tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Oct 28 15:18:40 1998
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RE: KLBC: wa'DIch jabbI'ID
- From: "Andeen, Eric" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: KLBC: wa'DIch jabbI'ID
- Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 15:18:09 -0700
lab qonwI':
>
> {qonwI'} 'oH pongwIj'e'.
>
> tlhIngan Hol vIghojqang. Hol Dajqu' 'oH!
>
> jIjat'a'? jItulbe'! mujchugh mu'meywIj, jIQoS.
Welcome to the list, qonwI'. I'm sure you've seen the BG spiel before, so I
will spare you.
The subject line should be <jabbI'ID wa'DIch> - the ordinal number goes
after the noun, but otherwise your grammar is perfect.
I will comment on the last line, though. Even with perfect grammar, you
still sound like a Terran. One of the most important things to know about
Klingon if you want to survive is to speak boldly. For example, where you
would say "Excuse me, please" in English, you would say the equivalent of
"get out of my way" in Klingon. This would not be considered rude - it's
just the way Klingons behave, and by extension, the way we behave while
speaking Klingon.
When learning a language, you need to understand not only the grammar and
vocabulary, but also some of the culture that created the language. Klingons
value, among other things, aggressiveness, directness, and accuracy, and
these values are reflected in the language itself and the way it is used.
pagh
Beginners' Grammarian
p.s. I mean that part about surviving literally - tourists are occasionally
killed for social gaffes in the Klingon Empire. If you ever get the chance
to visit, be careful {{;-)>