tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jun 10 08:55:35 1996
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Re: New here
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TL>>Date: Mon, 27 May 1996 15:02:33 -0700
TL>>From: [email protected]
TL>>Just because humans like to have conversation openers, doesn't mean that
TL>>Klingons do too.
TL>This seems to me to be the nub of the problem. The trouble is that for all
TL>that we're studying Klingon, we're still Humans and Human-educated, and we
TL>feel funny without SOME way to open a converasation. More than that: we
TL>sometimes get together (e.g. on the MUSH) and, being people with a shared
TL>specialized interest, want to be able to discuss it. But we have nothing
TL>in particular to say. In English, we have easy ways around this: phatic
TL>speech like "Hi!" that tells someone "I'm here, and I'm probably willing to
TL>talk to you, but I don't really have any business to say just now." Things
TL>to say when you feel you must say SOMEthing, but don't know what to say
TL>(like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?). A Klingon likely wouldn't care
TL>to talk to you if you had nothing to say, but we have interpersonal
TL>relationships to deal with, for some reason or another. So we seek an
TL>opener like that. A way to say "I'm here, just so you know. You can talk
TL>to me if you wish."
TL>By that reasoning, yes, nuqneH is a lousy substitute and shouldn't be
TL>used. A Klingon with something to say would just SAY it, and a Klingon
TL>with nothing to say would shut the hell up (or remain the hell silent). At
TL>worst, making allowances for our non-Klingon desire to chat, you might as
TL>well come right out and say "jISaH. qa'Ijqang." or something like that.
TL>But it'd be a hard sell to the newcomers. :) This last may be enough
TL>reason to cut slack.
TL>~mark
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In Klingon RL what the situation is should be imagined--one walking in.