tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Feb 02 07:37:13 2004

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Re: KLBC: Genesis 1:1-5

sangqar ([email protected]) [KLI Member] 

> 1    mungDaq chal ghor je chenmoHta' Qun.
> 2    'ej chenbe'pu' ghor 'ej chImpu' 'oH, 'ej Hurgh Qargh'a' bIS'ub, 'ej bIQ
> DungDaq leng Qun qa'.
> 3    <<wovchoH>> jatlh Qun, 'ej ghIq wovchoHta'.
> 4    'ej QaQ wovtaHghachvam 'e' legh Qun, 'ej wovtaHghachvam
> HurghtaHghachvetlh je chev Qun.
> 5    'ej wovtaHghachvaD <<pem>> pong Qun, HurghtaHghachvaD <<ram>> pong je;
> choS tu'lu', ghIq po tu'lu' - wa' jaj.
>  
> Notes that come to mind:
>  
> 1. I'm a little weak when it comes to aspect and complex sentences. Any and
> all comments are very much appreciated.
>  
> 2. I'm not comfortable with {mungDaq} since "In the beginning" refers to
> both time and space (or neither, or just time - depends on one's point of
> view), and {mungDaq} refers only to a location, sort of. Any creative
> suggestions regarding {-vIS} or {-pa'}?

I like {taghmeH}.  I also prefer {yav} instead of {ghor}.  {ghor} doesn't seem like a word an 
ancient culture woud use.
  
> 3. Regarding the first part of verse 2: is it possible to combine 2 verbs in
> the same object-verb-subject construct? Something like {chenbe'pu' chImpu'
> je ghor}? IMHO, using 2 separate (mini-)sentences weakens the meanings of
> the expression "tohu va-vohu" (something like "chaos and desolation"), and I
> can't think of a noun with a similar meaning).

I really don't like {chenbe'} here.  chay' chenbe'laH yav?  chenbej; qen chenmoHta' Qun!  
There may simply be no way in Klingon to express the idea that something can be "made" 
and yet not yet have a form.  Perhaps you might use use {narghmoH} in the first verse, but 
this is unsatisfying.  Or perhaps use {'u'} in the first verse instead og {chal yav je}; after all, 
"heaven and earth" is just an idomatic expression that means all of creation.

I have also heard the theory that the Hebrew should be translated "When God began to 
create the heavens and the earth, the earth was formless and empty".  If this is the case, 
then there is no conflict between {chenmoH} and {chenbe'}.

> 4. {wovtaHghach} and {HurghtaHghach} seem very iffy because of the
> {-taHghach} syndrome, but I can't think of a better re-phrasing...

poH wov, poH Hurgh

-Sangqar

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