tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Dec 09 18:17:39 1998
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RE: A few phrases.
- From: "Andeen, Eric" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: A few phrases.
- Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 19:14:28 -0700
lab Patrick Masterson:
You've picked a good mix of easy and difficult phrases here. Some of them
are a bit too vague in the English to translate well at all without a few
more assumptions (mostly who is doing what to whom) which can be omitted in
the English.
> As practice for Klingon, I decided to translate a few sentences, tag
> lines, and bits of dialogue from my favorite show, "The X-Files." (His
> favorite show isn't Star Trek! Burn the heretic! Actually, I don't get
> UPN, so the only time Star Trek comes on is 11:30 PM on Saturdays, which
> is rather inconvenient. And anyway the Star Trek phrases have probably
> been all translated anyway.) Anyway, here goes:
> (If you need any background info concerning any of these, just ask.)
> The truth is out there: voghDaq vIt tu'lu'
Do you even need <vogh> here? If you decide you do, I would be strongly
tempted to treat the <vogh> like <Dat>, <pa'>, and <naDev> and omit the
<-Daq>. We don't have canon (that I know of) to support this, but I cannot
believe that <vogh> does not behave like <Dat>.
I would also suggest some suffixes to enhance the meaning a little bit:
vItna' tu'lu'bej.
> Trust no one: vay' yIvoqQo'
Simpler: pagh yIvoq {{;-)>
> Deny everything: Hoch yItem
maj.
> Apology is policy: tlhIj 'e' 'oH ngochchaj'e'
English is a noun centric language where things like this sound fine.
Klingon is not. I suggest: <tlhIjlu' 'e' poQ ngoch> or <tlhIjlu' net raD>.
These could be modified depending on who is apologizing and whose policy it
is.
> I want to believe: jIHar vIneH
maj.
> Believe the lie: neplu'chugh yIHar
This really needs some context. Without knowing what "the lie" is, or who
told it, this doesn't make much sense. Your version is probably OK.
> Resist or serve: bIqaDbe'chugh bItoy'
Just to be consistent, I'd add a <vaj> between the words. Also consider
<lotlh> or <Daw'> instead of <qaD>.
> "The truth is out there, but so are lies.":
> voghDaq vItlu' 'ach voghDaq neplu' je
I'm going to make a somewhat different suggestion here:
vItna' tu'lu', 'ach vItHey tu'lu' je.
I think it captures the essence of the idea and everything behind it fairly
well. What do you think?
> "What am I onto here?": nuq vItu'pu'
maj. Good use of aspect.
> "Monsters begetting monsters.": Ha'DIbaHmeyvo' boghtaH Ha'DIbaHmey
<Ha'DIbaH> means simply "animal". Its slang sense is used to refer to people
as inferior. I don't think either of these is really works for "monster". I
think I would go with <mIghwI'> for "monster". I'd also drop the aspect
suffix - I don't think it's necessary. <mIghwI'vo' bogh mIghwI'>, or
<mIghwI' boghmoH mIghwI'>, depending on your preference.
> "Don't try and threaten me, Mulder.": HIbuQQo' mulDer
I'd add a comma, just like in the English. Otherwise good.
> "I've watched presidents die.": Hegh che'wI'pu' 'e' Dabejpu'
... 'e' vIbejpu'
> "We are not who we are.": maHbogh maHbe'
Oh, my. This is a tough one. It's really playing with language in a way that
does not translate well. Perhaps <marur'eghchu'be'>, or some variation
thereof. Perhaps <majech'eghtaH>. What you have just bends my mind. See if
you can come up with any other ideas.
> "I won't give up.": jIjeghQo'
maj.
> "I can't give up, not as long as the truth is out there":
> jIjeghlaHbe' voghDaq vIt tu'lu'taHvIS
It's generally good style to put dependent clauses before the main clause.
See the comments above about "the truth is out there".
> "Nothing disappears without a trace.": ngabchu' pagh
majQa'. Very good example of a little Klingon going a long way.
> "You can't bury the truth.": vIt bomollaHbe'
Nice.
> "Think you can hold me?": tuSevlaH DaQub'a'
You need an <'e'> between the words. Also, the mixing of singular and plural
is a bit odd, but I think it is appropriate if the speaker is addressing a
single person (e.g. Mulder) but talking about the whole group (e.g. the
FBI).
> "Your aliens, Agent Mulder, your little green men arrived
> here millions of years ago."
> 'uy'ben naDev paw novpu'lI', Duy mulDer, loDHom pu'lI'
I'd drop the <naDev>, which would probably be understood. Also, <Duy>
probably doesn't work for this sort of "agent". I think the best word for
and FBI agent is probably plain old <yaS>.
There is lots of apposition and address going on in the English, screwing up
the order of things, and that can't quite carry over into the Klingon.
<loDHom> is usually used to mean "boy", but I think it might well be
understood properly in this context. Finally, don't forget they're little
*green* men. Doq'a' chaH? ghobe'! SuD!
'uy'ben paw novpu'lI', loDHompu'lI' SuD, mulDer yaS.
> So how'd I do?
Not too bad.
pagh
Beginners' Grammarian