tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Sep 23 18:08:11 2003

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Re: Klingon Radio

...Paul ([email protected])

• From: "...Paul" <[email protected]>
• Subject: Re: Klingon Radio
• Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2003 16:07:55 -0700 (PDT)
• In-Reply-To: <[email protected]>

On Tue, 23 Sep 2003, Spencer Daniel wrote:
> I want to say "Only weaklings negotiate using diplomacy.  Men negotiate
> using swords."
> But the problem here is that I'm not sure how to modify the verb "to
> negotiate" <Sutlh> with what, in English, would be "with ____" or "using
> ____".  This is what I got right now:
>
> <ghar Sutlh toDSaHpu' neH.  'etlhmey Sutlh toDpu'.>
>
> But this seems like it might just make out "diplomacy" and "swords" to be
> the direct objects of "negotiate".  Any suggestions?

You're looking for -meH, I believe.  :)

gharmeH Sutlh pujwI' neH.  gharmeH yan SuvwI'.

"Only weaklings negotiate (in order) to conduct diplomacy.  A warrior
wields a sword (in order) to conduct diplomacy."

I'm not sure why you used /toDSaH/ (a curse word) for 'weakling', or
/toDpu'/ for "men".  The latter is nearly outright wrong; no form of /toD
(or its variations) are "beings capable of language".

Also, it may be unnecessary to repeat /gharmeH/, since the context is
pretty clear without it:

gharmeH Sutlh pujwI' neH.  yan SuvwI'.

"Only weaklings negotiate in order to conduct diplomacy.  Warriors wield a
sword."

> Also, a note on my use of <toDSaH>....using official Klingon profanity is
> funnier on air than making up some -wI construction (<pujwI'> would have
> been my guess), so I tried to guess which one might mean something closest

We don't really have a good idea what /toDSaH/ really means -- and I would
be hesitant to use a noun suffix on it, since we don't have any reference
(that I know of) that specifically indicates it's a noun.  If you want
more of a slang intention, we do have evidence of /Hom/ (normally a
diminutive suffix) being used alone as a noun.

...Paul

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• References:
  • Klingon Radio
    • From: "Spencer Daniel" <[email protected]>

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