The Language That Died Overnight
我是一名研究语言的学者。
I am one (M, name) research language (POSS) scholar.
I am a linguist.
十年来，我一直在研究一种很小的语言。
Ten year come, I always at research one (M, kind) very small (POSS) language.
For ten years I had been studying a very small language.
这种语言只在一个偏远的村子里使用，会说的只有三十个人。
This (M, kind) language only at one (M) remote (POSS) village inside use, can speak (POSS) only have thirty (M) person.
It was used only in one remote village, and only thirty people could speak it.
村子在大山深处，要走两天才能到。
Village at big-mountain deep place, must walk two day only can arrive.
The village lay deep in the mountains, two days' walk away.
今年春天，我收到了一封从那里寄来的信。
This year spring, I receive (PERF) one (M) from there send-come (POSS) letter.
This spring, I received a letter sent from there.
信只有一句话：“我们的话不见了。”
Letter only have one (M) sentence: "Our (POSS) speech not see (PERF)."
It said only one thing: “Our speech is gone.”
我立刻收拾行李，出发了。
I immediately gather luggage, set-out (PERF).
I packed at once and set off.
到村子的那天下午，下着小雨。
Arrive village (POSS) that day afternoon, fall (CONT) small rain.
The afternoon I reached the village, a light rain was falling.
村里非常安静，连孩子也不出声。
Village inside very quiet, even child also not out-sound.
The village was very quiet, and even the children made no sound.
我找到了那位最年长的奶奶，她姓孙。
I find-arrive (PERF) that (M) most senior (POSS) granny, she surnamed Sun.
I found the eldest grandmother, surnamed Sun.
她坐在门前的木椅上，手里拿着一杯茶。
She sit at door front (POSS) wood-chair top, hand inside hold (CONT) one (M) cup tea.
She sat in a wooden chair at her door, holding a cup of tea.
“奶奶，”我问，“你们的话怎么不说了？”
"Granny," I ask, "your (POSS) speech how not speak (PERF)?"
“Grandmother,” I asked, “why have you all stopped speaking your tongue?”
她没用她们原来的语言回答，只用普通话。
She not use their original (POSS) language answer, only use common-speech.
She did not answer in their old language, but only in Mandarin.
“我们的话自己走了。”她慢慢地说。
"Our (POSS) speech self leave (PERF)." She slowly say.
“Our speech left on its own,” she said slowly.
我以为我听错了，请她再说一次。
I think I hear-wrong (PERF), request her again say one time.
I thought I had misheard and asked her to say it again.
她抬起头，眼睛非常清楚。
She raise-up head, eye very clear.
She raised her head, her eyes very clear.
“你听清楚了。是话自己走的，不是我们让它走的。”
"You hear clear (PERF). Is speech self leave (POSS), not is we let it leave (POSS)."
“You heard me. The speech left on its own. We did not send it away.”
那天晚上，几位长辈围着火，给我讲了原因。
That day evening, several (M) senior surround (CONT) fire, give me tell (PERF) reason.
That night, several elders sat around the fire and told me the reason.
他们说，在他们的语言里，有一个词，几十年没人说出口。
They say, at their (POSS) language inside, have one (M) word, several-ten year not person speak-out mouth.
They said their language had a word that no one had spoken aloud for decades.
那个词的意思很重，说出来要非常小心。
That (M) word (POSS) meaning very heavy, speak-out-come must very small-heart.
The word carried a heavy meaning; one had to be very careful when saying it.
上个月，两位年轻人吵了一架。
Last (M) month, two (M) young-person quarrel (PERF) one (M).
Last month, two young people had a quarrel.
其中一个非常生气，把那个词大声喊了出来。
Among-middle one (M) very angry, (BA) that (M) word big-voice shout (PERF) out-come.
One of them, in great anger, shouted the word out loud.
“从那一天起，话就开始走了。”一位长辈说。
"From that one day rise, speech then begin leave (PERF)." One (M) senior say.
“From that day, the speech began to leave,” said one of the elders.
“先是有些词没了，后来连最普通的话也说不出来。”
"First is have some word not (PERF), later even most common (POSS) speech also speak not out-come."
“First some words went missing, then even the simplest sentences would not come.”
“不是我们忘了——是它不愿意再让我们说。”
"Not is we forget (PERF)—is it not willing again let us speak."
“We did not forget — it no longer wished to be spoken.”
我把这些话记在本子上，用的是村里现在说的普通话。
I (BA) these word record at notebook top, use (POSS) is village inside now speak (POSS) common-speech.
I wrote down everything they said — in the Mandarin the village now spoke.
“奶奶，现在你们说的话，是你们的话吗？”我轻声问。
"Granny, now your (POSS) speech, is your (POSS) speech (PARTICLE)?" I light-voice ask.
“Grandmother, the speech you use now — is it yours?” I asked softly.
孙奶奶摇摇头。
Sun granny shake-shake head.
Grandmother Sun shook her head.
“能用，但味道不一样。我们的话有它自己的味道，像我们山里的水。”
"Can use, but flavor not same. Our (POSS) speech have it self (POSS) flavor, like our mountain inside (POSS) water."
“We can use it, but the taste is different. Our own speech had a flavor of its own, like the water from these mountains.”
我在村里住了三个星期。
I at village inside live (PERF) three (M) week.
I stayed in the village for three weeks.
我把过去十年记下的资料整理好，准备写最后一份报告。
I (BA) past ten year record-down (POSS) material arrange-well, prepare write last one (M) report.
I gathered the materials of ten years' research, ready to write the final report.
回到城里以后，我用了半年的时间。
Return-arrive city inside after, I use (PERF) half year (POSS) time.
Back in the city, I spent half a year on it.
报告里我写：“这种语言已经正式灭绝。”
Report inside I write: "This (M, kind) language already officially extinguish-cut."
In the report I wrote, “This language is now officially extinct.”
报告发表那天，我心里很难过，但也只能这样写。
Report publish that day, I heart inside very sad, but also only can this way write.
The day the report came out, I felt heavy in my chest, but there was no other way to write it.
很多年过去了。
Very many year pass-go (PERF).
Many years passed.
我已经老了，头发白了一半。
I already old (PERF), hair white (PERF) one half.
I had grown old, my hair half gray.
有一年春天，我又回到了那个村子。
Have one year spring, I again return-arrive (PERF) that (M) village.
One spring, I returned to that village again.
孙奶奶还在，她已经九十多岁了。
Sun granny still at, she already ninety-many year-old (PERF).
Grandmother Sun was still there, now past ninety.
我们坐在同一个木椅旁边，看着远山。
We sit at same (M) wood-chair side, watch (CONT) far mountain.
We sat by the same wooden chair, looking out at the far mountains.
一个早上，雾还没散，村里非常安静。
One morning, fog still not scatter, village inside very quiet.
One morning, before the mist had cleared, the village was very still.
一个小女孩跑到孙奶奶面前。
One (M) small girl run-arrive Sun granny face front.
A little girl ran up to Grandmother Sun.
她拉着奶奶的手，问了她一句话。
She pull (CONT) granny (POSS) hand, ask (PERF) her one (M) sentence.
She pulled at her hand and asked her something.
那句话我听不懂——但我立刻知道那是什么话。
That (M) sentence I hear not understand—but I immediately know that is what speech.
I could not understand the words — but I knew at once what they were.
那是早已灭绝的语言。
That is early already extinguish-cut (POSS) language.
It was the language that had long since died.
我屏住呼吸，看着奶奶。
I hold-back breath, watch (CONT) granny.
I held my breath, watching her.
奶奶慢慢地张开口，回答了她。
Granny slowly open mouth, answer (PERF) her.
Slowly, Grandmother opened her mouth, and answered her.
声音很轻，像是从很远的地方来。
Sound very light, like is from very far (POSS) place come.
Her voice was soft, as if coming from somewhere very far away.
她说完，看了我一眼，笑了一下。
She speak-finish, look (PERF) me one eye, laugh (PERF) one (M).
When she had finished, she glanced at me and smiled.
我没有把本子拿出来，没有写一个字。
I not-have (BA) notebook take-out-come, not-have write one (M) word.
I did not take out my notebook. I did not write a single word.
我突然明白了：那门语言没有真的灭绝。
I suddenly understand (PERF): that (M) language not-have really extinguish-cut.
I understood, all at once: that language had not really died.
它只是不愿意被研究，被记下来，被发表。
It only is not willing (PASSIVE) research, (PASSIVE) record-down-come, (PASSIVE) publish.
It simply did not wish to be studied, recorded, or published.
它愿意在一个奶奶和一个孩子之间，安静地走一走。
It willing at one (M) granny and one (M) child between, quietly walk one walk.
It was willing to move quietly between a grandmother and a child.
我在那里又住了一个星期。
I at there again live (PERF) one (M) week.
I stayed another week.
我没有再问。没有再听。
I not-have again ask. Not-have again listen.
I asked no more questions. I listened no further.
我离开的那天，雾很大。
I leave (POSS) that day, fog very big.
The day I left, the mist was thick.
孙奶奶送我到村口，握住了我的手。
Sun granny send me arrive village mouth, grasp-hold (PERF) my (POSS) hand.
Grandmother Sun walked me to the edge of the village, and held my hand.
她用普通话说：“谢谢你没有把那一句记下来。”
She use common-speech say: "Thank you not-have (BA) that one (M) sentence record-down-come."
In Mandarin she said, “Thank you for not writing that down.”
我点点头，往山外走。
I nod-nod head, toward mountain outside walk.
I nodded, and walked out of the mountains.
我没有发表新的报告。
I not-have publish new (POSS) report.
I never published a new report.
我让这一句话留在它愿意留的地方。
I let this one (M) sentence remain at it willing remain (POSS) place.
I let that one sentence remain where it had chosen to remain.