tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Mar 17 16:29:13 1999
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RE: KLBC: Sayings of the Sea
- From: "Andeen, Eric" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: KLBC: Sayings of the Sea
- Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 17:32:01 -0700
jatlh quljIb:
> This my attempt at translating the line found on the
> USS Defiant's dedication plaque.
>
> chIjmeH Hov Duj'a' neH vIneH.
jIjatlh:
: If I remember correctly, it is something like "All I want is a tall ship
and
: a star to steer her by". If that's the case, you came very close. You are
: missing a conjunction - you want the ship *AND* the star, so put <je>
after
: the objects. I'd probably also reverse the the <chIjmeH Hov> and the
: <Duj'a'>, and I would certainly add a comma for clarity:
:
: Duj'a', chIjmeH Hov je neH vIneH.
jatlh Voragh:
> A "tall ship" - a tall, masted sailing ship like the one used for Worf's
> promotion scene on the holodeck in "Star Trek: Generations" - is not the
> same as a {Duj'a'} "big ship" or a "supership (e.g. a supertanker).
> Avoiding the overused augmentative is difficult as we don't know the
> Klingon quality that translates as "be tall", or even whether the same
> word would be used with things and people.
Actually, I do think that the augmentative works here. The <-'a'> doesn't
necessarily make something larger, it makes it more grand, or more valiant,
or more of whatever characteristics define the noun. In a historic naval
context, <Duj'a'> would *have* to be a tall, masted ship. I can't think of
any other kind of ship that would warrant the <-'a'> suffix. The "tall ship"
in the quote does not just represent a large boat - it represents the pride
and skill of the sailor, the craftsmanship, grace, and majesty of the ship,
and the power, beauty and mystery of the ocean. It's not just a ship; it's a
<Duj'a'>. I think this is actually one of the best uses of <-'a'> I've seen.
pagh
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