Fánétíks Ín Spes!

A word of explanation on this one would probably be appreciated.  My wife and I just took a week-long primer on linguistics and translation hosted by Wycliffe .  It's their way of saying, "See, this Bible translation thing isn't so hard," to which an attendee would either say 1) "I didn't realize it was so easy!" and run out and do it, or 2) "Oh yes it is!  I'll stay home and support you and *you* can go do it!".  Either way, it works out well for those people groups who don't have the Bible yet (or even a written language for that matter).  I had the first half of the first response.  In another blog I may write a little more about it.  For now, though, I want to share my project for the week.  We had to write a short story about our time there using a (made up) phonetic orthography of English.  [evil grin for throwing out words that make me sound smart].  Extra credit if you can properly pronounce the two words we were talking about over lunch!

Fánétíks Ín Spes!

Wáns ápan e taim, ŧér wáz e boi hu kúd mek véri rilístík rakét şíp noizéz wíŧ híz mauŧ. Hi wúd éntrten hímsélf bai flaiíŋ híz pénsúl frám đá plãnét áv Skuldésk tu đá plãnét áv Pénsúl Şarpénr ãnd bãk. Íf yu klozd yor aiz, yu kúd smél đá rakét fiul.

Ãz đá boi gat oldr, ŧís ámeziŋ tãlént bikem sámwát émbérésíŋ. Ãnd so đá boi prãktíst híz dip spes mánuvrs onli ín đá Şauwr Taim Nébiulá.

Hi wáz also e mãstr spélr—wán áv đá bést ín đá wúrld, íf đá smal sãmpl áv spélrz ín híz fíŧ gred klãs wúr éni méşr. Hi hãd bitén đém al ín đá klãsrum spélíŋ bi.
Bát ãz đá boi lúkt ãt đá plãnét-baund fok áraund hím, hi kúd tél đãt nat onli hãd no wán bén tu Ãndramédá, no wán kúd ivén rait ít daun.

Ãnd so đá boi lúrnd tu kip híz ŧats tu hímsélf. Hi wúd sailéntli pandr sác dip kwéscáns ãz, “Wát íz đá dífréns bitwin e 'P' ãnd e 'B',” ãnd wéđr lízrd pipl kúd se aiđr wán síns đe hãv no líps. Đá oldr hi gat, đá kwaiétr hi bikem an sác şemfúl tapíks.

Đén wán de hi faund hímsélf ín đá kámpéni áv pipl hu sãt ín fãsínetéd wándr ãz e lékşrr déskraibd đá mãjík áv ãlofims ãnd naun frezéz. Hi stérd áraund hím ãz đe dískást đá dífréns bitwin “ŧai” ãnd “đai” ovr gríld ciz sãndwícéz. Hi révld ín đá joi hi félt wén đá místri áv đá “P” ãnd đá “B” wáz rivild. Ít med hím hãpi tu no đér wúr so méni pipl hu lávd đá sem ŧíŋz hi díd.

So hãpi, ín fãct, hi disaidéd tu şér đá sikrét áv đá rakét şíp noiz:

Ít's jást e Sástend Raundéd Voislés Pãlétál Fríkátív!