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Cultural Idioms and Phrases
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Phrases that are said in response to things
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 21 Apr 2022, 08:25.

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Menu 1. Sneezing and Coughing: 2. "Thank you" and "You're welcome": 3. Please: 4. Hello, Goodbye: 5. Miscellaneous Phrases: 6. Miscellaneous Idioms:
[edit] [top]Sneezing and Coughing:

When a person sneezes or coughs, the person (or people) accompanying them will usually say "(ōs) giquala ala leŋōsra." This phrase also means... "happy birthday."

In response, the one who sneezed will say either "(eq) hen-giquala leŋōsra, (ōs) ueiŧala ala." (responding to one person) or "(eq) hen-giquala leŋōsra, (ōsia) ueiŧala ala." (responding to multiple.) The more pronouns (eq and os), the more polite.

The response phrase is often shortened to "ueiŧala ala" even by older or more traditional people.

Among younger people in the current era, especially in the capitol, the phrases have become shorter and simpler, or even completely different:
    1. "giquala ala," "quala ala" or even "ala ala" to the sneezer
    1. "hesala ala!" from the sneezer


  • These phrases can deteriorate depending on speaker, such that a particularly dramatic close friend may respond to a particular loud sneeze or exciting birthday with simply, "Alalalala!!"

    [edit] [top]"Thank you" and "You're welcome":

    Saying thank you is fairly straightforward.
    The most casual, thus best suited for friends, is simply, "toŋgue."

    The most common, neither too casual nor particularly formal, is "toŋguerhaqa."

    The most formal way of thanking someone is using the verb with all the pronouns, that is:
    "eq toŋguerhaqa ōs."


    To say you're welcome, simply say "erhaqa."

    This is perfectly acceptable in most normal situations and is simply the present tense of "to welcome," not unlike English.
    However, the full context of the phrase your welcome is not to welcome one to your generosity, but to welcome their thanks.

    Thus the more polite way to say "you're welcome" is:
    "eq erhaqa ōs."

    By far the most formal, however, is the more long-winded phrase:
    "Eq erhaqa ōsin tōŋin."
    You can also use a more complex possessive for "your thanks" with:
    "Eq erhaqa la tōŋ abō ōsin."
    Which means, most literally, "I welcome the gratitude of yours."

    The most casual way to express "you're welcome" is the simple truncated word "erha."

    [edit] [top]Please:

    There are numerous ways to indicate that you would like someone to do something.

    The most straightforward and neutral way, used often among teachers and parents, is to use the imperative verb form.
    In this form, the -o of an infinitive verb is replaced with an -i, and then the first consonant-vowel pair of the word is added once (for a command) or twice (for a request).
    Thus, "please speak" uses the verb seqo which becomes seqise, "speak." or, for our purposes, seqisese, "please speak."
    For emphasis, this can be reduplicated as many times as the speaker desires, which indicates a pleading or desperate tone.

    For more emphatic phrasing, the verbs are modified in a more auxiliary(esque) manner.
    There are two options, both derived from the verb "to welcome."
    1. "erhala ala" (or "erhala," which is less uptight)

    1. "erhier" (very informal, sometimes viewed as whiny.)


    The latter, "erhier," is used most often as a petulant interjection, ie, "pleeeeeeeeaaaase?"
    However both can be used in the following manner, in combination with a verb:
    Place the phrase before the infinitive form of the verb you want done.
    Example:
    The imperative form "to speak," is "seqo."
    Adding the please-phrase, this becomes: "erhala (ala) seqo."

    On the less polite side, "erhier seqo" is kind of like saying "Just talk!"

    In theory, inclusion of pronouns (specifically "ōs") following the verb could make these phrases more demanding, but pronouns are generally not included in these phrases.

    [edit] [top]Hello, Goodbye:

    Hello:
    P1: I see/understand (you)!
    (eq) beiŧaqa (ōs)!
    P2: I am seen!
    (eq) beiŧaqa bī (ōs)!

    Goodbye:
    P1: Seeing/understanding you was good.
    beiŧoŧala (ōs) (hesī) şaira.
    P2: It will be good again.
    tusqara (hesufa) şaira (or sometimes "hesufa tusqara şaira")
    tusqara shaira is the most casual and common way.

    Including the pronouns of course makes it more formal.


    Most casual:
    P1: Aaaa, beiŧaqa! (ah, hey!) (lit. see)
    P2: beiŧaqa bī! (hey yourself!) (lit. am seen)

    P1: şaira! (bye!) (lit. good)
    P2: tusqara şaira~! (see you later!) (lit. again good)


    Most formal:
    P1: eq beiŧaqa ōs! (Greetings to you.) (lit. i see you)
    P2: eq beiŧaqa bī ōs! (And to you as well.) (lit. i'm seen by you)

    P1: beiŧoŧala ōs hesī şaira. (it was good seeing you.)
    P2: beiŧoŧala tusqara hesufa şaira OR beiŧoŧala hesufa tusqara şaira. (I look forward to seeing you again) (lit. Seeing again will be good.)

    [edit] [top]Miscellaneous Phrases:

    In addition to its literal meaning, "to open one's eyes" (lūqo) has a similar meaning in Firooglosan as it does in English, meaning to enlighten (literally), to bring knowledge to. this works because the words for to see and to know are related.

    Bet (hes) leŋōsra. is generally used in the sense that there is plenty of time, time to spare, the speaker is in no rush.

    Happy New Year is La Mēhnas sqar-ala ala sōti

    When one is embarrassed or self-conscious, usually due to hyper-self-awareness or a fixation on your own mistakes, mannerisms, etc. the verb phrase "beiŧo ques" is used, literally meaning roughly "to see/know self"
    It is generally used in the present or progressive form, either beiŧaqa ques or beiŧaŧ ques, but can be used in other tenses or conjugations if desired.

    "I'm sorry" is simply "I apologize" > (eq) teglusaqa.

    "Excuse me" or "forgive me" > most commonly "gulu-qasan" from the more formal "glusigulu (eqin) qasan" (please hear my reason) Used as a polite interjection or interruption, when one must intrude on a conversation, or scootch between someone, etc., and esp. in its more formal form to ask for forgiveness.

    "Please forgive me" is the aforementioned formal "glusigulu (eqin) qasan."

    A hyper-formal form is "glusala ala (eqin qasan.)" (optative) (would that you would listen to my reason) When someone is saying "glusala ala" you KNOW they fucked up hardcore.

    "seqise matrin" = overall comes across as a mix of "What'd you say about my mom?!" and "Say that to my face, bitch!" and can be used to mean either/or/both along the lines of like, "Say something about my mom, too, I dare you." It is a an imperative command, not a question or even a statement, and so while it's not "technically" a crass phrase, it is considered both impolite and generally aggressive.

    [edit] [top]Miscellaneous Idioms:


    "bitufa na qusbint" = "I'll think about it" or "I'll sleep on it," occasionally implying exasperation but not always. Can be simplified to just "bitufa."

    "Aque la nehman nehmanaqa bi" = "Speak of the devil." Can be simplified down to "la nehman..." or "nehmanaqa," can use "tanni" (that being said) instead of "aque," or use nothing in that spot.

    "(eqin) qoqorin (hes) sesuqira" = "I'm exhausted," can't think or see straight anymore.

    "meŧaqa rigin" = akin to blood-boiling, "I'm furious." Can be inverted as "rigin meŧaqa" which has an almost identical meaning but implies less of an outside cause. The brain is boiling itself.

    "sneig hen-sbōlala eŋ uber la mōri" OR
    "sneig sbōlufa eŋ uber la mōri quin" = "When pigs fly," "when Hell freezes over," etc. expressing the unlikelihood that something will happen. Phrased as a question, the latter can also be used as a sarcastic or rhetorical question, ie, someone says something you find impossible, and you ask, "And when will snow fall on the ocean, hm?" Tanni sneig sbōlufa eŋ uber la mōri quin?

    "nehmanī ŧaŋesra" = "Hurry up!" For something that is dragging on too long. Can use a specific subject based on task at hand, or leave subject empty.

    "(pron.) trobaqa ab-abō trigin" = "Toot your own horn," compliment oneself etc. Can use other tense like progressive (trobaŧ), past (trobī) etc.

    "seqo la tusqommenasor" = to make smalltalk. "La tusqommenasor" often shortened to "la tusqo." "Sueīa seqaŧ la tusqo" = They're talking about the ring system/making smalltalk.

    "la heqem sbōlaqa" = "raining cats and dogs"

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