tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Oct 20 16:00:45 1996

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Re: Translation



[email protected] (nImaq) writes:
>Is their a known way to say "English" or "American" in the Klingon language?

That depends on whether you're asking about nouns or adjectives.  If the
latter (e.g. an English pub or an American carmaker), then because of the
lack of adjectives in Klingon, there is no direct way to translate them.
One usually ends up casting the sentence using "attributive nouns", which
then comes out like {"England" tach} or {"America" Duj Suy}.

If they are nouns, referring to inhabitants of particular nations, then
the common way is to say {"England" ngan} and {"America" ngan}.  Names of
places, like those of people, don't usually translate between languages.
I usually just drop them in without messing with their spelling, but I do
put quotes around them to make sure nobody accidentally thinks I'm trying
to use a Klingon word.

If you meant "English" to refer to the language, then we often indulge in
the "Star Trek is real" fantasy and call it {DIvI' Hol}.

-- ghunchu'wI'




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