March 24, 2010

Then this email from Bob the morning of March 24th:

“Try “I love you” for ktaholel. Had a visit while you were there. Would have been interesting for you to be awake. I was by the creek. Busy day at work. Let me know if it works or not. Weirded out again today and not much sleep.”

So I went to the English-Lenape translator, and plugged in “I love you”, and wrote this back to Bob:

“Yeah, that was it! I don’t know why it didn’t come up in a search because I used your exact spelling, which was correct. Anyway, plugging it in on the talking dictionary, there it was. But I had to know the English phrase. I did hear you get up last night and put the radio on. Was that when she was there? You didn’t write anything, but did she communicate? Did she try to convey the meaning of ktaholel? Any other words? Did she go away then because I was there? I love you (ktaholel)”

And Bob wrote back to me:

She was there at about 1:15 AM. I turned the radio on about 2 something. She was able to communicate to me by body language and hand signals while repeating the phrase, as well as “father dear, I am sorry/sad” I think she is saying sorry, is that an interpretation of the phrase by any chance? I could have just dreamed all this too, who knows. I am altered and exhausted. Only slept fitfully the rest of the night.

And I responded this:
Sorry and sad use the same word. Maybe it’s the context. I must have just fallen asleep, about 1/2 hour before:

English: I am sad; I am sorry
Lenape: nshielìntàm
English: I love you
Lenape: ktaholël

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