The Message: An ever-expanding list of translations

A different version of the Manuscript circulates in some parts of Asia. Here is the main one I have drawn on in the book (bought in Brunei by James Seymour in 2018)

The Albanian Message is written in the Tosk variant of the language, which is the standard version used in Albania and Kosovo. A translation of the Message into the other main variant, Gheg, is given in the New Translations of the Message: Natural Languages section. The relationship between the two variants is discussed in Chapter 4 of the Babel Message.

KUJDES, LEXO DHE KUJTO: Pjesët e vogla mund të gëlltiten ose futen në rrugët e frymëmarrjes.

The peculiarities of the Arabic Message are discussed in Chapter 5 of the Babel Message.

العربية – إقرأ وإحفظ: لعبة غير مناسبة للأطفال الذين يقل سنهم عن 3 سنوات لانه يمكن إبتلاع أو إستنشاق الاجزاء الصغيرة.

The Armenian Message is written in the Eastern variant of the language, which is in official use in Armenia. A translation of the Message into Western Armenian is given in the New Translations of the Message: Natural Languages section. The relationship between the two variants is discussed in Chapter 7 of the Babel Message.

“ՈՒՇԱԴՐՈԻԹՅՈԻՆ, ԿԱՐԴԱԼ ԵՎ ՊԱՀԵԼ’ ՓՈՔՐ ՄԱՍՆԻԿՆԵՐԸ ԿԱՐՈՂԵՆ ԿՈԻԼ ԳՆԱԼ ԿԱՄ ՆԵՐՍՇՆՉՎԵԼ”:

The Manuscript also features product information in Eastern Armenian – but in sentence case, rather than all upper case:

Խաղալիք «Kinder». Արտաղ րողի կողմից լիազորվաձ անձ ներմուծող՝ ՓԲԸ «Ферреро Руссия», Ռուսաստան 601211, Վլադիմիրիմարգ, Սոբիմի շրշամ, գյուղ Որշա, Հրուշակեղենիգորձարամ «Ֆեռռեռո», Ըեռ։ 88007007600. Պատրաստվաձ է Իտալիայում։ Պատրաստմանժամկետը՝ 03։2020

This translates roughly (according to Google Translate and assuming I transcribed it correctly), as follows:

Toy “Kinder”. Authorized importer by foreigner: “Ferrero Russia” CJSC, Russia 601211, Vladimirimarg, Sobim’s fountain, Orsha village, Confectionery “Ferrero”, Yer. 88007007600. Made in Italy. Preparation time: 03: 2019

I am assuming the address is the same address as in Russian (see below), but Google Translate seems to have treated the place names literally.

Most recent versions iterations of the Azerbaijani Message should read as follows:

«Xəbərdarliq, oxuyun və əməl edin: kiçik hissələri nəfəs vaqida orqanlara düşəbilər»

However, as I allude to in the book, there appears to be an error in some versions of the Azerbaijani Message that mean it will not appear exactly as shown. I discuss this mystery in more detail here.

Azerbaijani was, during the Soviet era and until recently, written in Cyrillic script. The most recent Manuscript on which the Azerbaijani Message was written in  Cyrillic, dates to as late as 2004:

Хабәрдардарлыг, охујун вә әмел един. Ојунҹаг 3 јашындан кичик ушаглар үчүн мәсләһәт көрүлмүр. Ојунҹагын кичик һиссәләри нафәс вә гида органларына дүшә биләр.

In at least one Manuscript – 60550250, dated to 2008 – a Message appeared with the language code ‘BS’, for Bosnian. It was identical to the Croatian Message as used to this day:

UPOZORENJE, PROČITATI I SAČUVATI: Sitne dijelove moguće je slučajno progutati ili udahnuti.

The complexities of Messages from the countries of the former Yugoslavia are discussed in Chapter 4.

ВНИМАНИЕ, ПРОЧЕТИ И ЗАПАЗИ: Съдържа малки части, които могат да бъдат погълнати или вдишани.

The Chinese Messages are discussed in Chapter 5 of The Babel Message. There are two Mandarin Chinese Messages on the Manuscript, both of them are identical in meaning. The first is in traditional Chinese characters, as used in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan:

注意：請閱讀及保存 此玩具不適合三歲以下小孩，其中含細小配件，小心勿讓小孩吞食或吸入。

The second is in simplified Chinese characters, as used in China and Singapore:

注意：请阅读及保存 此玩具不适合三岁以下小孩，其中含细小配件，小心勿让小孩吞食或吸入。

The Manuscript also includes a few more Chinese characters, indicating compliance with Chinese law, these appear to be identical in simplified or traditional characters, but as they concern ‘mainland’ China I would class them as simplified:

本玩具符合 GB6675·2003 及 GB5296.5-2006

This translates as:

This toy complies with GB6675·2003 and GB5296.5-2006

GB 6675-2003  is the Chinese ‘National safety technical code for toys’ and GB5296.5-2006 is ‘Instructions for use of products of consumer interest Part 5: toys’

UPOZORENJE, PROČITATI I SAČUVATI: Sitne dijelove moguće je slučajno progutati ili udahnuti.

The complexities of Messages from the countries of the former Yugoslavia are discussed in Chapter 4 of The Babel Message.

UPOZORNĚNÍ, čtěte a uschovejte: Malé části by mohly být spolknuty nebo vdechnuty.

Advarsel, læs og opbevar: Smådele kan sætte sig fast i hals eller næse.

OPGELET, lezen en bewaren: De kleine stukjes kunnen ingeslikt of opgesnoven worden.

WARNING, read and keep: Toy not suitable for children under 3 years. Small parts might be swallowed or inhaled.

As discussed here, recent versions of the Estonian Message contain a significant typographical error. This is the corrected version:

TÄHELEPANU! LOE LÄBI JA HOIA ALLES: need võivad sattuda lastele suhu või hingamisteedesse ja põhjustada õnnetuse.

HUOMIO, lue ja säilytä: Pienet osat voivat juuttea kurkkuun tai nenään.

ATTENTION, à lire et à conserver: Les petites pièces pourraient être avalées ou inhalées.

გაფრთხიღება, წაითხეთ ღა შეინახეთ: პატარა ნაწილები შეიძლება ბავშვს გადაეყლაპოს ან გადაცდეს

Lesen und aufbewahren: WARNHINWEIS! Nicht für Kinder unter 3 Jahren geeignet, da Spielzeug oder Kleinteile verschluckt oder eingeatmet werden können.

ΠΡΟΣΟΧΗ: υα διαβάσετε και υα φυλάξετε. Περιέχει μικρά κομματια που μπορεί υα καταπιούυ η υα ειοπνεύσουν.

I once showed this to a Greek speaker who worked in the copy shop that produced the high-res scan of the Manuscript that appears in the book and he insisted that there was an error here. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry and didn’t note down what the mistake was. Contact me if you can help.

Kinder Surprise Eggs in Israel include the regular Manuscript, together with an additional slip of paper with the Hebrew Message and importer information:

אזהרה לקרוא ולשמור: הצעצוע לא מתאים לילדים מתחת לגיל 3
כי הם עלולים לבלוע או לשאוף את החלקים הקטנים

Interestingly, a few years ago, the Hebrew Message was longer than Messages usually are:

אזהרה לקרוא ולשמור:

אזהרה!

המוצר מכיל צעצוע או חלקים להרכבת צעצוע.

אין לתת להם  ילדים מתחת לגיל 3 כי הם עלולים לבלוע או לשואף את החלקים הקטנים.

השגחת מבוגר מומלצת

This translates to:

Warning Read and Save:

Warning!

The product contains a toy or parts for assembling a toy.

They should not be given to children under the age of 3 because they may swallow or inhale the small parts.

Adult supervision is advised

Modern Hebrew is very different from Biblical Hebrew and a translation into the latter appears in New Translations of the Message: Natural Languages.

FIGYELEM, olvassa el és örizze meg! Az apró alkotórészek könnyen beszippanthatók vagy lenyelhetők.

The Indonesian Message appears on the version of the Manuscript found in parts of Asia:

PERINGATAN, BACA DAN SIMPAN: Mainan tidak cocok untuk anak-anak dibawah 3 tahun. Bagian-bagian kecil dapat tertelan atau terhirup.

ATTENZIONE, leggere e conservare: Le parti piccole potrebbero essere ingerite o inalate.

The Japanese Message no longer appears on the Manuscript discussed in the book, or on versions I have seen from Asia. The Japanese Message that appears in the book is from 60550034 (Type 2), that the Codex dates to 2004-2007

必ず読んで保管してください： 部品類をあやまって口に入れ たり飲み込んだりする危険があるので、オモチャを3才以下の お子様には与えないでください

The Kazakh Message no longer appears on the Manuscript. The last Kazakh Message appeared in 2013. The version that appears in the book is from 1998:

НАЗАР! ОЙЫНШЫҚТЫ ҮШ ЖАСТАН КІШІ БАЛАЛАРҒА БЕУГЕ БОЛМАЙДЫ ҰСАҚ БӨЛШЕКТЕРІ ЖҰТЫЛЫП НЕМЕСЕ ТЫНЫП ҚАЛУЫ МҮМКІН.

However, recent versions of the Manuscript do still include importer information in Kazakh, which appears to be the same as the Russian information:

“Kinder” ойыншығы. Өндірушінін уәкілетті тұлғасы, импортшы: «Ферреро Руссия» ЖАК, Ресей, 601211, Владимир облысы, Собин ауданы, Ворша ауылы, «Ферреро» Кондитерлік фабрикасы, фабрикасы, тел. 8 800 7007 600. Кытайда өндірістен.

Which translates as follows (using Google Translate):

Kinder toy. Authorized person of the manufacturer, importer: Ferrero Russia CJSC, Russia, 601211, Vladimir region, Sobinsky district, Vorsha village, Ferrero Confectionery Factory, tel. 8 800 7007 600. Made in China.

This is taken from a Manuscript found in Korea in 2018:

경고, 잘 읽고 보관하시요. 3세 미만의 어린이는 사용할 수 없음. 작은 부품이 포함되어 있어 삼키거나 입 안에 넣지 않 도록 주의

Hanna, the sharp-eyed proofreader who worked on the book, checked all of the Messages on Google Translate for transcription errors. She pointed out that Google Translate suggests that the first part of the Message (which it translates as ‘Warning, read carefully and keep’) should read  ‘경고, 잘 읽고 보관하세요’ and not ‘경고, 잘 읽고 보관하시요’ – ie the penultimate character should be ‘세’, rather than ‘시’. I checked the original and it does appear that it was transcribed correctly (I paid for someone to transcribe this one rather than do it myself) so this spelling has been kept in the book. If you can read Korean and can solve this mystery, please contact me.

As with Ukrainian and Russian, there is Kyrgyz product information on the Manuscript but not an actual Message. As with Uzbek, I neglected to include a Kyrgyz Message in the book.  While I still don’t have a translation of the Message into Kyrgyz, I was able to find a Message in this language on the foil wrapper of a Kinder Egg bought in Russia in 2020. However, the creases on the foil mean that some words were illegible (marked here with a ‘XXX’):

Абаклагыла: оюнчук 3 жашка чейинки балдарга болбойт, ХХХ деталдары жутулуп же дем ХХХ органдарында такалп калышы ХХХ, чоң адамдар көзөмөл салын турушу ХХХ

UZMANIBU, IZLASIET UN SAGLABAJIET: jo pastāv iespēja, ka rotaļlietas sīkās detaļas var iekļūt elpošanas ceļos.

I met a Latvian speaker at the Stoke Newington Literary Festival in June 2022 and she told me that the official Latvian Message seems to have ommitted a couple of diacritics, so it should read:

UZMANĪBU, IZLASIET UN SAGLĀBAJIET: jo pastāv iespēja, ka rotaļlietas sīkās detaļas var iekļūt elpošanas ceļos.

DĖMESIO! PERSAKAITYK IR SAUGOK: mažas detales gali praryti arba įkevėpti

ВНИМАНИЕ, ЧИТАЈ И ЗАЧУВАЈ: Ситните делови можат да бидат проголтани или вдишани.

The complexities of Messages from the countries of the former Yugoslavia are discussed in Chapter 4 of The Babel Message.

The Malaysian Message appears on the version of the Manuscript found in parts of Asia:

AMARAN, BACADAN, SIMPAN: Alat permainan tidak sesuai uncok kanak-kanak bawah umur 3 tahun. Bahagian kecil mungkin akan ditelan atau disedut.

In chapter 4 of The Babel Message I discuss the complex relationship between Modovan and Romanian in some detail – including the thorny question of whether Moldovan actually exists as a separate language. Here, suffice it to say that Moldovan and Romanian existed as separate languages on the Manuscript from 1996 until 2014. Here is what the Moldovan Message looked like then:

ATEŃȚIE, CITIȚI ȘI PÂSTRAȚI: Jucariile nu se recomandă copiilor pânâ la vârsta de 3 ani. Pentru sopiii mici existâa pericolul de a îrghiți jucârilile care pot nimeri în organele de mistuire sau respiratoare.

After 2014, Moldovan and Romanian were replaced with a combined Message marked ‘RO-MO’:

ATENȚIE, DE CITIT ŞI REŢINUT: Părţile mici pot fi înghiţite sau inhalate.

A new transcription of this Message into Cyrillic characters (still used to write Romanian-Moldovan in the breakaway Moldovan region Transniestra) is included in the book and can be found on this website in the section New Translations of the Message: Natural Languages

Advarsel, les og behold: Små deler kan sette seg fast i halsen eller nesen.

The Norwegian Message is given in the Bokmål form of the language. In Chapter 4 of The Babel Message I discuss the relationship between Bokmål and the other standard form of Norwegian, Nynorsk. A Nynorsk translation of the Message is included in the book and can be found on this website in the section New Translations of the Message: Natural Languages.

هشدار، بخو انید و نگهدارید: اجسام کوچك ممکن است بلعیده یا استنشاق شوند

UWAGA, przeczytaj i zachowaj: Małe części mogą zostać połknięte lub dostać się do dróg oddechowych.

ATENÇÃO, leia e guarde: As peças pequenas poderiam ser ingeridas ou inalada.

Brazilian Manuscripts include a different Portuguese Message than the one found in Europe:

ATENÇÃO: BRINQUEDO NÃO RECOMENDÁVEL PARA MENORES DE 3 ANOS POR CONTER PARTES PEQUENAS QUE PODEN SER ENGOLIDAS DU INALADAS.

It is unclear to me whether the two Portuguese Messages differ linguistically enough to be reflect the differences between these two variants of Portuguese. After consulting Portuguese-speaking friends, I still wasn’t clear and the discussion on this book reflects this ambiguity.

As stated above, and discussed in Chapter 4 of The Babel Message, from 1996 to 2014 there were separate Moldovan and Romanian Messages on the Manuscript. Here is the Romanian:

ATENȚIE, DE CITIT ȘI REȚINUT: Nu lăsați jucăria la indemâna copiilor sub 3 ani. Părțile mici pot fi înghițite sau inhalate.

After 2014, Moldovan and Romanian were replaced with a combined Message marked ‘RO-MO’:

ATENȚIE, DE CITIT ŞI REŢINUT: Părţile mici pot fi înghiţite sau inhalate

Note that there is an error on the Manuscript and there is no full stop at the end

A new transcription of this Message into Cyrillic characters (still used to write Romanian-Moldovan in the breakaway Moldovan region Transniestra) is included in the book and can be found on this website in the section New Translations of the Message: Natural Languages

The Russian Message no longer appears on the Manuscript. The last Russian Message I can find is from  60550305 that the Codex dates to 2013:

ВНИМАНИЕ! Прочитайте и сохраните: игрушку не предназначена для детей младше 3-х лет, мелкие детали могут быть проглочены или попасть в дыхательные пути. Рекомендуется наблюдение взрослых.

Recent Manuscripts do include manufacturing information in Russian:

Игрушка “Kinder”. Уполномоченного изготовителем лицо, имортер: ЗАО «Ферреро Россия», Россия, 601211, Владимирская обл, Сочинский р-н, с. Ворша, Кондитерская фабрика «Ферреро» тел. 8 800 7007 600. Сделано в Китае. Дата изготовления: 03.2020.

Which, according to Google Translate, translates to:

Toy “Kinder”. Person authorized by the manufacturer, importer: ZAO Ferrero Russia, Russia, 601211, Vladimir Region, Sochi rn, s. Vorsha, Ferrero Confectionery tel. 8 800 7007 600. Made in China. Date of manufacture: 03.2019.

UPOZORENJE, PROČITAJ I SAČUVAJ: Sitni delovi se mogu progutati ili udahnuti.

Although the Serbian Message has, for some years, been printed in Latin characters, in 1996 when it first appeared it was in Cyrillic:

ПАЖЉИВО ПРОЧИТАТИ И САЧУВАТН: Играчку не давати деци млађој од 3 године да не би прогутала или удахнула ситне комадиће.

The complexities of Messages from the countries of the former Yugoslavia are discussed in Chapter 4 of The Babel Message.

UPOZORNENIE, prečitaťa uchovať: Maléčasti by mohli byť prehltnuté alebo vdýchnuté.

OPOZORILO, PREBERITE IN SHRANITE: Majhne delce bi lahko pogoltnili ali vdihnili.

ATENCIÓN, lea y guarde: Juguete no apto para menores de 3 años. Las partes pequeñas podrían ser ingeridas o inhaladas.

The Thai Message appears on the version of the Manuscript found in parts of Asia:

คำเตือน, โปรดอ่านและระวัง : ของเล่นไม่เหมาะสำหรับเด็กที่ อายุต่ำกว่า 3 ปี เนื่องจากชิ้น ส่วนเล็กๆ อาจถูกกลืนหรือสูด เข้าไป

DİKKAT, okuyun ve saklayın: Küçük parçalar yutulabilir veya nefes borusuna kaçabilir.

While the Ukrainian language is included for product information in the Manuscript, the actual Message is not. However I did find a Ukrainian Message from a version of the Manuscript from 2013 (included in the book):

Обережно, прочитайте та збережіть: Діти можуть проковтнути чи вдихнути дрібні деталі.

Before I found this Message, I had actually received a separate translation into Ukrainian by Marta Jenkala. I didn’t include this in the book:

Попередження. Прочитайте та збережіть. Іграшка не підходить для дітей до 3-х років. Діти можуть проковтнути чи вдихнути дрібні деталі.

Current versions of the Manuscript contain product information in Ukrainian as follows:

Колекцій іграшка “Kinder”. Номер партіі співадає з датою виробництва. Дата виробництва: 03.2019. Імпортер, адреса: див. інформацію на упаковці. Строк придатності необмежений.

Which, according to Google Translate, means:

Kinder toy collections. The batch number coincides with the date of manufacture. Date of production: 03.2019. Importer, address: see information on the package. Shelf life is unlimited.

¡Kuénta koo‑ún! Kaꞌvi‑un tutu yóꞌo, ra chiva̱ꞌa‑ún‑ña̱. Täxi‑ún míí ña̱ꞌa yóꞌo ntaꞌá na̱ válí u̱ni̱ kui̱ya̱ á chi míí na̱ loꞌo ka u̱ni̱ kui̱ya̱. Na̱ válí kuvi kokó‑na̱‑ña̱ á chika̱a̱‑na̱‑ña̱ xi̱tin‑na̱.

Provided by Candice Beatham, who explains:

I work in an Oto-Manguean language of Mexico called Mixtec with Ethnologue code jmx “el mixteco del oeste de Juxtlahuaca”. I have translated the warning into this language with help from some native speakers. We use a lot of diacritics to write this language that carry both lexical and grammatical data. These diacritics are a very important part of the writing. For example, the word taxi‑ún is a command that means ‘allow [something]’ while täxi‑ún means ‘don’t allow [something]’. What changes is the tone the speaker uses to negate the statement which is indicated by the umlaut.

The book ends with the Message translated into the re/constructed language of Modern Indo-European by Fernando López-Menchero of Academia Prisca:

Probhoudhos: lege segheqe. Ənəptom pútlomos upo trisú wétessi rebhr̥ . Paulãs áitejes en qémōntor ánōntorwe.

Here is Fernando’s extensive gloss on his translation:

Attention-Probhoudhos OIr. robud ‘notice beforehand, warning’, W. rhybudd ‘warning, notice’, Skr. prabodha- ‘conscience’, OCS. probuditь ‘to awake’.

Alternative form: monesr̥ (=French avertissement). Lat. moneō, OHG. manen NHG. Mahnen, OE. manōn, manian ‘to warn’ <*monei̯e/o-, Skr. mānáyati <*monei̯e/o-, Lith. iš-manýti <*eks-moneHtei-.

Read-lege, from the root *(s)leg ‘to collect’, yielding Latin legere ‘read’. Also the root *les ‘to pick, read’, attested in Germanic, Latvian and Hittite may be valid.

Seghe-keep. In certain languages it had a meaning of ‘keeping, winning by force’: Gaul. Segomāros, Segodūnum, Segobriga, OHG. sigi, sigu ‘victory’, MHG. Sieg ‘victory’, Skr. sáhate ‘prevails’. With a possessive meaning we have Gr. eco ‘to have’, TochB. sa̅k- <*sogheH2- ‘keep, retain’.

Alternative 2. Bherghe: Gaulish bargā ‘hut’, OHG. bergan, Go. bairgan ‘keep, protect’, OCS. bregǫ, brešti. We are dealing with a North Indo-European root with the meaning ‘to keep, conserve’.

Alternative 3. Mnāje ‘keep in mind’ (mental activity). Celtic Belgian VAMNITTVS <*upo-mneh1to- ‘stultus’ ‘stupid’, OHG. manōt ‘understands’, Gr. mnaomai, Skr. mnāyáte ‘monētur’, Arm. imanam ‘I understand’, OCS. *pominati, поминать ‘to recall’, Latv. manît ‘to notice’, cf. Lith. manyti ‘to think, consider’as seen before.

ənəptos -ā -om <*PIE n̥H2ptó- ‘not suitable’ (also dusəptós). Cf. Lat. ineptus. Hitt. ḫappari (stative middle verb) ‘is suitable’. Root PIE *H2ep.

Dō trija wétesa = upo trisú wétessi = upo trisú wétessu = upo trisí wétessu ’under three years’. Dō (do in compounds and de in clitics) means ‘to, until’, und upo means ‘under’.

Wetos ‘year’ is reconstructed from Greek etos and Hitt. witt, wettant.

Rebhr̥ ‘toy’, with singulative suffix -r̥. Cf. OIr. reb <*rebhā ‘play, perfidy’, MHG. reben ‘to move, stir’, Ru. rebënok ‘boy’. This word is difficult to reconstruct. The same happens with the word ‘war’. Even though we do not have a word covering most IE languages (just small isoglosses of different lexemes) we cannot state that PIE children did not play or that war did not exist in PIE times. The last idea has been wrongly put forward by certain scholars. In the case of play we have roots like *rebh, *leid with few and semantically distant pendants; in the case of war we have *ker/kor, *desH or *Her.

Paulos -ā -om ‘small’. The PIE form was pH2(e)u-o-, pH2(e)u-ro-, pH2(e)u-lo-. Cf. Eng. few, Gr. pauros, Lat. paulus, paruus.

Áitejes ~ pértejes ~ pr̥snãs ‘parts’. Áitejes lies on O. aeteis, aíttíúm, Gr. aisa; pértejes lies on Lat. pars, pl. partes, Hitt. parta-/-i- ‘part’, Skr. pūrtá- ‘prize’; pr̥snãs lies on OIr. rann, W. rhan, Celtiberian rsnaś.

MIE qemō ‘to swallow’ is reconstructed with Icelandic. hvōma, Skr. cā́mati, camati, Av. ašam ‘sip’, Arm. k‘im-k‘ ‘palate’, NP. čam ‘food’. The particle en ‘in’ serves to accompany the verbs ‘to swallow’ and ‘to breathe’.

Anō ~ anmi <*PIE H2enH ‘to breathe’ is reconstructed with Go. uz-anan, Skr. ánati (thematic), ániti (athematic), ToB.-ana̅sk- ‘to breathe, inhale’ and OCS. voniati ‘to stink’.

In MIE, both the subjunctive qémōntor, ánōntor and the optative qémointor, ánointor may be used to indicate potential modal value. The subjunctive denotes a more realistic possibility and the optative a more remote possibility.

Transliterated by Oana Uta:

Aтенцие, де читит ши рецинут. пэрциле мичь пот фи ынгиците сауинхалате.

Translation by Khulgana Daz:

Анхаар. Унш бас хадгал. Энэ тоглоом нь 3 нас хүрээгүй хүүхэдэд аюултай. Жижиг хэсэгүүдийг зальгах ба хоолойд тээглэх аюултай.

Translation by Xavier Barker of Pama Language Centre:

ROWGHU, mamalithichii’ii e kwii’ii: Ndrru ghamanga yughu ndrru’a toy yana. ‘ani parts-fwa kati’i unaya, njiiyii – vwinikumu.

In Chapter 13 of the book, I conduct an experiment in translating the Message into 3 languages in as short a time as possible, without knowing any of the language in advance. One of these languages was Munegàscu (or Monégasque), the language of Monaco. My translation was as follows:

ATENÇIUN, lese e cunservà: Giüghetu non adatáu per fiyoei suta 3 ane. E peçe picenine pureressu iesse avalà o inalà.

Unfortunately, I could not find a speaker of the language to check the translation. Since the book was completed though, I managed to obtain a translation from Dominique Salvo:

The reason this is an image file is because Munegàscu’s orthography contains some unique diacritics that Dominique Salvo had to manually write in.

Discussed in chapter 14 of the book:

ALTABAŠ! Iltigõš õfiltatiš. Zānõbizo dibaðen tenakokoķonisehisapuð. Eltājoḥ tuvaž ortahež tenebõbõtidume.

I received a Nepali translation from Krishna Pradhan (without the ‘Warning, read and keep’ phrase). Unfortunately I wasn’t able to include it in the book as he sent it as an image file that wasn’t in a high enough resolution:

Transliteration: khelaunā tīn barsha mūnikā bachchāharukā lāgi anupayukta. sānā tukrāharu nilina yā sās sañgai tānina pani sakchhan.

Compiled from translations by Dr Guy Puzey and Professor Lars Sigurdsson Vikør.

Åtvaring, les og ta vare på dette: Små delar kan setje seg fast i halsen eller nasen.

Translation by James Thomas:

ATENCION, legissètz e conservatz: Aquel joguet conven pas als mens de tres ans. Las pichòtas pèças poirián èsser engolidas o inaladas.

The Old Norse translation in the book is by Professor Veturlidi Oskarsson:

Varhygð, les ok geym: Barnaleika sjá hentar eigi bǫrnum yngri en þriggja vetra. Smáir hlutir mega svelgðir verða elligar kunna í lungu fara.

This literally translates to:

Warning, read and keep: Children-toy this suits not children younger than three winters. Small parts may swallowed be, or can in lungs go.

Here are his notes on the translation:

The word “bǫrnum” should be printed with the Old Norse letter ǫ, that is, an o with a hook or curl under, character code 01EB in Insert Symbols in Word. (If you don’t have access to that letter, you may use a German ö instead.)

The letter ð (Varhygð … etc.) is absolutely neccessary, as well as á (Smáir) and í (í lungu) — — these must absolutely NOT be substituted by other letters (such as d, a, i).

Toys are very rarely mentioned in Old Norse texts; this word, “barnaleika” is probably the closest we get; it is from a text describing how to talk and behave at a wedding.

Old Norse has no exact word for ‘inhale’ that can be used correctly in passive voice as is done here; therefore, it has to be “can go to/end up in lungs”.

MIND ON NOU, raed this an haad on tae hid: This wheeriorum isno geud fer bairns unner tree yaer aald. Thay’ll mebbe kwark doun the peedie orras.

WAARNEEN, raed an haad on: Playick no geud fer bairns unner tree yaer aald. Peedie bitties coud be gluppit or drauchtit.

Translation into this language of the Philippines by Jen De Guzman:

MANALWAR,manbasa tan isaulo:ay-ayam adnayare ed taloy taon ya ugaw.Melag ya parte adnayarin tilmunen o eyanger.

Translation by Param Singh:

ਚੇਤਾਵਨੀ, ਪੜ੍ਹੋ ਅਤੇ ਰੱਖੋ: ਖਿਡੌਣਾ 3 ਸਾਲ ਤੋਂ ਘੱਟ ਉਮਰ ਦੇ ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਲਈ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ. ਛੋਟੇ ਹਿੱਸੇ ਨਿਗਲ ਜਾਂ ਸਾਹ ਨਾਲ ਅੰਦਰ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੇ ਹਨ.

Translation by Andrea Cavaglia:

Les con atension: Ten la dësmora lontan dal masnà con meno ëd tre ann. Ij tòch pì cit a podrìo esse traondù o inalà.

Translation by Gavin Bailey:

Mar mate, DUST EAR, raid dis: Dunna gi toy t’ children under thray. Small bits mayt choke ’em.

Translation by Arawi Ruiz of the Quechua Academy of Humanities:

PAKTARAK, rikushpaka wakaychiy: 3 watayuk wawakunata yalli uchillakunapak pukllanaka mana kanchu. Hansi imakunataka lankanman, sinkanman

Translation by Professor Yaron Matras:

Len sama, ginaven taj ikren: Kodi igračka naj pala e čhavore kaj naj inke 3 berš. E cikne kotora šaj cerden vaj nakhaven le.

The Rumantsch translation that appears in the book is in the official standard, known as Grischun, and this was supplied by Lia Rumantscha:

ATTENZIUN, per leger e tegnair en salv: il termagl n’è betg adattà per uffants sut 3 onns. Las parts pitschnas pudessan vegnir traguttidas u inhaladas.

The Rumantsch Grischun standard is unpopular with some speakers who prefer their own variants. Lia Rumantscha provided translations into a number of these variants but lack of space prevented me from including them in the book. Here they are:

Sursilvan:

ATTENZIUN, per leger e tener en salv: il termagl ei buc adattaus per affons sut 3 onns. Las parts panintgas savessen vegnir laguttidas ni inhaladas.

Sutsilvan:

ATENZIÙN, par liger a taner an salv: igl tarmagl e betg adato par unfànts sut 3 ons. Las parts pintgas savessan vagnir strangladas near inhaladas.

Puter:

ATTENZIUN, per ler e tegner in salv: il giovaret nun es adatto per iffaunts suot 3 ans. Las parts pitschnas pudessan gnir travundidas u inhaledas.

Vallader:

ATTENZIUN, per leger e tgnair in salv: il giovaret nun es adattà per uffants suot 3 ons. Las parts pitschnas pudessan gnir travussas o inhaladas.

Surmiran:

ATTENZIUN, per liger e tigneir an salv: igl tarmagl n’è betg adatto per unfants sot 3 onns. Las parts pitschnas pudessan neir strangladas u inhaladas.

I also received another Rumantsch translation (I am not sure of the variant) courtesy of someone called Orlando, a friend of a friend of a friend.

Admoniziun, leger ed salvar: Il termagl ei buca adattaus per affons sut 3 onns. Tocs pigns savessan vegni laguti ni inhalai.

Pierrick Moureaux obtained from a friend a Rusyn translation of the Message. That he wrote it in Latin letters rather than Cyrillic letters may be an indication that Rusyn primarily survives orally.

Povaha,citaj i cuvaj: Bavisko nje za dzeci popod 3 roki.Mali časci se mozu preljignuc abo udihnuc.

Can you supply me with a Rusyn Message in cyrillic? Contact me!

Translation by Lily Kahn and Riitta Valijärvi:

Várrehus! Loga ja doala. Speallu ii heive mánáide geat leat nuorabut go golbma jagi. Unna bihtážat leat hávkananvárra.

The Sanskrit translation in the book is supplied by Lidia Wojtczak:

सावधानं पठ्यतां सविधे च स्थाप्यतां । एतत् क्रीडनकं वर्षत्रयात् कनीयसाम् बालानाम् कृ ते न योग्यम् । सूक्ष्माः भगाः ग्रस्ताः निपीताः वा भवेयुः ।।

Here is her transliteration and notes:

sāvadhānaṃ paṭhyatāṃ savidhe ca sthāpyatāṃ / etat krīḍanakaṃ varṣatrayāt kanīyasām bālānām kṛte na yogyam / sūkṣmāḥ bhagāḥ grastāḥ nipītāḥ vā bhaveyuḥ /

There are many, many options both in terms of grammar and word choice. For instance, the English words in red have a general ‘Imperative’ tone but Sanskrit allows for so many ways of expressing compulsion or prohibition, that it was difficult to pick. I ended up going for the pure Imperative in ‘Warning’ (Skt. ‘May there be caution’) but for the much more polite Imperative Passive in ‘read and keep’ since this would be a direct order directed at the reader.

Translation by Dauvit Horsbroch of the Centre for the Scots Leid:

CAW CANNIE, read an haud on tae this: Toy isna fit for bairns unner 3 year auld. Sma pairts micht get swallaed or soukit in.

Translation by Jenny Bailie:

MIND! Read an’ kep. Toy’s no fit for weans. Wee bits cud be golloped

Translation by Norah Makhubela:

Hlokomela; bala o kwišiše: Dibapadišwa tše; ga tša lokela bana ba mengwaga ya ka fase ga mengwaga ye meraro. Di ka ba le bokotsi.

Seralokišwana se gasa lokelwa ke go šumiša ke bana ba mengwaga ya ka fase ga 3 ,ka ge sena le dilwana tše dinnyane tša go metšega goba gona go hemeha.

Translation by Dikeledi Moche via Michal-Mare Linden:

Kgalemo:Buisa mme o tlhokomele: Setshamekisiwa se, ga se a siamela bana ba dinyaga tse di ka fa tlase ga 3. Dikarolwana tse dinnye di ka mediwa kgotsa tsa hemiwa

Translation by Thomas Kim:

Better pay attention ok! Toy not for ginna under 3 hor: don’t play play … sekali kena choke!

Translation by Carmen Arlando

When I first issued my call for translations – before I even had a book contract – Jan Havliš sent me versions of the Message in Lower and Upper Sorbian. Here is Lower Sorbian:

Warnowanje: se njegoźe za źěśe młodše 3 lět. Grajki abo małe źěle moku byś spožerany abo zadychany.

And here is Jan’s translation into Upper Sorbian:

Warnowanje: njehodźi so za dźěći młódši 3 lět. Hrajka abo małe dźěle možaj być póžrety abo zadychany.

A few weeks after publishing these translations online, Julian Nyča got in touch to say that the Upper Sorbian one was inaccurate. The Upper Sorbian translation he supplied is the one presented in the book:

Kedźbu: njehodźi so za dźěći pod 3 lětami. Wobsteji strach, zo so hrajka abo dźělčki spóžeraja abo zadychuja.

Translation by Professor Mark Geller:

𒃌 𒋃 𒁀 𒂊 𒂃 𒁀 𒂊 𒍝 𒈾 𒂊𒇽 𒌉 𒉈 𒊏 𒉡 𒌒 𒌌 𒃻 𒌉 𒁉 𒉆 𒁀 𒁕 𒀊 𒅥𒍣 𒉆 𒁀 𒁕 𒀊 𒉺 𒉘

Transilteration:

galga šid-ba-e du₈-ba-e  za-na-e lú tur-ne-ra nu-ub-du₇ níg tur nam-ba-da-ab-gu₇ zi nam-ba-da-ab-pa-ág

Translation by Ida Hadjivaynis:

ONYO, soma na usitupe: Kitu cha kuchezea hakifai kwa watoto chini ya miaka 3. Sehemu ndogo zinaweza kumezwa au kuvutwa kama pumzi

Translation by Christian Thalmann (which he calls ‘my own idiolect of Swiss-German’):

WARNHIIWIIS zum Läsen und Bhalte: Spilzüg nöd für Chind under Drüü geignet. Di chliine Teili cha me veschlucke oder iischnuufe

 Nicholas Al-Jeloo  provided translations into Eastern and Western variants of Classical Syriac and Modern Assyrian Aramaic:

I included the Western variants in the book, however, there was a mistake in my transcription. This will be corrected in the ebook and subsequent editions of the hard copy.

Translation by Maricar Dela Cruz:

BABALA, basahin at panatilihin: Laruang hindi angkop para sa mga batang wala pang 3 taong gulang. Ang maliliit na bahagi ay maaaring lunukin o malanghap.

Translation by Kamila Akhmedjanova:

Ҳушдор, хонед ва нигоҳ доред: ин бозича барои кӯдакони то 3 сола мувофиқ нест. Тафсилотхои хурдро метавонанд фурӯ баранд ё ба рохи нафас ворид кунанд.

Translation by Tamil Studies UK:

எச்சரிக்கை, ஞாபகத்தில் வைத்திருங்கள் : விளையாட்டுப் பொம்மைகள் 3 வயதுக்குட்பட்ட குழந்தைகளுக்கு ஏற்றது இல்லை. சிறிய பாகங்கள் விழுங்கப்படலாம் அல்லது மூக்கால் உள்ளிழுக்கப்படலாம்.

Translation by Anupama Mundollikkalam:

హెచ్చ రిక*, చదివి గ్రతగా ఉంచండి: మూడు సంవత్స రాల ్త లోపు పిల్ల లకు ఈ బొమ్మ సరిపడదు. దీనిలోని చిన్న భాగాలను వారు మింగవచ్చు లేదా పీల్చ వచ్చు.

Translation by Craig Volker:

Tok lukaut, ritim na no ken tromoi: Toi i no inap long pikinini i no winim tripela krismas. Ol inap daunim o ol inap winim na bal I pasim nek.

Translation by Petunia Obisi (via Michal-Mare Linden):

Ndzemuxo, hlaya utlhela uhlayisa. Xitlangiso lexi axi pfumeleriwanga ku tirhisiwa hi vana lava malembe ya (Nharhu) 3 kuya ehansi. Xiphemu lexi ntsongo vangaxi minta kumbe va xi mbewula.

Translation by Merjen Arazova via Elliot Hoey:

ÜNS BERIŇ, okaň we ýatda saklaň: Bu oýnawaç üç (3) ýaşdan kiçi çagalar üçin laýyk görülmeýär. Ýuwutmak ýa-da dem alyş ýoly bilen içine gidip biljek ownuk bölejikler bardyr.

Translation by Lily Kahn and Ben Whittle:

Translation by Erich Schmidt (this translation is from the German Message, rather than the English one):

Lesn und aufghoidn: OBÅCHT! Ned fia Gschråzln, de kloana wia 3 Joa san. Des Zeig is oafoch zkloa fia de. Ned dass se’s schlucka oda eischnaufa

Translation by Rashad Ali:

خبردار کھلونا تین سال سے کم عمر کے بچوں کےلئے مناسب نہیں ہے۔
چھوٹے حصے کھانے یا سانس کی نالی میں پھنس سکتے ہیں۔

Translation by Rahima Mahmut:

مۇنداق.ئاگاھالندۇرۇش: ئوقۇڭ ۋە ساقالپ قويۇڭ: بۇ ئويۇنچۇق 3
ياشتىن توۋەن بالالرغا ماس كەلمەيدۇ. سەۋەبى، كىچىك زاپچاسلىرى
يۇتۇۋىلنىشى مۇمكىن

Translation by Erich Schmidt, based on the German version of the Message:

Leesn und aufghoidn: PASST’S JOO AUF! Ned fia de Baungatn, de glaana wia drai Joa sand. Des Zeig is a Eizal zglaa — am End schluggns oda schnaufns’as nu ei, daunn spüüt’s Granada.

Translation by Sulev Iva of the Võro Instituut:

HOIATAMINÕ, loeq ja tiiq nii: Seo mängoasi kõlbaai alla kolmõ aastagaidsilõ latsilõ. Nä võivaq mängo tsill’okõisi juppõ alla neeldäq vai hindäle kurku ajjaq.

Translation by Hilda D’Haeseleer:

ATINCION, a lére et wårder, djouwet n’ ahåye nén po-z-efants do moens ki 3 anêyes. Pitit pîces pôreins esse avaleyes ou aspireyes.

The Welsh Message in the book, provided by Owen Shiers, reads:

Rhybudd, darllenwch a chadwch: Nid yw’r tegan yma yn addas at gyfer plant o dan 3 blwydd oed. Mae yna ddarnau bach y gellir ei mewnanadlu neu lyncu.

Ian Parri emailed me to point out what he called ‘a tiny mistake’:

The second sentence should read: “Mae yna ddarnau bach y gellir eu mewnanadlu neu lyncu”. The “eu” refers to the plural possessive inferred in ‘ddarnau bach’ (small parts), while the “ei” in the book would be in the singular.

Of course this could simply be a typo introduced by me, rather than the original translator!

Translation by Sisipho Mbana (via Michal-Mare Linden):

ISILUMKISO, funda kwaye usigcine: Le thoyi  ayikulungelanga ukudlala abantwana abaminyaka engaphantsi kwesithathu ubudala. Bangaginya amacezwana ayo okanye ibarhaxe

The translation into this language of the Philippines was provided by Felisa Castro Bitos:

Pahibalo, basaha ug sabta: Dulaan nga di pwede para sa mga bata nga tulo ka tuig paubos. Ang mga gagmayng parte kay pwede matulon o maginhawa pasulod sa lawas sa tawo.

Translation by Professor Lily Kahn:

אַזהרה! לייענט און האַלט בײַ זיך. די צאַצקע איז נישט פּאַסיק פֿאַ
ר קינדער וואָס זענען ייִנגער פֿון דרײַ יאָר. זיי קענען חלילה אַראָפּ
שלינגען אָדער אײַנאָטעמען קליינטשיקע חלקים.

Biil diidx re, nak yääl laadxal ni kanii na: Ria benin ni kaihd tsuꞌ tsohn ihz nad gak kita nde. Nu rrieiz gak liaadz käb benina o gieꞌ benin xtoxa.

The Quiatoni language, part of the Zapotec language family, is spoken in Mexico and the translation was supplied by Nicasio Martinez whose wife Valerie writes:

My husband speaks Quiatoni Zapotec as his first language. (Zapotec is the language family, Quiatoni is the specific language, like British English, American English, Australian English. In Spanish it is zapoteco de Quiatoni.) The approximately 50 different Zapotec languages are part of the Oto-manguean language family.

He said that “pieces” can’t be inhaled, only odors/smells/fumes/etc. so he put “inhale its odor.”

The Zulu translation in the book was supplied by Carola Mostert:

ISIXWAYISO, kufunde ukugcine. Ithoyisi alilungile kubantwana abaneminyaka ngaphansi ko-3. Inxenye encane ingagwinywa noma ingahogelwa.

Danelle Vermuelen also supplied a Zulu translation:

Isexwayiso, funda futhi ugcine: ithoyizi alisifanele izingane exingaphansi kweminaka emithathu. izingxenye ezincane zingagwinywa noma ziphefumulelwe

words not to leave about this object with parts hurting children who swallow and breathe

Translation by Jorge Lambias:

o’i ko tcidu gi’e ralte .i lo selkei na mapti lo verba be li me’a ci .i lo cmalu pagbu ka’e se tunlo gi’a se vasxu

Translation by Gleki Axokuna:

o’isai to ko tcidu gi’e stogau toi le keitci na ei se pilno lo verba be le nanca be li su’o ci i lo cmalu pagbu ka’e ku se citka gi’a se cokcu

And a third translation by someone whose name I neglected to record:

fu’e o’isai ko tcidu gi’e socygau vau ti .i lo selkei cu na mapti tu’a lo verba be lo nanca be li me’i ci .i lo pagbu poi cmalu cu ka’e se vasxu ja se tulcti fu’o

The creator of Lortho,  Brian Bourque, supplied this translation:

apharo: kholir hana tikhan- dhamadhit debanemela mo bunardikhame. finalu lalhu kelune pridan hlanume.

And in the language’s own writing system:

Translation by Jeffrey Brown:

A‘O ‘ANA, ō heluhelu nō ā ō pa‘a iā ‘ou: E kūpono ‘ole ana ka mea pā‘ani no nā keiki ē hapa ‘u‘uku nei ‘o ka makahiki ma hope ‘ekolu. E hiki ana iā lākou e ale iho ā i ‘ole e hanu i loko i nā mahale li‘ili‘i.

Jeffrey notes:

Ma‘alahi is a simplified and regularized conlang based on Hawaiian. I thought this would be so easy. Ha! The problem was the phrase “children under 3 years.” That’s shorthand for “children whose age is less than three years old.” The only way to do that in Ma‘alahi (and maybe Hawaiian too) is to turn it into a relative clause containing a comparative using a stative verb.

A word-for-word of the above is: WARNING, read and retain: Is-unsuitable the toy for children for whom is-less the age behind three. Is-possible to them to swallow down or breathe in the tiny parts.

The Mando’a translation in the book was supplied by Tom Ruddle:

Here is the transliteration and literal translation:

Transliteration: Ke’sush! Ke’miit’haa’tayl bal ke’kar’tayl! Keb’ika cuyi burk’yc par ik’aade. Val duur’epari kihla ne’tome bal abiik’amuri.

Literal translation of the Mando’a: Attention! Word-see and hold in the heart! Trinket is dangerous for little ones. They may eat small parts and choke to death.

Mila translation by from Gary-Taylor Raebal:

ɾıɷ:n-ɷɔύ ɾɾ́ɾ-nʌω-oɾc:υ υɾn:n-.ɛ.-ɔın:c-ʌ:υʌ-oωɾ:ω-oıύ ɾʌʌ:n-υoω:ɷ-ωɾώ:c:ɔ ʌ:n:ıɾυ-ıυń-υυń-ı:cɷυ-ı:ɷυı:cʌ

[Tuhmic MUGAL, ta cina pitsu: Litcic ub kuhcis ili pindin puhal, tiric lubnum nidanzuk. iricHidla hulac lac uhsuhma uhmuhizra.]

Translation by Neil Walley:

WARNING, reod an behaud: Leykin ungeynand for barns belau 3 year. Liyl bits mout bei swalud oð andt.

Translation by Hnolt:

ÅVARIN! Les og minst: lallið ikke makligt fyri bånn under 3ga åra aldri. Småurekar kunna vara glepter or andaðer inn

Translation by Patrick Wilcox:

E vourënito miona, mwelokuta necuru: thol päcela mei woprina e könelo rlom täholona pali valpälte. Nwolkekpe ya lehiphukpe icwi mintänä.

[A warning is this, having read [it] keep [it]: not suitable this toy to a child [who has] not yet passed through three years. We fear that [the child] will swallow or breathe in small components.]

Tapni, translated by Glenn Abastillas:

UNITCE, panith nimth raib: Tubal mnirat fur cesythi vluncar tam 3 valaniri mut. Tesmal bnirti canim suniyowat up apaniteat sim.

And in the language’s own writing system:

Teonaht translation by Sally Caves:

!Teplo. Il aiba sebraf elepma-jo. Tewimmarot to nitamoluelf aib amik. Aid anekin minka talwem twa fyf.

Literal translation: Warning! Keep and read this. This toy is dangerous to toddlers (“early children”). They can ingest/inhale its small parts.

Sally adds:

Tamol is “child,” but a child who crawls or toddles is called an “early (uelf) child,” but not an infant (hwendl). A child that essentially mangles language a bit. Fyf means “to suck in, take in”

From this Reddit thread:

Translation by Shido Morozof:

NUNED. Reidolsöd e kipedolsöd! Pledadin no binon pötöfik pro cils labü bäldot yelas läs kilas. Diladils smalik kanons paslugön u panünatemön.