tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Dec 03 10:30:32 1997
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Re: [proposal] translation for directions.
- From: "Mark E. Shoulson" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: [proposal] translation for directions.
- Date: Wed, 3 Dec 1997 13:30:25 -0500 (EST)
- In-reply-to: <[email protected]> (message fromQov on Thu, 27 Nov 1997 02:56:10 -0800 (PST))
>Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 02:56:10 -0800 (PST)
>From: Qov <[email protected]>
>
>A compass points north because its magnetized needle aligns with the Earth's
>magnetic field. I don't know which direction Klingon physics conventions
>would define the magnetic field as running, though: towards or away from
>magnetic north.
In addition to what I said before, there's also the question of whether or
not Qo'noS has a significant magnetic field, and if it does whether or not
it is roughly aligned with its axis of rotation. If either of these is not
true, then compasses/magnetic "directions" probably wouldn't be too helpful
(I suppose that if there were a field that didn't align to rotation you
could still give directions by it, but it would make things complicated.
Before magnetism is discovered, observations like sunrise and sunset would
give a well-entrenched, intuitive set of directions. Another, seemingly
arbitrary one would have trouble getting layered on top of it in common
language).
~mark