Julia Starritt, "How the Rube Family Was Named" (1957)

Publication details: William Bright, The Karok Language (1957), pp. 278-281, Text 66

Text display mode: paragraph | sentence | word | word components

[1]	yítha	áraar	apxantínihich	u-kyavíichvihi-tih-anik
	one	human.	white.man	3s(>3)-work.for-DUR-ANC

A certain Indian once worked for a white man.

[2]	xás	ithâan	kum-éeshyaav	vúra	puxích	t-u-páthrih	pa-'íshaha	t-u-'uh
	then.	once	3sPOSS-winter	Intensive.	very.much	PERF-3s(>3)-rain	the-water.	PERF-3s(>3)-rise.(water)

And one winter it rained hard, the water rose.

[3]	xás	p-aapxantínihich	u-píip	chími	kâam	vâaram-i	peevapithváram
	then.	the-white.man	3s(>3)-say	soon	little.upriver	go.-IMPER	store

And the white man said, "Go upriver to the store!

[4]	sáran	sii	káru	yúfish	káru	asúxiim	káru	rope
	go.get.(things)	awl.	also.	salt	also.	sugar-pine.gum.	also.	rope

Go get nails and salt and sugar and rope!"

[5]	xás	ta'ítam	u-vâaram-aheen
	then.	so	3s(>3)-go.-ANT

So the Indian went.

[6]	xás	u-thvuyâana-ti	ípa	kóo	kun-ípeer-at	ikvan
	then.	3s(>3)-call.by.name-DUR	PAST	all.	3pl(>3s)-say.to.-PAST	buy

And he was naming all that they had told him to buy.

[7]	xás	u-'uum	pa-thúuf-ak
	then.	3s(>3)-arrive.	the-creek-Locative

And he got to the creek.

[8]	yána	vúra	kêech	t-u-'uh
	visible	Intensive.	big	PERF-3s(>3)-rise.(water)

He saw that it had risen high.

[9]	xás	u-fáath-kar	xás	vúra	kúnish	t-u-'ay	pa-'íshaha
	then.	3s(>3)-wade-into.water.	then.	Intensive.	sort.of	PERF-3s(>3)-fear.	the-water.

Then he waded in, but he was sort of afraid of the water.

[10]	xás	chímiva	u-kyívish
	then.	soon.	3s(>3)-fall.down

And suddenly he fell down.

[11]	xás	koovúra	t-u-p-ipshinvárihva	p-éethvuy	ípa	kun-ípeer-at	ikvan
	then.	all	PERF-3s(>3)-ITER-forget	the-name	PAST	3pl(>3s)-say.to.-PAST	buy

And he forgot all the names that they had told him to buy.

[12]	xás	yícheech	vúra	kích	u-pikrôok	rúup
	then.	alone	Intensive.	only	3s(>3)-remember	rúup

And he only remembered one thing, "rúup."

[13]	xás	p-oo-'árihroov	kích	p-oo-pí-ti	rúup	rúup
	then.	NOMZ-3s(>3)-go.upriver	only	NOMZ-3s(>3)-say-DUR	rúup	rúup

So as he went upriver he was saying nothing but "rúup, rúup."

[14]	xás	u-'uum	pa-peevapithváram
	then.	3s(>3)-arrive.	the-store

Then he arrived at the store.

[15]	xás	kun-ipêer	fâat	pa-nu-'ákih-eesh
	then.	3pl(>3s)-say.to.	what?.	NOMZ-1pl(>3)/1>2s-give.(things).to.-FUT

And they said to him, "What can we give you?"

[16]	rúup	rúup
	rúup	rúup

"rúup, rúup."

[17]	xás	p-aapxantínihich	u-píip	Oh	rope
	then.	the-white.man	3s(>3)-say	Oh	rope

And the white man (the storekeeper) said, "Oh, rope!"

[18]	xás	u-'êe	pá-'aan
	then.	3s(>3)-give.	the-string.

And he gave him the rope.

[19]	xás	pa-peevapíthvaan	u-píip	fâat	kúna
	then.	the-storekeeper	3s(>3)-say	what?.	in.addition.

And the storekeeper said, "What else?"

[20]	xás	u-píip	man'áta	tá	pu-na-pikrôok-ara
	then.	3s(>3)-say	maybe	PERF	NEG-1s(>3)-remember-NEG

And he said, "I don’t know, I've forgotten."

[21]	xás	vaa	vúra	u-p-íthvuuymath	rúup
	then.	so	Intensive.	3s(>3)-ITER-name.(someone)	rúup

So they named him Rube.

[22]	xás	payêem	vaa	vúra	mukun-'íthvuy	rúup
	then.	now	so	Intensive.	3plPOSS-name	rúup

And now (his descendants') name is Rube.