Translating Timucua texts can be a complicated process. In this lesson, we want to showcase a bit of our methods. We will offer a translation of the Ten Commandments, which appear in the 1612 Catechism. First, we will list the Spanish text and then a literal translation. Then, we will list the Timucua, providing a breakdown of each word and morpheme (what linguists call interlinear glossing) and finally we offer a new, more literal translation of the text.
But the goal of this lesson is not simply to produce a new, more transparent translation for this Timucua text. Our goal is to show how we do this work. We will explain our translations as well as our ongoing questions, confusions, and uncertainties.
1612 Cat, f054r-055r
You can find the text of the Timucua Ten Commandments online: http://dcmny.org/islandora/object/nyhs%3A2428#page/1/mode/2up
Analysis, Notes, and Questions
El primero, amaras a Dios sobre todas las cosas.
Lit. English translation: First, you will love God above all else.
Minecota mano hachi bueno care Ynemi ofuenoma Diosima, huuaso hache.
Minecota-mano hachibueno-care inemi ofueno-ma Diosi-ma, hubaso-hache.
First-top thing-plural all over-def God-def love-imperative:single
Lit. Timucua: First, above all things you must love God.
Notes
- We all agreed on this translation.
- 16th-17th century spelling and printing was not normalized. Notice that the original text sometimes has <u> where we expect <b>, as in the word for ‘love’, usually spelled hubaso, but printed as huuaso here.
El segundo, no juraras su santo nombre en vano.
Lit. English translation: The second, you will not vainly promise in his holy name.
Nayuchamima, Diosi bisama, cume oyoma hibuasota, juramentoma camoqi, manetiquani.
Na-yucha-mi-ma, Diosi bisa-ma, cume oyo-ma hibua-so-ta, juramento=ma ca mo-qi, mane-tiquani.
ins-second-ordinal-def God name-def heart inside-def live-cau-def oath want-must:not
Literal Timucua: Second, while causing the name of God to dwell inside the heart, you must not make the oath.
Notes
- This commandment led to many conversations…first of all, there are many differences between the Spanish and the Timucua texts. The Timucua contains the word cume, which likely means heart and is a core word in many Timucua metaphors. The use of cume in the Timucua hints at Timucua ways of understanding Catholic notions of “swearing” or “in vain.” The word cume in Timucua, much like the word heart in English, refers to both a physical, bodily organ as well as to a hub of emotion, like when we say “from the bottom of our heart.” We are unsure exactly how this word functions in Timucua.
- The word juramento appears as a borrowed word in the Timucua– meaning it is a Spanish word that was used by the Timucua writers. There are many reasons why languages borrow words… and while it is possible that Timucuas did not have a word just like “juramento” (oath) and thus they used the Spanish word, the verb camoqi (likely meaning “to swear”) appears right next to the word juramento. Perhaps the Timucua writers placed the words next to each to show Timucua readers and students that juramento and camoqi were comparable concepts.
- Also, the commandment ends with the negative -tiquani, which means it is a commandment describing something that should not be done.
El tercero, santificaras las fiestas.
Lit. English translation: The third, you will keep the (holy) feasts.
Nahapumima, fiesta equelama Missa, ocotota caqueniqi manetiquani.
Na-hapu-mi-ma, fiesta equela-ma Missa, ocoto-ta ca-queni-qi mane-tiquani.
ins-three-ordinal-def feast day-def mass listen-part thus-being-desiderative Want-must not:must
Literal Timucua: Third, wanting/desiring to listen to mass on feast day, you must not.
Notes
- This commandment was hard to translate… The Timucua version seems to be saying the exact opposite of the Spanish commandment. Are we misreading the negative imperative at the end? Is there something missing? We are unsure.
El quarto, honraras a tu Padre y Madre.
Lit. English translation: The fourth, you will honor your father and mother.
Nacheqetamima, Yteye, Ysaye, nabosohache, homanisi hache.
Na-cheqeta-mi-ma, ite-ye, isa-ye, naboso-hache, ho-mani-si hache.
ins-fourth-ordinal-def father-2poss mother-2poss honor-imper love-want-ben-imper
Literal Timucua: Fourth, you must honor your father [and] your mother; you must love them.
Notes
- We all agreed on this translation.
- This commandment has a significant addition in the Timucua version… it asks to love, not just honor your mother and father. The additional information provided in the Timucua version shows a different understanding of the proper relationship between children and their parents.
El quinto, no mataras.
Lit. English translation: The fifth, you will not kill.
Namaruama, ano iquenetiquani.
Na-marua-ma, ano iquene-tiquani.
ins-five-def person kill-must:not
Lit. Timucua: Fifth, one must not kill a person.
Notes
- We all agreed on this translation.
- This commandment has a telling addition in the Timucua version. The Spanish version only says “don’t kill,” the Timucua version specifies that you should not kill “a person,” suggesting that Timucuas drew a distinction between killing in general (like killing animals or prey) and killing people. At the time, Spaniards understood that the fifth commandment was referring only to people, but perhaps Timucua translators might have requested this point of clarification. The implicit understanding in the Spanish text is made explicit in the Timucua.
- Note that the number word no longer has the –mi suffix attached to it. Could it be that the Timucua writers assumed that since the first numbers established the pattern, the remaining numbers, five through ten, would follow it regardless of whether the -mi suffix was included? Could it be that they forgot? Could it be a typo?
El sexto, no fornicaras.
Lit. English translation: The sixth, you will not fornicate.
Namarecama, patabosine tiquani.
Na-mareca-ma, patabo-sine tiquani.
Ins-six-def have:sex-recip-must:not
Lit. Timucua: Sixth, you must not have sex with each other.
Notes
- This commandment was hard to translate… the literal translation seems to be a general ban on sex. We wonder if perhaps the verb “patabo” conveyed a specific taboo/inappropriate sex… so then the translation would be “you must not have inappropriate sex with each other.” But we are unsure.
El septimo, no hurtaras.
Lit. English translation: The seventh, you will not steal.
Napiqichama nuquatiquani hache.
Na-piqicha-ma nuqua-tiquani hache.
Inst-seven-def steal-must:not imperative
Lit. Timucua: Seventh, you must not steal.
Notes
- We all agreed on this translation.
- This commandment ends with both a negative –tiquani and an imperative –hache. This combination of –tiquani and –hache makes the second person subject, “you,” explicit. In other words, this command is not saying “one should not steal,” it is directed at you.
El octavo, no levantaras falso testimonio.
Lit. English translation: The eight, you will not bear false witness.
Napiqinahuma, quenetima quenela, matiquani hache acunate, nurabatiquani
Na-piqinahu-ma, quene-ti-ma quene-la ma-tiquani-hache acu-nate, nurabo-atiquani
Inst-eight-def to:be-neg-def it:is-dec say-must:not imp must all-that lie-must:not
Lit Timucua: Eighth, you must not say that what is not, is. Thus, one must not lie.
Notes
- This commandment was hard to translate… The Timucua version is longer than the Spanish version. The Timucua adds a sentence about “not lying” that is not in the Spanish text. It also explains the idea of “false testimony” in Timucua terms: “don’t say that what is not, is.”
El noveno, no desearas la muger de tu proximo.
Lit. English translation: The ninth, you will not desire your neighbor’s wife.
Napeqe cheqetama, inihimitima, namanetiquani hache.
Na-peqecheqeta-ma, inihi-miti-ma, na-mane-tiquani hache.
Ins-seven-def spouse-poss:by:another-def ins-want-must:not-imperative
Lit. Timucua: Ninth, you must not want another person’s spouse.
Notes
- We all agreed on this translation.
- This commandment shows the different ways Timucuas thought about marriage and gender norms. While the Spanish text details “a neighbor’s wife,” the Timucua removes the gender. Inihi is the word for spouse, referring to both man and woman.
El decimo, no cobdiciaras los bienes ajenos.
Lit. English translation: The tenth, you must not covet the goods of another.
Natumama hachipacha eyoma, vquasiro manetiquani
Na-tuma-ma hachipacha eyo-ma, uqua-siro mane-tiquani
ins-ten-def possession other-def take-same:subject desire-must:not.
Lit Timucua: Tenth, must not want (desire) to take the possessions of another.
Notes
- We all agreed on this translation.
- The Timucua version of the commandment describes the concept of “covet” through the combination of two complex Timucua verbs uquasiro (desire to take) and manetiquani (must not want). While the Spanish version only chastises the social emotion of coveting, the Timucua version places emphasis on both the action of “taking” and the emotion of “desiring” someone else’s goods.
As you can see, we are still learning how to read Timucua texts. By showing our process and questions, we invite you to take a look at these examples, examine the linguistic analysis, and consider the questions in our notes.
Your ideas and interpretations are most welcome!