ο κουταλιανός

ο κουταλιανός

Today, the challenge is to translate a song that can actually be sung in Toki Pona. Sung so that it sounds natural. Without stretching the syllables to catch a rhythm that seems to run away from you. If you know what I mean. Not that easy.

I have tried several times to translate French songs but I have never succeeded in reproducing the metrical balance of the verses while keeping the rhyme structure. From this point of view, I feel that the Greek language is a bit more tokiponizable.

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Here is a song written in the 70’s by Giannis Kalatzis. I don’t really speak Greek but I know this song since I was a child. It is simple and funny.

The song is about a certain Koutalianos who has Herculean strength and is able to do incredible things but who shakes like a fish in front of his wife.

Panagis Koutalianos (1847-1916) was a Greek wrestler who remained unbeaten until the end.

jan wawa suli

ο κουταλιανός
jan wawa suli

Σίδερα μασάει ο Κουταλιανός.
ona li moku e kiwen ! jan wawa suli
Τρένα σταματάει ο Κουταλιανός.
li pake e tomo tawa ! jan wawa suli
Πέτρες ροκανίζει ο Κουταλιανός
li pakala e kiwen ! jan wawa suli
και βουνά γκρεμίζει ο Κουταλιανός.
li tawa e nena, jan wawa suli

Κι αν μασάει σίδερα και κάνει το λιοντάρι,
…li moku e kiwen li lawa e soweli
στο τσαρδί του ο Κουταλιανός
taso lon tomo ona li jan ante
τρέμει σαν το ψάρι στην κυρά του μπρος.
li sama kala lon poka meli
Αχ, πώς τη φοβάται ο φτωχός Κουταλιανός,
ona li pilin ike a! jan wawa lili
τρέμει σαν το ψάρι στην κυρά του μπρος,
li sama kala lon poka meli
αλλά μην το πείτε κανενός.
taso o toki ala e ni!

Δένεται σε κόμπους ο Κουταλιανός.
linja li pake ala e jan wawa suli
Καταπίνει γλόμπους ο Κουταλιανός
ona li ken luka e mun !jan wawa suli
Είναι παλικάρι ο Κουταλιανός
li weka e monsuta ! jan wawa suli
Τίγρη και λιοντάρι ο Κουταλιανός.
e soweli wawa e soweli suli

Needless to say, the grammar of toki pona is not respected at all. I followed the Greek wording, which is not very grammatical either, but it does not pose a comprehension problem. I quickly wanted to have a singable song to impress my family. Now I’ll have to try to correct all this while keeping the rhythm and the rhymes. n…

r/bestrand did a tremendous translation that is grammatically correct.

jan Kutalano

jan Kutalano li uta e ilo kiwen
jan Kutalano li pake e tomo tawa suli
jan Kutalano li uta e kiwen ma
jan Kutalano li pakala e ma nena, kin!

ona li uta kiwen. ona li sama e soweli wawa
taso, lon tomo lili anpa pi Kutalano
la ona li jasima e kala pi kama moli lon sinpin meli ona
jan Kutalano li pilin monsuta suli tan meli ona, a!
jan Kutalano li sama e kala pi open moli lon sinpin meli ona
o toki tawa jan ala e ni!

jan Kutalano li pake sama e pake lon linja
jan Kutalano li jo e ko ma lon insa uta ona
jan Kutalano li mije pi pilin monsuta tan ala, kin
jan Kutalano li mije pi sama soweli wawa, kin!

It goes like this: