tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Mar 24 09:30:13 2006

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Re: On a more humerous note (some may not think of this as funny),

ngabwI' ([email protected]) [KLI Member] [Hol po'wI']

> Holmey bIHnISbe' tlhaQ.
> lutmey bIHHlaHqu' tlhaQ.
>
> Intended meaning:
> Languages do not need to be funny.
> Stories may be funny.

Close. {tlhaQ} is a verb meaning "to be funny", so it would go like this:

{tlhaQnISbe' Holmey.
tlhaQlaHbej lutmey.}

The {-bej} is a stylistic touch, and need not be included, but it's probably 
more "Klingon" to do so.

> tlhaQtaH, ngoQ 'oHbe' Hol.

> Intended meaning:
> The purpose of a language is not to be funny.

Swing and a miss. But oddly enough, the best phrasing I can think of is the 
one cited above, {tlhaQnISbe' Holmey}. It seems to me this repetition is 
added only for emphasis, and can be restated only due to the (relative) 
vastness of English. I see no need to repeat oneself, so I'd personally omit 
this bit. Just MHO.


> tlhaQwI'vaD, Hol 'oHlaH ngoQvaD Sup

> Intended meaning:
> A language can be the means to something funny.

This is badly in need of a recast. Let's try restating the ideas in a way 
that more easily encodes to Klingon. I come up with:
"In order to be funny, one can use language."

Pretty close, IMO, but if you've any objections, let me know.

So starting from our sentence, we plug in the necessary vocabulary and 
grammar and get:

{tlhaQlu'meH, Hol lo'laH vay'}

or more colloqiually,

{tlhaQlu'meH, Hol lo'luH (or {lo'la'})}.

but the one I like the best (on the grounds it sounds more "Klingon" to me):

{tlhaQlu'meH, wa' nuH neH 'oH Hol'e'}
"For being funny, language is but one weapon."

Once again, just my opinion...

> tlhIngan vIghoj yapbe', 'oHbej.
>
> IM: I don't learn enough klingon, obviously.

I like {wej tlhIngan Hol yap vIghojta'} "I have not yet learned enough 
Klingon."

--ngabwI'

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