[Tetum-translators] Tetun words, basic list for computers...

[Lev Lafayette]

English         Tetun                   Notes
about           kona-ba                 1
close           taka
copy            kopia                   2
english         tetun                   3
exit            sai                     4
find            hetan                   5
insert          hatama
new replace     troka foun              6
new             foun
next            tuimai                  7
open            loke
options         opsaun
paste           taka-kuak               8
preferences     preferénsia      9
preview         prevee                  10
print           kopia saimai
quit            taka programa
recent          tetun translation needed
reload          hatama fah
replace         tama fiun fah
save            grava
select all      selet-hotu
select          selet
settings        meiu ambienti           11
view            haree
zoom in         haree besik             12
zoom out        haree dook              12

[1] The phrase in the basic word list "akona ba
programa" is an unnecessary elaboration. Kona-ba
[(prep) about, concerning] is sufficient.

[2] Care must be emphasized here. Kopia is the verb
"to copy", but kópia is the noun "the copy".

[3] This causes a great deal of confusion among
people. Apparently the decision is that the official
name is "Tetum", yet the Tetun name for the language
is "Tetun". The confusion arises from the fact that
the Portuguese pronounciation of "um" is equivalent to
the English "un". However, there is indication that
the word Tetun comes from the adjective tetuk (flat,
level, plains) and the verb Tetu (to weigh, to
evaluate and esp. tetu-rai "to keep the peace"
literally "to evaluate the land"). In any case there
are no other words ending in -um.

[4] Sai [vt., depart] is probably better than taka
programa (close/cover program). It is used as a
synonym for 'exit' and can be found in driveways etc.
Interesting Tetun also has a word for sudden
abandonment (like Cntrl-C); husik or husik-hela ("flee
place")

[5] Hetan is the verb "to find". I suspect "hetzan" is
a typographical error. There is no 'z' in the Tetun
dictionary. Not to be confused with "hatene" which
means "to know". Although you could have "hetan
hatene" (to find knowledge). Perhaps an option for the
results of a google search? (Or is that to find a
morass of confusion?)

[6] Again, I suspect a typographical error. The
original "trioza" should be replaced with "troka"
(vt., to exchange, to replace). Note that "foun" (new)
occurs after replace.

[7] The original "tuima" is a very uncommon
abbreviation. The word tuirmai
is composite from tuir [vt., to follow] and mai [vt.,
to come] and represents [adv., conj. then, next,
afterwards]

[8] Strictly speaking taka-kuak is [vt., to patch, to
darn], but I can't find anything closer. Taka, apart
from meaning [vt., to close] also means [vt., to
cover]. Kuak means [n., hole, opening], so I guess "to
cover the hole" in a document is the best way to
describe a paste.

[9] The grapheme 'c' has no place in Tetun except for
imported indigenous language words (such the Fataluku
word "cau" where the 'c' is pronounced like "ct" in
"picture". All other representations are either with a
'k', or 's'.

[10] This a Portuguese loanword that is part of the
Tetum lexicon. The strict Tetun is "haree nanis".

[11] Another Portuguese loanphrase, for "environment",
which is the closest to settings.

[12] "View close", "View far" for "Haree besik" and
"Haree dook". In this instance "Haree" is being used
as a "verb in motion" (i.e., "to zoom")


=====
Lev Lafayette
address@hidden
http://au.geocities.com/lev_lafayette

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