tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Feb 13 18:42:36 1997
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RE: Word Origin Speculation II
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: Word Origin Speculation II
- Date: Fri, 14 Feb 97 01:33:21 UT
February 13, 1997 10:19 AM EST, jatlh 'Iwvan:
> > >pI' = fat (pig),
> >
> > Never thought of that one.
>
> Seems bogus to me. You can prove anything if you settle for just
> two matching sounds.
I'd imagine that Okrand would've used {pIgh} for that, but he didn't. Rather,
it means "ruins." (Hmmm . . . I want to use that word . . .)
> > > 'IH = beautiful (ick), [...]
>
> So English [k] can correspond to {H} and (presumably) {Q} and {'}
> as well as {q}. That's the slippery slope of wishful thinking that
> eventually gets one to derive Middletown from Marmaduke.
No, it's just that English doesn't have the letters to say {'IH}. It's not an
exact transliteration, it's just a common grunt to say when you see something
icky.
> I take it {mob} `be alone' is what you don't when in a mob?
I bet that's it . . .
> > >2) Reversies. That is, forming synonyms or antonyms by saying the
> > >words backwards: megh = lunch, ghem = midnight snack, puq = child,
> > >Qup = young,
>
> Make that {qup} `elder', quite appropriate, actually. -- The notions
> of {batlh} `honour' and {tlhab} `freedom' are also sort of related.
Oooohhh! Now THOSE are nice!!!
> > >4) Internal changes: In some cases synonyms are created by changing
> > >the middle vowel: [...] ghur = increase (go up), ghIr = decrease (go
> > >down), [...].
>
> Bzzt. {ghIr} is `descend', the opposite of {Sal} `ascend', and `decrease'
> is {nup}.
Ack! Kinda ruins my whole {ghur},{ghIr} / {Dung}, {bIng} idea, I guess. :(
> > >The word <<mIr>> for chain is an interesting one because it seems
> > >to derive from Soviet propaganda. Workers of the world unite! You
> > >have nothing to lose but your CHAINS. The word MIR! peace is an
> > >ever-recurring word in Soviet propaganda.
>
> Quatsch. Having been exposed to more Russian text of all genres than
> most people on this forum, I can testify that the sentence with the
> chains (unlike the immediately preceding one) was not often quoted in
> Soviet political writing; I don't even know its canonical Russian
> translation (in so far as there is one). And of course words meaning
> `peace' recur all the time in every country's propaganda these days.
Whether *Russians* would agree with it is beside the point It's what *Okrand*
was thinking that is relevant. (I don't buy it, myself . . .)
> I wonder when someone will suggest that {yuD} is derived from the
> stereotypical Christian perception of Jews. Or is that too imPC?
I thought it was {yID} :-)
(That's a joke!!! That's not a real word!!! -- This message was brought to
you by the Anti-Armpit Coalition of Kronos.)
> For the curious: {wa'} looks very much like the Ancient Egyptian
> <w`> `one', and {maH} is practically identical to the Ossetic word
> for `we'.
Gee, it sounds a whole like "one," as well! (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)
--
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97122.7