Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

juicypuffin
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Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-05-15, 14:41

I'm very interested in creating an English textbook for learning Greenlandic. I want to make it as simple as possible, intended for people who have not learned a foreign language before. My girlfriend is Swedish so she's been translating texts from Danish to English for me.

I've started writing textbooks like this for Icelandic as well, so I'm not a stranger to the work involved. However with Greenlandic, most of the sources are outdated. Here's an online selection of textbooks and courses for Greenlandic that I've acquired, I'm in the process of typing up/translating more, it goes a bit slowly: http://www.mediafire.com/?z5raoj6jr4awf

There's more resources listed at this livejournal community, but you have to be a member to see them: http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

Basically, what I want is a translation of all the grammar teaching and an updated list of words/phrases in Greenlandic (for example, checking over the "greenlandic phrases" documents in the above mediafire link to make sure the greenlandic is up to date). Cultural notes/silly phrases/slang is all useful as well. It would be a huge bonus to get someone fluent in Greenlandic to record audio, also. Writing small texts in Greenlandic and translating them to English would be good too.

If I did this all by myself, it would take forever. I'm asking for help. But if no one wants to help, eventually I might get there anyway.
You can Email me at: sequoia(at)sedwards.net (check to see if my Emails go into your spam folder, sometimes that happens)
Skype: juicypuffin (I'm not online much these days)
livejournal: juicypuffin (I'm constantly online)

I'm currently compiling all the Greenlandic posts and Greenlandic notes on this forum as well as other forums, and translating them (if they happen to be in a Scandinavian language).
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

juicypuffin
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Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-05-15, 19:46

TL:DR Eventually I want:

All the grammar of Greenlandic
Audio by a fluent speaker
All words/phrases checked over to make sure they're up-to-date
All lessons checked over by a beginner/non-learner/"only speaks English" to make sure they're completely understandable.
Input on which parts of Greenlandic is easiest/hardest to learn for English-speakers, so I know which order to organize everything in
Input on which parts of Greenlandic are most/least used

Most important:
1.) It's easy to understand
2.) It teaches stuff that you would actually see/hear in Greenland
3.) It covers ALL the grammar or there is a second book to cover misc. grammar (like punctuation)

...and if anyone wants to help me out with this project, feel free to say something. Otherwise I'll be working on it for a long time and I'll just post here once I have something mentionable or run into problems.
Last edited by juicypuffin on 2011-05-18, 8:36, edited 1 time in total.
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

juicypuffin
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progress list

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-05-16, 19:51

Currently working on, 18th May 2011:
Grønlandsk parlør / greenlandic phrasebook (6/60 pages translated?)
Det vestgrønlandske sprog (plan to start translating next week, plan to scan on Sunday)
Glossary of Imatut 1 (complete, took photos of all pages and all teacher's book pages)
Glossary of Billed ordbog (reached "M", took photos of 36/104 pages)

Imatut 1: teacher's book (possible scanning two weeks from now, no plans on translating)
Vocabulary of Greenlandic, real title's in French (possible photo-taking next week)

If you would like any of these, please let me know. Otherwise, check here: http://www.mediafire.com/?z5raoj6jr4awf

I'll post the translations of Det vestgrønlandske sprog here sometime after each section is complete (it may be completed in a random page order). If anyone wants to help, please let me know by messaging me here or at my Email, posted above.

Additionally, this summer I may start working on an online Greenlandic-English dictionary:
Webspace has been bought, plans to start a simple word-input form sometime this summer. No plans for a comment system yet, but I want a "correct/add entries" Email form somewhere.
Last edited by juicypuffin on 2011-05-19, 17:01, edited 6 times in total.
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

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zeme
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Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby zeme » 2011-05-16, 22:23

You just made my day :D I can't believe this! I'm so in!
I'll PM you this evening.
The fellow who thinks he knows it all is especially annoying to those of us who do.

juicypuffin
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Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-05-16, 22:59

zeme wrote:You just made my day :D I can't believe this! I'm so in!
I'll PM you this evening.

And I hope to make the days of many more people! It's too bad there's so little resources out there, we have to fix that. The only way to help fix it is to get more people interested in the language and to make the language more accessable to people. I'm really glad you'd like to help! I have exams this week so until Friday I can't do as much as I'd like, but after that I can do whatever.

I translated this from the glossary of a math book, however I can't find some translations for the Danish (linking it because I don't know how I can copy it onto a post properly): http://www.mediafire.com/?jgp62zkl005fybc
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

księżycowy

Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby księżycowy » 2011-05-17, 19:03

Although I can't assist in any translation work (yet?), I'd like to see the end product for sure.

juicypuffin
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Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-05-18, 7:00

księżycowy wrote:Although I can't assist in any translation work (yet?), I'd like to see the end product for sure.


We'll definitely be posting a link or something here once we're done. Also, it'd be great if it could be translated into other languages after we've completed the explanations and such (although I'm not expecting that at this point).
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

księżycowy

Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby księżycowy » 2011-05-18, 10:12

I'll keep checking in. :)

juicypuffin
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Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-05-18, 11:29

This morning I Emailed the University of Iceland (where I go to school) asking them if they were interested in seeing this textbook once it's complete to possibly sell in the school bookstore, and also asking if they have any contacts to people who teach Greenlandic so I can ask what is in the curriculum they use when teaching.

I Emailed the people who made this course and have arranged to translate the Danish into English so they can have an English-Greenlandic version, and this morning I Emailed them telling them I am working on this textbook: http://sermersooq.dk/dkglp8c.html

Later I'll also Email a school in Greenland asking them if I can get into contact with a "Greenlandic for foreigners" teacher to see the curriculum there, and I'll also Email a Greenlandic linguistics major who's published some papers online, if she has anything she could tell us.
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

johnH

Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby johnH » 2011-05-29, 21:11

··· This sounds awesome, pm me any any updates please.

juicypuffin
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first translated book part

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-06-24, 18:49

Here's the first small piece of the grammar book that's been translated from Danish, the translator is only going to do small bits at a time. If anyone else has a good grasp of Danish and grammar in general, it'd be great if you could help translate. (I didn't realize this book uses the old spelling until looking at the translation right now - however if that one German book is newer, we can also translate that). I think it'd be good if this were updated with the modern spellings of the words.

(we skipped the pronunciation bits as they relate to Danish and can possibly be found elsewhere, but they'll probably get translated after the rest of the book has been)

p. 10

§3.

When the stem word is made longer by additions and suffixes and different sounds thus meet, these sounds are forged together or combined by (decided) rules. The most important ones are mentioned here, also considering the current way of writing.

a. When two same vowels meet, they merge into one long vowel.
Ex.:
agpa (appa), razorbill, and -aq, kid, becomes agpâq, razorbill kid (chick).
Nûngme (Nuummi), in Godthaab, and -ípoq, is, becomes Nûngmĩpoq, is in Godthaab.
igdlo (illu), house, and -uvoq, is, becomes igdlûvoq, is a house.

b. As mentioned before (§2) E and O only appear as the ending sound of a word or before R and Q. When followed with other consonants they are changed to I and U - and vice versa.
Ex.
isse, eye, and -ga, my, becomes issiga, my eye.
siko, ice, and -ínaq, only, becomes sikuínaq, just ice.
savik, knife, and -qarpoq, has, becomes saveqarpoq, has a knife.
inuk, human being/Greenlander, and -qatâ, his friend, becomes inoqatâ, his fellow man.
Last edited by juicypuffin on 2011-06-26, 17:47, edited 1 time in total.
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

juicypuffin
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Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-06-26, 0:46

Update here: http://www.mediafire.com/?z5raoj6jr4awf
and here: http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/15046.html

textbooks:
gronlandisch wort fur wort (German, kinda bad copy)
Tunumiut Taigdliait (East Greenlandic for West Greenlandic-speakers?)
The east greenlandic inuit language (English, Greenlandic, French)
gronlandsk parlor 1973 (danish)
gronlandsk for begyndere 1 og 2 (danish)
an introduction to the language of qaanaaq, thule (english and danish)

for practice:
Suluk 2 and 3 PDF
Brugseni (grocery flyers?)
Nuuk Ugeavis magazine collection
Pilivik magazine collection
kalaallit atuakkiaannit - from the writings of the greenlanders (english and greenlandic dual-language book).pdf
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

johnH

Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby johnH » 2011-06-26, 9:51

most of the resources appear to be in dänish.

księżycowy

Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby księżycowy » 2011-06-26, 11:09

Not surprising as Greenland is administered by Denmark. Or something like that.

juicypuffin
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Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-06-26, 14:10

johnH wrote:most of the resources appear to be in dänish.


Yeah, Demark's really the only one interested in Greenland. Also up until recently(?) Danish was the second official language, so with those two things together they probably just focused on Danish when publishing stuff. A lot of the books I've found in Greenlandic are also in Danish so I kind of wonder if they just translate as much as they can to get it more "out there". Also a Greenlander, can't remember if it was on here or on another forum, mentioned that outside of the capital no one can really speak English (or Danish?) anyway.

But this is why we want to make a book in English! I have someone helping me translate the Danish, although it's slow going because we only have one person, at least it's something.
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

juicypuffin
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textbook update

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-06-26, 17:48

By the way, if anyone finds a modern book we should translate instead of this one, let me know.

(p. 11)

When consonants bump together, different changes happen.

c. We first mention nasalization. This sound change, which is so common in some American Eskimo tribes in the final sound of the word, also appears in Greenlandic. The put-togethers kíkut uko, who are they, and sût uko, what are they, are always pronounced kíkunuko and sûnuko;
uvdlup ilâ, a time of day, is often pronounced uvdlumilâ;
inuk â, "oh you, human", is pronounced inungâ,
erneq â, "oh you, son", often sounds like ernerngâ.

In the Egedesminde region, as mentioned, G is commonly pronounced as NG.

When a suffix or addition that begins with M or N is to be added to a stem that has a final sound of K, this last one is nasalizated.
Ex.
Aluk, a place name, -mio, inhabitant, becomes Alungmio, aluk inhabitant.
ugssuk, bearded seal, -niaq, hunter, becomes ugssungniaq, bearded seal hunter.
kiak, warmth, -mut, to, becomes kiangmut, to the warmth.

The same happens when M or N follows T, but here the written language is content with accentuating the vowel in front of M and N.

Ex.
tarnut, ointment, -mik, with, becomes tarnúmik, with ointment.
ũmat, heart, -naq, "alike-looking", becomes ũmánaq, a mountain with a heart-like shape.
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

johnH

Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby johnH » 2011-06-26, 22:40

To write it in english makes sense how about also writting it in german I suspect alot of germans may be interested.

juicypuffin
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Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-06-27, 0:26

johnH wrote:To write it in english makes sense how about also writting it in german I suspect alot of germans may be interested.


My German translator is the same as my Danish translator, I'm kinda worried about wearing them out... Maybe after everything's done, or if someone else wants to translate?
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

juicypuffin
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Re: Creating a Greenlandic textbook in English / online course

Postby juicypuffin » 2011-07-12, 19:02

(p. 11 - 12)

d. When consonants at the end of a word and consonants other than M and N collide, the first ones will often change, unless they downright disappear.

Q thus changes into R.

Ex.
qajaq, kayak, -torpoq, he uses, becomes qajartorpoq, he paddles a kayak.
erneq, son, -târpoq, gets a new one, becomes ernertârpoq, gets a son.

K and T in pronunciation are replaced by the following consonant, and that same following consonant becomes doubled. In writing, the K becomes a muted G and T becomes an accentuation of the previous vowel.

Ex.
kiak, warmth, -ssuaq, big, becomes kiagssuaq, big warmth.
inuk, human, -pait, a group, becomes inugpait, a group of people.
angut, man, -ssuaq, big, becomes angússuaq, a big man.

P becomes V in front of L.

Ex.
igap, the (cooking) pot's, -lo, and, becomes igavdlo, and the pot's, as L after a consonant always becomes DL.

Ex.
sermeq, glacier, -le, but, becomes sermerdle, but the glacier.
panik, daughter, -lũnît, or, becomes panigdlũnît, or the daughter.
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/

juicypuffin
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Postby juicypuffin » 2011-07-24, 14:24

Got some more books (link is for download):

Image
Answer key to Qaagit stuff (in Danish).
http://www.mediafire.com/?zqf0222nsw227k7

Image
Entirely in Greenlandic, has some pictures.
http://www.mediafire.com/?w3vplm83wbxj280
If you have any learning resources for the following languages, please tell me:
[flag]kl[/flag] [flag]is[/flag] [flag]fo[/flag] [flag]fi[/flag] [flag]sv[/flag] [flag]no[/flag] [flag]dk[/flag] And any Saami languages: [flag]smi[/flag]
http://learn-nordic.livejournal.com/


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