Elomi McGuffey 1 with comments

Elomi McGuffey Reader - with comments and notes
Created: Nov. 19, 2005
Last update: Dec. 16, 2005

See the orginal Elomi web page by Larry Sulky, the inventor of Elomi <<--BROKEN LINK
My UNOFFICIAL lexicon may contain words that have not been canonized or generally accepted. These words have been coined specifically to enable translation of the McGuffey Reader. The official lexicon will be found at the official website above.

Nov. 19, 2005

Volume 1 Section 1.

1. I see a boy.
ami isi apenu.
isi = to see
ape-nu = boy, lad (lit. child-male)
ape = child
-nu = masculine suffix
ami = I, me
When a word ends in the same vowel that begins the next word, seperate
the two with a glottal stop.
Normally words are not capitalized.
"Written punctuation is always optional but is used for its familiarity." -- L.S.
2. I see a girl.
ami isi apena.
ape-na = girl (lit. child-female)
3. I see a boy and a girl.
ami isi apenu e apena.
e = and
4. The boy can see the girl.
apenu ipo isi apena.
ipo = able (to ...)
Modifies the verb that follows. "I can see ..." -> "ami ipo isi..."
5. I can see the girl and the boy.
ami ipo isi apena e apenu.
6. I can see the girl.
ami ipo isi apena.
7. See the man!
o isi atanu.
o marks the imperative verb
ata-nu = man (lit. person-male)
8. See the boy and the man!
o isi apenu e atanu.
9. The man has a hat.
atanu imi alapu.
imi = to posses or have (not necessarily to own)
alapu = hat
10. Has the boy a hat?
uwe apenu imi alapu?
uwe can begin a sentence which is a question that expects a yes or no answer.
Other uses for uwe will be explored later.
11. The boy can run.
apenu ipo ilele.
ilele = to run
12. Can the man run?
uwe atanu ipo ilele?
13. The man can see the boy run.
atanu ipo isi a apenu ilele. (The man can see that the boy is running.)
atanu ipo isi apenu ilele.
Contrast with:
apenu ilele a atanu ipo isi axa. (The man can see the running boy.)
a = Clause division marker. Other uses of a will be explored later.
axa = he; she; it; person, animal or other animate thing
"X" in Elomi is pronounced like the English "sh". "axa" is pronounced "asha".
14. I have a hat.
ami imi alapu.
15. I have a doll.
ami imi axuki'nata.
axuki = toy; plaything
ata = person
axuki'nata = doll (lit. toy-person, or person-shaped toy)
16. See my doll!
o isi axuki'nata u ami.
u = of, possesive, as belonging to (in this instance) Other uses of u will be explored later.
17. Can the doll see?
uwe axuki'nata ipo isi?
18. I can see my doll.
ami ipo isi axuki'nata u ami.
19. Has the doll a hat?
uwe axuki'nata imi alapu?
20. My doll has a hat.
axuki'nata u ami imi alapu.
21. The girl has a doll and a hat.
apena imi axuki'nata e alapu.
22. Can the boy play?
uwe apenu ipo ixuka?
ixuka = to play with (as with a toy or game. Not applied to music or other performance arts.)
When ixuka takes an object it is the name of the game or toy.
23. The boy can run and play.
apemu ipo ilele e ixuka.
24. The boy can play ball.
apemu ipo ixuka apalu. (... can play with the ball.)
apalu = ball
25. Can the man play ball?
uwe atanu ipo ixuka apalu?
26. The man may see the boy play.
atanu isa isi apenu ixuka.
u = before a verb indicates passive
isa = to have permission to; to be permitted to
27. May the man take the ball?
uwe atanu isa iku apalu?
uwe atanu iku onisa apalu?
iniku = to give, to donate
iku = to take; to receive
-na suffix on a verb inverts the sense of the verb.
onisa = permissably; allowably
28. The boy may take the ball.
apenu isa iku apalu.
apenu iku onisa apalu.
29. Can the girl see the baby?
uwe apena ipo isi apene?
ape-ne = baby (lit. child-small)
apenene = redoubling -ne suffix to indicate infant, or newborn baby.
30. Can the baby see the little girl?
uwe apene ipo isi apena oxuni?
oxu = big, large
oxu-ni = small, tiny (lit. opposite of big)
31. The baby has a big doll.
apene imi axuki'nata oxu.
32. The little girl has a ball.
apena oxuni imi apalu.
33. I can see the baby.
ami ipo isi apene.
34. Can the baby see my big hat?
uwe apene ipo isi alapu oxu u ami?
35. The baby may have my ball.
apene isa imi apalu u ami.
36. Take the ball, baby!
apene o iku apalu.
37. The man has a little dog.
atanu imi akansu oxuni.
akansu = dog
38. The boy has a big dog.
apenu imi akansu oxu.
39. See the little dog run!
o isi a akansu oxuni ilele.
o isi akansu oxuni ilele.
40. He has my ball.
axa imi apalu u ami.
axa = he, she, it. Animate thing
41. May the big dog have it?
uwe akansu oxu isa imi aku?
uwe akansu oxu imi onisa aku?
aku = it (an inanimate object)
42. May he take it?
uwe axa isa iku aku?
43. The little dog may have the ball.
akansu oxuni imi onisa apalu.
44. He may run and play with it.
axa ilele e ixuka onisa aku.
Remember that ixuka is "play with" when it takes an object so no preposition is used.
45. See the little bird!
o isi amalu oxuni.
amalu = bird (Specifically song bird, not usually applied to
game birds, birds of prey, or domestic farm birds like
chickens or turkeys.)
46. May the baby have it?
uwe apene isa imi aku?

Nov. 20, 2005

47. May she take it?
uwe axa iku onisa aku?
uwe axa isa iku aku?
48. She can not take it.
axa isani iku aku.
Contrast this with: axa iku onisani aku. = She takes it without permission.
isani = is not permitted to (isa + ni)
onisani = forbiddenly; without permission (on + isa + ni)
49. The bird can fly.
amalu ipo ifole.
ifole = to fly.
50. The baby can not have the bird.
apene isani imi amalu.
51. She can not fly.
axa iponi ifole.
iponi = cannot; is unable to (ipo + ni)
52. She may play with my doll.
axa isa ixuka axuki'nata u ami.
53. She may have my big hat.
axa isa imi alapu oxu u ami.
54. I see a man and a dog and a cow.
ami isi atanu e akansu e amuka.
amuka = cow
amukanu = bull
55. The cow is with the man.
amuka i unpa atamu.
unpa - near; alongside; with; in the company of
56. The dog has a big hat.
akansu imi alapu oxu.
57. He is a good little dog.
axa i akansu oxuni oke.
58. He may take the hat to the man.
axa isa iloso alapu utu atanu
iloso - carry; transport; take (but not take as in take away or accept)
59. The man is good to the dog.
atanu i oke ulali akansu.
oke - of good quality; good; moral; correct
ulali - regarding; with respect to; in connection with
60. The cow can run.
amuka ipo ilele.
61. She can not play.
axa iponi ixuka.
62. The baby can not have the bird.
apene isani imi amalu.
63. She can not fly and catch it.
axa isani ifole e ilapela axani.
ilapela - to catch; to capture; to enslave; to domesticate
axani - he; she; it the other animate thing in the sentence
64. Can she catch the good little girl?
uwe axa ipo ixilo apena oxuni oke?
ixilo - to catch up with or overtake, to draw even with
65. Come, baby, come!
apene o inulu.
inulu - to come here; to this place
ulu - here; in this place; at this place; to this place;
66. Come and catch me.
o inula e ixilo ami.
67. Catch me and my big doll.
o ixilo ami e axuki'nata oxu u ami.
68. Catch me, and you may have the doll.
iyu ate ixilo ami enwi ate isa imi axuki'nata.
ate isa imi axuki'nata iyu ate ixilo ami.
ate = you
iyu = if ...
enwi = ... then (can be omitted if the "if" clause follows the "then" clause.)
69. You may have it to play with. (... have it and play with it.)
ate isa imi aku e ixuka aku.

Dec. 2, 2005 - translation by Larry Sulki (eleli)

Section 1 Review

70. The boy has a big dog.
apenu imi akansu oxu.
71. You may see the dog play ball.
ate isa isi akansu ixuka apalu.
72. Can he catch it?
uwe axa ipo ilapela aku?
73. May I run and take it?
uwe ami isa ilele e iku aku?
74. The man with the big hat has a cow.
atanu unimu alapu oxu imi amuka.
unimu = with; having.
75. The girl is good to the little baby.
apena i oke ulali apene onte.
onte = small = oxune
76. The baby may have my big doll.
apene isa imi axuki'nata oxu u ami.
77. She can not catch the bird.
axa iponi ilapela amalu.
78. She may come with me and see the bird fly.
axa isa inutu unpa ami e isi amalu ifole.
inutu = to go

Dec. 3, 2005 - translation by Larry Sulki (eleli)

Volume 1 Section 2

1. Come with me, and see the boys.
inutu unpa ami e isi apenu.
2. One little boy has a drum.
ay'me apenu onte imi atinpa
atinpa = drum (from "timpani")
3. Two boys have big hats.
ay'tu apenu imi alapu oxu.
4. One boy has a ball.
ay'me apenu imu apalu.
5. See the boys go!
o isi apenu inutu!
6. See the boys go with the drum.
o isi apenu inutu unimi atinpa.
o isi apenu inutu a imi atinpa.
7. One, two; one, two; drum, drum!
ay'me ay'tu ay'me ay'tu a inamiloti atinpa
inamiloti = 'to make music with; to play (an instrument)
8. The girls have come to play with the baby.
apena inulu ixuka apene.
9. Two girls have little dolls.
ay'tu apena imi axuki'nata onte.
10. One girl has a red dress.
ay'me apena imi atito omi.
atito = dress (Italic ~ "vestito")
11. The baby is glad to see the girls.
apene i ofi ulali isi apena.
ulali = to; toward; with respect to; regarding
12. The girl with the red dress is May.
apena unimi atito omi i eme.
omi = red
13. May is glad to see the good baby.
eme i ofi ulali isi apene oke.
14. She will take the baby to see the bird.
axa iloso apene uso isi amalu.
iloso = take; carry; transport
15. Come with me, little May.
eme onte o inutu unpa ami.
16. We will go to the field.
amixa inutu akanpa.
amixa = we (they and I, not you)
akanpa = field
17. We will go and see the cows.
amixa inutu isi amuka.
18. The cows are in the field.
amuka i umi akanpa.
umi = in; within; inside
19. My cow is red. (My cow exhibits redness.)
amuka u ami i omi.
20. Two cows are not red.
ay'tu amuka ini omi.

Dec. 14, 2005 - translation by Larry Sulki (eleli)

21. One and two are three.
ay'me upu ay'tu inoka ay'si.
upu = plus
inoka = equals
22. We have three cows.
amixa imi ay'si amuka.
23. Three birds are in the tree.
ay'si amalu umi apoli.
apoli = tree
24. One is a pretty red bird.
ay'me i amalu ola e omi.
ola = pretty
25. You can not catch it.
ate ipani ilapela anma.
anma = it (animate, non-humanoid)
26. It is high in the tree.
anma onuteni umi apoli.
onuteni = high
27. The red bird can see the boys with the drum.
amalu omi ipa isi apenu u unimi atinpa.
28. It can see the little girl with the red dress.
anma ipa isi apena onte u unimi atito omi.
onte = small (=oxuni)
29. It can see the good baby and the pretty doll.
anma ipa isi apene oke e axuki'nata ola.
30. It can see the man in the field.
anma ipa isi atanu uta akanpa.
31. Pretty birds, will you fly to me?
ame amalu ola o ifole utu ami a oxe.
32. The little boy has a red wagon.
apenu onte imi akoxone omi.
akoxone = wagon ("akoxo"+"ne" = lit. coach-small)
33. Is it not a pretty one?
uwe aso ini ola?
aso = it (inanimate)
34. The boy will let little May ride in it.
apenu inisa onsu eme onte u iloso aso.
35. Come, May, come and see my wagon.
eme o inulu a, o inulu isi akoxone u ami.
36. You may get in it, and have a ride.
ate u isa inutu'numi aso e u iloso.
inutu'numi = enter ("inutu"+"umi" = lit. go-in)
37. I will take you with me to the fields.
ami iloso onsu ate unpa ami utu akanpa.
38. You may have a good ride.
ate isa imi aniloso oke.
aniloso = a ride
39. Is the drum in the wagon?
uwe atinpa umi akoxone?
40. Let me get it. Now we will go.
o isa ami iku aso. iwi amite inutu oto.

Dec. 16, 2005 - translation by Larry Sulki (eleli)

41. See my pretty red apple!
o isi apomu ola e omi u ami!
apomu = apple
42. I have three good apples.
ami imi ay'si apomu oke.
43. One is red, and two are yellow.
ay'me omi e ay'tu olo.
44. I will give you the red one.
ami iniku onsu ay'me omi.
45. May I have a yellow one, too?
uwe ami isa imi ay'me olo oka.
46. Yes. If you are a good girl.
awa iyu ate i apena oke.
iyu = if
47. I see a big red apple in the tree.
ami isi apomu oxu e omi u umi apoli.
48. Will you let me get it?
uwe ate inisa ami inutu iku anma?
49. Yes, you may if it is not too high.
awa ate isa iyu anma ini onuteni oma.
oma = too much; excessive
50. Frank and little May are in the field with the wagon.
efranko e eme onte i umi akanpa unpa akoxone.

51. They have come to find flowers.
52. May has a red flower.
53. Frank has three yellow flowers.
54. He will let May have them.
55. She will take them to the wagon
56. She is glad to get the pretty flowers.
57. Come here, girls! I see a nest.
58. Little birds are in it.
59. One, two, three.
60. The little birds can not fly.
61. They are not pretty.
62. They will get pretty by and by.
63. The big bird is not here now.
64. She is high in the apple tree.
65. She will come to them by and by.
66. She will come and feed them.
67. The boys like to go to the woods.
68. Here they are now.
69. Here are the horse and the wagon.
70. And here is the boy with the drum.
71. They like to play in the woods.
72. They like to find pretty flowers.
73. If they find little birds in a nest, they will not take them.
74. By and by they will go home.
75. They will ride home in the wagon.
76. Will you let me ride home with you, Frank?
77. Yes, May, you may sit by me in the wagon if you like.
78. Get in, and give me the whip.
79. I will not whip the good horse.
80. Now, here we go!
81. Here is the apple tree, but we can not see the nest in it.

Section 2 Review

82. Here are three boys and two girls by the big apple tree.
83. One boy has a yellow drum and one has a whip.
84. The boy in the red wagon is Frank.
85. The girls are glad to see Frank.
86. He will give them a ride.
87. They like to go with him to the fields and the woods.
88. May we ride with you, Frank?
89. Yes, girls, get in! And you, too, boys!
90. Sit by me and see the good horse go.
91. Now we will go to the woods to find flowers and see the pretty birds.
92. In one tree you can see a nest, but you can not see the little birds.
93. You may see the big bird if she comes to feed the little ones.
94. She has a pretty home high in the tree.

Volume 1 Section 3

1. Do you see this? It is my kite.
2. My father gave it to me.
3. Is it not a pretty one?
4. He gave me this drum, too.
5. You may go with me and see me fly my kite.
6. You may take the drum with you.
7. Are you not glad my father gave it to me?
8. Frank and John are in the field.
9. They have come here to play.
10. How high can you jump, Frank?
11. Can you jump as high as this?
12. I can not jump high, John, but I can jump far.
13. See! I can jump as far as to the big apple tree.
14. Now, John, let me see you jump.
15. Here is May with her kitten.
16. Her mother gave the kitten to her.
17. She is kind to the pretty kitten.
18. She likes to see it jump and play.
19. See it run with May's ball!
20. It does not run far with it.
21. If May can get the ball she will not take it.
22. She will give it to the kitten to play with.
23. This is little Lucy.
24. Her home is far away.
25. She has come to see Frank and May.
26. All the little girls love Lucy.
27. They are kind and good to her, and she loves them.
28. Frank will let her ride with him in the big wagon.
29. He will give her the whip, and the horse will go fast.
30. The horse will go fast and far, but he will not run away.
31. Look, Frank! See my pretty flowers.
32. Mother gave them to me.
33. She gave them to me this morning.
34. Do you not think they are pretty?
35. How many flowers have I?
36. Here are three my mother gave me.
37. My father gave me two red ones.
38. How many are three and two?
39. I will keep the red flower.
40. I will give all my yellow flowers to Lucy.
41. She will like them.
42. She will take them home with her.
43. Good morning, little bird.
44. Good morning, kind Lucy.
45. How pretty your nest is, little bird!
46. May I look at the little ones in it?
47. Yes, you may look at them, but you must not take them away.
48. How many birds have you?
49. Let me see. One, two, three, four.
50. I do not think they are pretty.
51. They may not be pretty now, but I love them, little girl.
52. Frank has gone to the field with his kite.
53. He likes to play with it.
54. It is the kite his father gave him.
55. He will run and the kite will fly.
56. He can run very fast, and the kite can fly very high.
57. John does not like to run with a kite.
58. He likes to play on his drum.
59. He will play on his drum, and Frank will run with his kite.
60. Oh, mother, come here!
61. See this pretty flower.
62. I think it is a rose.
63. Is it not a yellow rose?
64. Yes, May. It is a yellow rose.
65. If you will come with me, I will give you some red roses.
66. May I have them to keep, mother?
67. You may keep some of them, but you must give some to Lucy.
68. Oh, yes! I will give her four red roses, and one yellow rose.
69. I will give her some to take home to her mother, too.
70. Do you like yellow roses, mother?
71. Yes, May, I think they are very pretty.
72. John was a good boy this morning.
73. His mother gave him a pretty book.
74. He was very glad.
75. "Oh, mother," he said, "how kind you are to give me this book!
76. "I think it is very pretty."
77. "You must take good care of it," said his mother.
78. "Yes, mother," said John, "and I will let Lucy and May look at it too.
79. "They like to look at pretty books."
80. "The girls will think you are a very kind little boy."
81. "They will take good care of your book."
82. All the boys and girls are going to school this morning.
83. You can see them as they go.
84. Little Lucy is not with them.
85. She has gone to her home, far away.
86. But I see May and some other girls.
87. John has his new book.
88. Some of the other boys have books, too.
89. I do not see Frank, but I think he will come soon.
90. Look at this picture.
91. It is the picture of my pet kitten.
92. Do you not think she is a pretty pet?
93. One morning as I was going to school, I found this kitten.
94. She was by a tree in the woods.
95. After school I took her home.
96. "Mother," I said, "see this pretty little kitten."
97. "May I keep her as a pet?"
98. Mother said, "You may keep her if you will take good care of her."
99. I am kind to my kitten.
100. I feed her and she loves me.

Section 3 Review

101. My mother gave me a new book.
102. I took it to school one morning, to let the girls see the pictures.
103. Soon after this I found my pet kitten and took her home with me.
104. I like to play with my pet kitten.
105. I will do as mother says.
106. I will take good care of the kitten.
Leonoro te peradinu.
107. I love little Lucy.
108. But now she has gone far away to her home.
109. I like to see John run with his kite.
110. He can run as fast as the other boys, but he can not jump far.
111. He does not like to look at books and pictures, but he can play on a drum.

Volume 1 Section 4

1. The name of this little girl is Rose.
2. Do you think she looks like a rose?
3. Do you think Rose is a pretty name?
4. Rose goes to school.
5. She can read and write.
6. At home, she likes to read to her mother.
7. She likes to look at the pictures, too.
8. Tell me, Rose, how well you can read.
9. Can you read well in your book?
10. I think you can write very well.
11. Can you write your name?
12. Can you tell me the name of this pretty little bird?
13. It is so little it can not fly very far.
14. Some of the boys found it in the woods, as they were going to school one day.
15. It was not in a nest.
16. Frank said; "I will take the little bird home with me.
17. It will be a good pet."
18. So Frank took it as he said.
19. He is kind to it and feeds it. but he will not keep it.
20. Some day it can fly well.
21. Then Frank will let it go.
22. It will fly away with the other birds.
23. Come, girls let us play with our dolls.
24. We will play school.
25. Our dolls will be the children.
26. Our dolls are as good as some children are.
27. They have their books, and I think, they will learn very fast.
28. Soon we shall see how well they can read.
29. This doll is not so good as the others.
30. She does not like to go to school very well.
31. She must sit by me and look at her book.
32. As soon as she can read well, she may go home and play.
33. She goes to school day after day, but she does not learn.
34. She can not write at all.
35. She can not tell her name.
36. This is my little doll.
37. Her name is Lucy.
38. Do you thik she is pretty?
39. "How tall you are, Henry!"
40. "Yes, father, I shall soon be a man.
41. I am as tall as the table, now."
42. "What can you see on the table?"
43. "I can see your big book, father."
44. "What do you see by the book?"
45. "Oh, I see some pictures.
46. Two pictures are by the book, and two are not by the book."
47. "How many are two and two, Henry?"
48. "Two and two are four."
49. "You do well. If you learn fast, you may soon go to school.

Volume 1 Section 4