tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Jan 31 15:55:13 2002
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Re: KLBC: Klingon distress call (updated)
- From: Qov <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: KLBC: Klingon distress call (updated)
- Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 12:51:31 -0800
> > > > maH nuHIvtaH jagh. maHegh 'ach DIrIQ. pechol 'ej DaHIv. bortaS
> chenobHa'.
>
> > > On reflection, I probably should have used some imperative prefixes. . .
>
> > > maH nuHIvtaH jagh. maHegh 'ach DIrIQ. HIchol 'ej tIHIv! bortaS ghonobHa'!
>
>"The enemy is attacking US. We are dead, but we be injured them. [Okay, so if
>you are dead, who sent this message, and if you are dead, why does the enemy
>continue to attack?] Come closer and attack them! Ungive us revenge!"
Don't forget that Klingon has no tense. "We will die" is a perfectly valid
translation of maHegh. I'd kind of expect nuHIvlI' jagh under that
circumstance, but perhaps they don't appear to be attacking with any sort
of purpose.
Canon attests to "give back" as a translation of nobHa'. I'm not sure I've
seen the prefix trick used with an imperative, but the structure is correct
for the prefix trick.
taj qanob - I give you the knife
taj qanobHa' - I give you back the knife
taj HInobHa' - give me back the knife
bortaS ghonobHa' - give us back revenge
Or maybe "Rend undo us vengeance." You've got to bear in mind that the guy
sending this Sotlaw has multiple sucking chest wounds, and his hair is on
fire. I do tend to agree with charghwI' when he says:
> > >bortaS ghonobHa'
> >
> > This implies that they will be taking back what they
> > presumably have given.
It at least sounds like they are asking for something they've had before to
be returned. So perhaps: bortaSmaj yISuq.
> > And this brings up the question, what do we do with revenge? Do we tlhap,
> > baj, jon, ta', chav, nob, jab, etc.?
I feel like answering this one with HISlaH! Why not? English has a few
nouns that prefer particular verbs (practise agriculture/law/medicine,
transact business) but it isn't wrong or ugly to attempt, work at, serve
in, or do those things. There is evidence (qI', cha', laQ) that Klingon
has cliched verbs for particular nouns, but I'm not going to let that stop
anyone from nej-ing, quch-ing, nor poQ-ing revenge.