Idioms and Sayings

To more fully understand a culture, it helps to have an appreciation of its traditional sayings.

Formal Please
‘Ozzen ‘ežgazjoš ‘en ‘ebam‘antanëš jadem/jadëma.
By thy/your kindliness and grace.

Formal Thank-You
Ja šidekäx‘en ‘alpaz‘am jadem/jadëma t́edimizzez zim‘a.
May the spirits be pleased by thy/your generosity.

Formal Greeting/Hello
Še žešem ji‘en ždon ‘igoškiš jadem/jadëma.
My eyes are bright because of thy/your face.

Formal Farewell/Goodbye
Še žešem zbozmä ždon ‘imazmašëš jadem/jadëma.
My eyes are wet because of thy/your back.

Formal Apology
T́edatažban ‘ititaṕöx žešem ždonnis šiždamäǧzesos/t́iždamäǧzesos jaden/jadëna žeše. Šeböššem/T́eböššem jaden/jadëna žeše ‘ozzen ja ‘eṕapasëš.
My heart weeps because I hurt-(m/f) thee/you. I beseech-(m/f) thy/your forgiveness.

May thy/your bones and marrows be strong.
Žot́išäh ‘en žogelkazzimäh jadem/jadëma sešëdenjam zim‘a.
Meaning: May you be healthy. (Often said in a farewell to elderly people.)

It is easy to break a single thing.
Ḱido ždenni tanni ma‘ažgaž.
Meaning: People united together are stronger than a lone person.

A longhouse is better than a tent. A tent is better than the ground.
Ḱidežda ‘atähmaz zos ḱizzepon. Ḱizzepon ‘atähmaz zos ‘omammäh.
Meaning: Be content with whatever you have. (“Half a loaf is better than none.”)

The snake-catcher is clever. The worms and snakes persevere.
‘Et́ižmas šededlellas. Šiježmi ‘en šinze sešëdizṕäžžiš‘am.
Meaning: Patience and perseverance pay off more than cleverness.
Explanation: Snake-catchers are employed to rid one’s home of snakes; yet they always return. (Non-venomous snakes and worms are considered by the Beltös as the same type of animal; venomous snakes are different.)

The bell (or flute) sings loudly. The tree is silent.
Ḱilaš‘ezjaš (ḱitähgaš) ḱeda‘om mähgeš. ‘Iböhzan t́ezbam.
Meaning: To speak loudly does not mean that one is right.
Explanation: Bells and flutes are hollow wooden musical instruments. Trees are solid wood.

For thou/ye to see the stars, the path goes uphill.
Pannimṕa žojonžbasäh seša‘ol den/dena, ḱizamkez pa‘azli.
Meaning: To achieve a lofty objective takes a long and persevering effort, like climbing to the top of a mountain.

Food is delightful. Fasting is divine.
Šedakandaš žeš ‘idožbam. Šededekäx ja ‘imëh‘im.
Meaning: Abstention from bodily desires is the way to strengthen the spirit.

The scrub python is big. The death adder is little.
‘Ibanjäbas t́äpim. ‘Ižgizbin la‘aljas.
Meaning: Physical size is not important.
Explanation: The scrub python is a big, non-venomous snake. The death adder is a little, highly venomous snake.

The bugs under the skin itch the very most.
Žeš šibol‘inda‘anëh ‘apëke‘atom ‘ižišpanëš sešëzgapil‘el ‘azamdaš baz.
Meaning: To hold a grudge is like an itch that one cannot scratch.

The watchful bird eats well. The noisy one goes hungry.
Šedezezma ‘ižesgöṕa še šežgata‘en. Šedengiš še šedamašta.
Said to noisy or interrupting children.

Let yourself-(m/f) be filled with the spirit of dance.
‘Ozzen ja ‘o‘itëš‘inäš ‘e/de säs‘illas zim‘a.
Meaning: Be courageous. (Said in social situations to one who is bashful.)

It is as clear as a dream.
Ḱi žaldannal zos t́ajaškal.
Meaning: Something is unclear (just as the interpretation of dreams is often unclear).

That-(near/medial/far) is as useless as a wheel.
Nizë/Nizgä/Niždas ḱedlazjaždin ḱizampalön, pommaš žeš t́amažjösazmaš.
Meaning: That is very useless or impractical.
Explanation: Wheels in Beltös culture are used only for children’s toys. (They are impractical in the steep and heavily forested land where they live.)

They are as deeply [literally: brightly] in love as two cuckooshrikes.
Šetëdagäžmamsömilma šiti žalji‘en zos šit́ipi‘i dlim.
A cliché about two people in love.
Explanation: Cuckooshrikes sing “duets” to find a suitable mate during the mating season.

She is as beautiful as a parrot.
Ti t́edlazjaždin ‘it́alepassën ‘ozzen ‘esi‘aš.
A cliché about a person (usually a woman) who is unusually beautiful.

He/she is as hot as an oven.
Ši/Ti žaljažböh-o zos ḱiṕäžbaždi.
A cliché that means that someone is very excited or angry or impatient.

The latrine is downstream.
Žeš ḱamjen dajannali.
Meaning: This is a rude statement indicating the obviousness of something said or done.
Explanation: Latrines are always downstream from a village, and even the youngest child knows that.

His/her birth-ceremony was the third moon.
T́akamkalzimdö dem ‘ot́aš mammajaš.
This is a rude statement meaning that someone is stupid or ignorant.
Explanation: The birth-ceremony is always performed at the second full moon after birth. For someone to have it a month late implies that person is abysmally slow.