„Jam vi šubbas, maeǧ dalla irrane, kwiǧ žiedddas heiþi.” / ˈjam vi ˈʃubbas | maeɣ ˈdalla ˈirrane | kwiɣ ˈʒieddas ˈxeiθi / heart.nom.sg 1sg.acc hurt-ind.pres-3s when.rel see-ind.pres-1s human-acc.sg rel drive-ind.pres-1s horse-acc.pl ““My heart pains me, seeing a man driving horses.””
7	Heiþir unhnulžôs: / ˈxeiθir ˈunnuɮɮɔs / horse-nom.pl respond-ind.pret-3p “The horses said:” „Ympohdar, ñaht, jam šubbas njundi, maeǧ dallod ke· lo: / ˈympoxdar | ˈŋaxt | ˈjam ˈʃubbas ɲundi | maeɣ ˈdallod ˈke lo / listen-imp.2s sheep.nom.sg heart.nom.sg hurt-ind.pres-3s 1pe.acc when.rel see-ind.pres-1pe this.acc.sg =emph ““Listen, sheep, our hearts pain us when we see this:”
8	irran, luhwe, ñyn ñahtugôtan señwêdôtan tannas ormyte kungwede angear. / ˈirran | ˈluxwe | ŋyn ˈŋaxtuɡɔtan ˈseŋwɛdɔtan ˈtannas ˈormyte ˈkuŋɡwede ˈaŋɡear / human.nom.sg master.nom.sg refl.dat.sg sheep-poss.adj-ela.sg wool-ela.sg make-ind.pres-3s warm-acc.sg garment-acc.sg refl-ben.sg “a man, the master, makes the wool of the sheep into a warm garment for himself.”
9	Ô ñaht hwalôhkas señwêdôze.” / ɔ ˈŋaxt ˈxwalɔxkas ˈseŋwɛdɔze / and sheep.nom.sg remain-ind.pres.3s wool-abe.sg “And the sheep has no wool.””
10	Maeǧ ke ylmis, ñaht jøpjøžis humbyrrele. / ˈmaeɣ ke ˈylmis | ˈŋaxt ˈjøpjøʒis ˈxumbyrrele / when.rel this.acc.sg hear-ind.pret-3s sheep.nom.sg flee-ind.pret-3s plain-ill.acc “Having heard this, the sheep fled into the plain.”

Radestrian

U Gaks ar i hjeðe
① Gaks, vân gjeș hreņuog húe, híðirid vareș, ② antí vjes gjeș às baðiș veled áșevú, ③ às gjoriș mjekst vjetivú ④ ar às skanslișt așuorcí vjetivú hâle. ⑤ U gaks i híðirín dvomeș: ⑥ „Stjátș-en a tasms, ádei híðiríe hedxeșe skanslișt vart.” ⑦ I hjeðe dvomú: „Areta, gakse. Dzatorín stjátș a tasms, ádete kjestad vartú: ⑧ eș skanslieþs, u slica, hreņúvur u gaksk lmiriș rnoland dzin de. ⑨ O u gaksa hreņuog hjeaș.” ⑩ Lecjúl kad, gjeș u gaks erja hvakst anșușe.
Forms in bold are direct descendants of forms in the Proto-Laenkean text.

Sentence glosses
1	Gaks, vân gjeș hreņuog húe, híðirid vareș, / ˈɡaks | vɤn jɛʃ ˈhrɛŋuoɡ ˈhuːɛ | ˈhiːðirid ˈvarɛʃ / sheep-nom.sg 3s.anim-dat rel=3s wool-gen.sg neg.pst-depers.sg horse-pl-acc see.pst-ind-3s “A sheep that had no wool saw horses,”
2	antí vjes gjeș às baðiș veled áșevú, / ˈantiː vjɛs jɛʃ ˈas ˈbaðiʃ ˈvɛlɛd ˈaːʃɛvuː / from-amongst 3p.anim-gen rel=3s one-nom heavy cart-acc.sg pull-prespart-adv “one of them pulling a heavy wagon,”
3	às gjoriș mjekst vjetivú, / ˈas ˈjɔriʃ ˈmjɛkst ˈvjɛtivuː / one-nom big load-acc.sg carry-prespart-adv “one carrying a big load,”
4	ar às skanslișt așuorcí vjetivú, hâle. / ar ˈas ˈskansliʃt aˈʃuortsiː ˈvjɛtivuː ˈhɤlɛ / and one-nom man-acc.sg quick-adv carry-prespart-adv be.pst-ind-depers.sg “and one carrying a man quickly.”
5	U gaks i híðirín dvomeș: / u ˈɡaks i ˈhiːðiriːn ˈdvɔmɛʃ / def.anim.sg sheep-nom.sg def.anim.pl horse-dat.pl say.pst-ind-3s “The sheep said to the horses:”
6	„Stjátș -en a tasms, ádei híðiríe hedxeșe skanslișt vart.” / ˈstʃaːtʃ ɛn a ˈtasms | ˈaːdei ˈhiːðiriːɛ ˈhɛdʒɛʃɛ ˈskansliʃt ˈvart / hurt.npst-ind-3s 1s-dat def.inan.sg heart-nom.sg when=1s horse-ins.pl drive-prespart-adj-anim man-acc.sg see.npst-ind-depers.sg “"My heart pains me, seeing a man driving horses."”
7	I hjeðe dvomú: „Areta, gakse. / i ˈʃɛðɛ ˈdvɔmuː | ˈarɛta ˈɡaksɛ / def.anim.pl horse-nom.pl say.pst-ind-3p listen.imp-2s sheep-voc.sg “The horses said: "Listen, sheep,” Dzatorín stjátș a tasms, ádete kjestad vartú: / ˈdzatɔriːn ˈstʃaːtʃ a ˈtasms | ˈaːdɛtɛ ˈtʃɛstad ˈvartuː / 1pe-emph.dat hurt.npst-ind-3s def.inan.sg heart-nom.sg when=1pe this-emph.acc.sg see.npst-ind-depers.pl “"our hearts pain us when we see this:”
8	eș skanslieþs, u slica, hreņúvur u gaksk lmiriș rnoland dzin de. / ɛʃ ˈskanslieθs | u ˈslitsa | hrɛˈŋuːvuːr u ˈɡaksk ˈlmiriʃ ˈrnɔland dzin ˈdɛ / that=3s man-nom.sg def.anim.sg master-nom.sg wool-ins.sg def.anim.sg sheep-gen.sg warm clothing-acc.sg refl-dat make.npst-ind-depers.sg “a man, the master, makes the wool of the sheep into a warm garment for himself.”
9	O u gaksa hreņuog hjeaș.” / ɔ u ˈɡaksa ˈhrɛŋuoɡ ˈʃæːʃ / and def.anim.sg sheep-dat.sg wool-gen.sg neg.npst-ind-3s “And the sheep has no wool."”
10	Lecjúl kad, gjeș u gaks erja hvakst anșușe. / ˈlɛtʃuːl kad | jɛʃ u ˈɡaks ˈɛrja ˈhvakst ˈanʃuʃɛ / hear-pspart-adv this-acc.sg foc=3s def.anim.sg sheep-nom.sg onto=def.inan.sg plain-acc.sg run_away.pst-ind-depers.sg “Having heard this, the sheep fled into the plain.”