tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jul 07 13:13:50 2003
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RE: Sun?
- From: Eric Andeen <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: Sun?
- Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2003 11:08:38 -0700
Klingon Warrior:
> > Is there a word for the sun? A sun? If not, any ideas on
> > how to say such a noun?
SuStel:
> We don't know of any word for "sun."
>
> Somebody's going to suggest /pem Hov/ "daytime star." That's
> cute, and maybe even deductively conclusive, but it's always
> left me with a feeling of "yeah, right." How often do YOU
> call the sun the "daytime star" in casual conversation?
>
> Other unsatisfactory ways to say it include "Sol" (that is,
> name the sun in question), /Hovtaymaj Hov/ "our star system's
> star," /Hov Sum/ "nearby star," and /Hov'a'/ "important
> star." Feel free to construct your own.
I think it's extremely unlikely that the Klingon word for "sun" has anything
to do with <Hov>. I don't know of a single Earth language where "sun" is
related to "star", and for good reason. We humans didn't even begin to
realize that our sun is a star like any other until well into the
Renaissance, and it wasn't generally accepted until very recently, in the
scheme of things. The sun was special and distinct when our languages were
evolving. Unless Klingons gained advanced knowledge of astronomy *much*
earlier than we did, there is no reason to believe that any construction
involving <Hov> is what Klingons call the sun. It's also quite
understandable that the topic has not yet come up with Maltz - he is, after
all, a member of a starship crew, and from that perspective, each star
really is like any other. Perhaps Marc can find time to ask him directly . .
.
On the other hand, although we don't know the Klingon word for sun, we can
still talk about it. <pem Hov> and <Hovtaymaj Hov> both seem perfectly
explanatory. When I hear <Hov'a'>, I tend to think of some of the more
exotic astronomical phenomena - quasars and the like. But that might just be
me.
pagh