Challenge 52 in 52: Maltese

Here's a very melancholic song that explains very well how negation is done in Maltese

Jien ma naħdimx imma ma nieqaf qatt - I don't work but I never stop

Jien Ma Naħdimx
xogħol mhux infittex u impjieg ma għandix

għax ħin ma nsibx
imma hemm min lili ma jifhimnix

ma nieqaf qatt, imma għal xogħli m'hemmx ħlas
x'nilbes hawn ġew lanqas biss nagħti kas

Ma-mejda l-aħħar li npoġġi nkun jien
Imma nitgħaxxaq narana flimkien

Ma ngerger qatt
Inlesti l-qadi minn qalbi kuljum

Ma nafx x'ħin bdejt
Wisq anqas naf kemm fadalli indum

Psikoloġija jien qatt ma studjajt
Biss metamdejjaq issibni warajk

ċertifikat ta'tabiba m'għandix
Biss meta timrad tarani ndur bik

Jien ma naħdimx, imma ma nieqaf qatt
Festi m'għandix lanqas is-Sibt u l-ħadd

M'ghandix karriera għax ħadt dan l-irwol
jien ma naħdimx, imma nagħmel elf xogħol

Jien ma naħdimx, imma kollox nagħtik
Jekk ma jien xejn jiena kollox għalik

Bejn dal-ħitan, ngħix għalik u għaż-żgħar
Jien ma naħdimx, għax jien mara tad-dar

Leave m'għandi qatt
Nibqa' għaddejja, marida u m'iniex

Jekk bla aptit
Qatt ma nistrajkja għax union m'għandix

Bonus m'għandix u ma nipprotestax
Qatt ma navvanza, biss ma jimpurtax

xogħli bla ebda kundizzjonijiet
u jekk għajjejt nibqa' għaddejja fis-skiet

Jien ma naħdimx, imma ma nieqaf qatt
Festi m'għandix lanqas is-Sibt u l-ħadd

M'ghandix karriera għax ħadt dan l-irwol
jien ma naħdimx, imma nagħmel elf xogħol

Jien ma naħdimx, imma kollox nagħtik
Jekk ma jien xejn jiena kollox għalik

Bejn dal-ħitan, ngħix għalik u għaż-żgħar
Jien ma naħdimx, għax jien mara tad-dar

Jien ma naħdimx,
imma nixtieq
li taprezzawni ahjar

ma jimpurtax
l-aqwa li naf
illi tinsabu kuntenti f'did-dar

Q "Jien Ma Naħdimx, composed by Mark Scicluna to the lyrics of Rita Pace is the song that you will be presenting in this years’ edition of L-Għanja tal-Poplu. Would you care to explain the meaning behind the lyrics and the genre that the song encompasses?"

A "The song is a simple ballad, yet its simplicity in music compliments the lyrics while allowing the audience to follow the theme of the song. The lyrics are directed towards society’s view with regards to the role of housewives. We seem to be under the impression that women who opt not to find a paying job have all the time in the world to do whatever they please. In reality, the work which has to be done with regards to taking care of the family and doing all that is necessary to make a house a home requires the same, if not more, effort than a ‘regular’ job. There is no payment for a housewife’s work; all that she would want is the gratitude shown by family members and the proper importance given to her by society.

Housecleaning is not a sacrifice by  Kristina Chetcuti

This is progressive liberal Malta: the winning song in the Ghanja tal-Poplu contest is an ode (sounds more like a dirge) to the martyred and heroic Maltese housewife

OK... ode to SAHMs...

I have said before in many different fora that a) housewives don't do thousand jobs for no pay. They are NOT secretaries, judges, teachers, psychologists, gardeners and what ever else the SAHMs claim. As stated in this song, they don't have the necessary qualifications and education.
WE ALL have to take care of our social relations, solve problems and quarrel, take care of our economy, home, food, clothes and everything else, AND also work to earn our own money.

One also forgets two very important things about this:
1) Only relatively wealthy people can afford staying at home. Poor mothers have to do all that AND work too.
2) SAHMs take care of THEIR OWN home, THEIR OWN children, THEIR OWN what ever and they do it THE WAY THEY CHOOSE TO. They are doing exactly what they want to do! So... acknowledgment? Praise? Admiration? Pay?

Also, as the world is full of childless mothers;women  who would have wanted children but never got any, or women who have lost their children, having children is THE Reward and Payment for the work it takes to be a good mother. Also, not all SAHMS ARE good at the job...

Challenge 52 in 52: Hebrew

The letters aren't really difficult, neither are the other abjads, it's just a different system, and takes some time to couple loose from the alphabet... even when the aleph-beit is closer to the original :-D
So just learn the letters. It really takes only a couple of hours. Memrize has a good course for that.
(The only problem is that the names are not the israeli ones, so it might be a bit difficult. The Aleph-Beit song I linked to last year is a very good way of learning the HEBREW names of the letters - which is essential if you are seriously going to learn to speak Hebrew and not the Americanized Ashkenazic... (nothing wrong with Ashkenazic, but it's used mainly for religious purposes, and... languages are supposed to be alive. And some people can't get over their American accent and in my ears it sounds awful... Like... uh. Never mind.)

Because of this, DON'T LEARN TRANSCRIPTIONS. Learn the real letters used to write the language and the real way of writing the words, that's what you do with English and French also, even when those languages use Roman letters we West-Europeans are used to. You are not transcribing French, so don't transcribe Hebrew either.

This is the Israeli entry to 2010 Eurovision Song Contest and it always makes me cry

שוב העצב כאן , שוב הפחד קם
והסוף נרקם בחלוני
זגוגית סדוקה ושוב שתיקה
מותשת וזרוקה בדמיוני
האור נרדם, דמעות של דם
שורפות לי בגרון
ידית שרוטה, תקרה שמוטה
כשאני שר לך את השיר האחרון

השארת לי רק מילים
מקלט בין הצללים
ספרים מסודרים ובין החדרים
השארת לי רק מילים
זר של מנעולים
אלוהים,
השארת לי רק מילים

קירות שותקים עכשיו
ומה לקחת כשברחת
כן, מה לקחת
במלחמה הזאת אולי ניצחת
ומה נשאר לי כשהלכת?

השארת לי רק מילים
מקלט בין הצללים
ספרים מסודרים ובין החדרים
השארת לי רק מילים
זר של מנעולים
אלוהים,השארת לי רק מילים

וגם לקרח קר כשאני נזכר
איך את היום מולו
מוארת בצילו, נשברת בשבילו
את המילים שהשארת לי
את עכשיו אומרת לו

The sadness is here again, the fear is here again
and the end is at my window.
Broken glass and silence again
exhausted and forsaken in my mind.

The light fell asleep, tears of blood are burning my throat
scratched handle, fallen ceiling
While I’m singing the last song to you.

You’ve left me nothing but words, shelter in the shadows
tidy books and in between the rooms
you’ve left me nothing but words, a wreath of locks
Oh God, you’ve left me nothing but words

The walls are silent now and what did you take when you ran away
Yes, what did you take? You might have won this war
What am I left with when you are gone?

You’ve left me nothing but words, shelter in the shadows
tidy books and in between the rooms
you’ve left me nothing but words, a bouquet of locks
God, you’ve only words behind

Even the ice feels cold when I remember
How today you stand before him, a light in his shadow
Breaking for him the words you’ve left
you are now telling him

You’ve left me nothing but words, shelter in the shadows
tidy books and in between the rooms
you’ve left me nothing but words, a wreath of locks
Oh God, you’ve left me nothing but words

Challenge 52 in 52: Syriac

Syriac, also known as Syriac Aramaic, is a dialect of Middle Aramaic that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent and Eastern Arabia. Having first appeared in the early first century AD in Edessa, classical Syriac became a major literary language throughout the Middle East from the 4th to the 8th centuries, the classical language of Edessa, preserved in a large body of Syriac literature. Indeed, Syriac literature comprises roughly 90% of the extant Aramaic literature.

Old Aramaic was adopted by the Neo-Assyrian Empire (911-605 BC) when they conquered the various Aramean city-kingdoms to its west.
The Achaemenid Empire, which rose after the fall of the Assyrian Empire, also adopted Old Aramaic as its official language and Old Aramaic quickly became the lingua franca of the region.
During the course of the third and fourth centuries AD, the inhabitants of the region began to embrace Christianity.
Along with Latin and Greek, Syriac became one of "the three most important Christian languages in the early centuries" of the Christian Era. From the 1st century AD Syriac became the vehicle of Syriac Christianity and culture, and the liturgical language of the Syriac Orthodox Church and subsequently the Church of the East, along with its descendants: the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, the Ancient Church of the East, the Saint Thomas Christian Churches, and the Assyrian Pentecostal Church.

Syriac Christianity and language spread throughout Asia as far as the Indian Malabar Coast and Eastern China, and was the medium of communication and cultural dissemination for the later Arabs and, to a lesser extent, the Parthian Empire and Sassanid Empire Persians. Primarily a Christian medium of expression, Syriac had a fundamental cultural and literary influence on the development of Arabic, which largely replaced it towards the 14th century. Syriac remains the liturgical language of Syriac Christianity to this day.

Syriac is a Middle Aramaic language and, as such, a language of the Northwestern branch of the Semitic family. It is written in the Syriac alphabet, a derivation of the Aramaic alphabet.

Challenge 52 in 52: Turkish

This is another go on Turkish. I already "did" it during the 2014 challenge.

7 Tricks To Learn Any Language In 7 Days (From The Superpolyglot Twins Who Did It)

What I learned from this (in addition to the 7 tricks, some might be repeated ;-)):

- have a friend who is a native language speaker to practice with and to ask questions from. It is possible to find friends like this online and Skype with them

- gather all the materials you can: the twins said they had 25 books; it looks like they borrowed all the books from library about learning Turkish

- they also used the internet, different mobile apps and radio. There's plenty of resources available, and a lot of it free, magazines, newspapers, cooking shows, blogs, Wikipedia in several languages...

- they studied at least 12 hours every day

- they started speaking from the first day, replacing simple words and sentences with Turkish, like "good morning", getting more and more complicated, trying to express oneself in Turkish, having imaginary discussions, writing diary etc. They thought of possible things to say and found out how it is said in Turkish.

- they used the native language speakers living in their home town, like restaurants and market, to practice with.

- they gave themselves challenges and prepared for them, like before going to market to purchase things, they studied the numbers and fruits and vegetables

- they challenged each other by saying things to each other and translating it

Their method reminds me of my own, Barry Farber's and AJATT

Challenge 52 in 52: Hungarian

Ahogy rám nevetsz, nekem az volt fontos, nem a kinézeted,
’Hogy rám nézel, egy pillanat, de máris megigézel,
Az érzelem, mi legbelül van, nem a mellemen,
Én éreztem, tudod más nem kellett volna többé nekem!

Neked a rózsaszín kell, a tömeg lány!
Nem én vagyok a lány ott benn a fejedben,
Nem én vagyok a tucat és az eszetlen,
Ha tudod jól, hát mért nem hagysz már el?

A jófiút a fehér lovon kérhetem,
Te csak tönkreteszed teljesen az életem,
Nem én vagyok a lány, aki neked kell!

Sírtam én, hogy te mást bámultál, így rúgtál belém,
Álmodban mással mászkáltál oly boldogan,
A vasalt haj nem kell, sem ezüst póló csillogó kövekkel,
Én más vagyok, nekem a lazaság számít, nem a tűsarok!

Neked a rózsaszín kell, a tömeg lány!
Nem én vagyok a lány ott benn a fejedben,
Nem én vagyok a tucat és az eszetlen,
Ha tudod jól, hát mért nem hagysz már el?

A jófiút a fehér lovon kérhetem,
Te csak tönkreteszed teljesen az életem,
Nem én vagyok a lány…

A mesékben harcol értem a hercegem,
De te csak játszottál, én elhittem neked...

Nem én vagyok a lány ott benn a fejedben,
Nem én vagyok a tucat és az eszetlen,
Rájöttem, s már én hagytalak el.

Kőből van a szíved, nagyot tévedtem,
Mikor elhittem, hogy te lehetsz a végzetem,
Nem te vagy már az, aki nekem kell!

(Itt a vége, fuss el végre!) Nem, nem, nem! Tűnj már el!
(Itt a vége!) Tűnj már el!
(Itt a vége, fuss el végre!) Tűnj már el!
(Itt a vége, itt a vége, fuss el végre!) Nem, nem, nem! Tűnj már el!
(Itt a vége!) Nem, nem, nem!
(Itt a vége, fuss el végre!) Tűnj már el! Tűnj már el!

Challenge 52 in 52: Sámi

This is Máddji from Kautokeino, Northern Norway, and the Sámi they speak there is Northern Sámi, the form of Sámi with most speakers, spoken in Northern Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Iđitguovssus girdilit
Hávski lei go iđistit
Vilges dolggiid geigestit
Várrogasat salastit

Njukča, njuvččažan
Buokčal, ligge varan
Njukča, njuvččažan
Ovdal iđitroađi

Iđitguovssus girdilit
Hávski lei go iđistit
Jaskatvuođain savkalit
Nuorravuođain njávkalit

Njukča, njuvččažan
Buokčal, ligge varan
Njukča, njuvččažan
Ovdal iđitroađi

Riegádahte áibbašeami
Oktovuođa váillaheami


The lyrics are from YouTube, click the "watch on YouTube" link on the video

You flew in from the dawn
Such a sight when you came into view
You stretched your white wings
Careful embrace

Swan, my swan
Dive, heat my blood
Swan, my swan
Before dawn breaks

You flew in from the dawn
Such a sight when you came into view
You whispered softly
Youthful caress

Swan, my swan
Dive, heat my blood
Swan, my swan
Before dawn breaks

Bring out my yearning
The longing of the lonely

Challenge 52 in 52: Estonian

Ma mäletan veel, kui tuli mu hinge et jääda See tunne nii suur
samas nüüd Seisan ma teel vaadates südame sisse Seal viliseb tuul

Aga tean, ma tean kõik vöib muuta heaks
Iga uks mis kord sulgub see avaneb taas

Veel sulab jää ja õide puhkeb raagus puu
Iga löpp ei ole muud kui algus uus
On vaja ööd, et päev tooks valguse
Et uus saaks alguse, mis möödund jäägu kaugele
Et uus saaks taas alguse

Kardin avaneb taas on algamas järgmine vaatus Kus tõusta saan maast
sama hing Kuid uus mäng veel ees muudetud saab minu saatus Saab uueks mu tee

Ja ma tean, ma tean kõik vöib muuta heaks
Iga uks, mis kord sulgub see avaneb taas

Veel sulab jää ja õide puhkeb raagus puu
Iga löpp ei ole muud kui algus uus
On vaja ööd, et päev tooks valguse
Et uus saaks alguse, mis möödund jäägu kaugele

Veel sulab jää ja õide puhkeb raagus puu
Iga löpp ei ole muud kui algus uus
On vaja ööd, et päev tooks valguse
Et uus saaks alguse, mis möödund jäägu kaugele
Et uus saaks taas alguse

---------------

Ma mäletan veel, kui tuli mu hinge et jääda see tunne nii suur
- I remember still when my spirit came to stop by that feeling so big
samas nüüd Seisan ma teel vaadates südame sisse
- on the same road now I'm standing looking inside the heart
Seal viliseb tuul
- there is wind blowing

Aga tean, ma tean kõik vöib muuta heaks
- but I know, I know everything can change to good
Iga uks mis kord sulgub see avaneb taas
- every door that closes it opens again
Veel sulab jää ja õide puhkeb raagus puu
- yet melts the ice and to flowers burst the bare tree
Iga löpp ei ole muud kui algus uus
- every end is nothing but a new beginning

On vaja ööd, et päev tooks valguse
- the night ends so that the day would lighten
Et uus saaks alguse, mis möödund jäägu kaugele
- so that the new gets a beginning, where the past is left far away
Et uus saaks taas alguse
- so that the new gets again a beginning

Kardin avaneb taas on algamas järgmine vaatus Kus tõusta saan maast
- the curtain opens again, the next act is beginning when I may get up from the ground
Sama hing kuid uus mäng veel ees muudetud saab minu saatus
- same soul but new play yet may change my fate
Saab uueks mu tee
- makes new my way