tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Nov 18 21:31:02 2006

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I should kill you where you stand

McArdle ([email protected])



suvwI'pu' batlh:
   
  "I should kill you where you stand" is a prototypically Klingon sentiment that seems difficult to actually say in Klingon as we know it.  There doesn't appear to be a mechanism for relative clauses that are not the subject or object of the main verb, and there also doesn't seem to be a way to express moral obligation.  One could imagine there being a type-2 verbal suffix for this, but none is attested.
   
  It seems to me that Klingons would express obligation in terms of honor, so I came up with the following:
   
     QamtaHghach DaqlIjDaq qaHoH quvvaD vIneH
   
  I considered {qaHoH 'e' poQ quv}, but that seems too strong; if honor demands something, an honorable Klingon not only should do it, he/she _must_ do it.  Therefore I preferred the slightly less compelling {quvvaD vIneH}, on the assumption that {quvvaD} expresses an idea similar to "for honor's sake".
   
  I'm not sure about {QamtaHghach DaqlIjDaq} (or {QamtaHghachlIj DaqDaq} ?).  If this doesn't work, then perhaps
   
     hIHoH quvvaD vIneH pa' biQamtaHvIS
  nuq boQub
   
  Hoch Satlho' 'ej Savan
   
  mIq'ey

 
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