tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Oct 18 09:10:14 2006
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Re: Dilbert Comic in Klingon for 2006/10/16
pm5:
> > Dilbert: "I stayed up all night working on Mindy's software
> > because she threatened me if I didn't."
> > DIlbot: {wa'Hu' ram Hoch mInDI patvaD vIvumtaH mubuQmo'.}
ter'eS
>Verbs with subordinating suffixes (eg. {-mo'})usually come first in the
>sentence. We don't have a canon
>word for "software", but we do have a verb for "to program" (go figure!),
>so you could work around it
>that way.
FYI: Some people use *{De'wI' mIw} "computer procedure/process" for "program".
>I don't really like {ram Hoch} for 'all night', so I'm proposing a
>different phrase. Also,
>I'm repeating Mindy's name, which Klingons don't seem to mind as much as
>we do.
>
> {mubuQmo' mInDI wa'Hu' ram naQ mInDI Qu' vIghuntaH}
Since you're stressing duration - "I stayed up all night" - I'm proposing
{qaStaHvIS wa'Hu' ram} "(during) last night" (lit. "while yesterday's night
occurred"). Examples from canon:
qaStaHvIS wa' ram loS SaD Hugh SIjlaH qetbogh loD
4,000 throats may be cut in one night by a running man. TKD
qaStaHvIS wa'maH puq poHmey, wo'rIv batleH ghaj qorDu'Daj
Worf's bat'telh has been in his family for ten generations. S8
> > Boss: "Really? Threats make you work all night?"
> > pIn: {'oH teH'a'? ram Hoch bIvumtaH 'e' DabuQlu'mo''a'?}
>
>Instead of {teH}, try the verb {vIt} 'to tell the truth'. The rest needs
>re-working: if you are using
>{-mo'}, you wouldn't use the {'e'}, but I think I'd go with a different
>word order:
>
> {bIvIt'a'? DabuQlu'chugh vaj ram naQ bIvumtaH'a'?}
Personally, I see nothing wrong with {teH} "be true" - though I would drop
{'oH} which refers to concrete objects: {teH'a'?}. I like {bIvIt'a'}
which works well for "You're kidding me! Get outta here!" (However, I
would be very careful with this as a Klingon may think you're doubting his
word and calling him a liar!) We also have the so-called "tag question"
{qar'a'} and, although it's usually tagged onto the end of statements
("isn't that so?"), I see no reason why you couldn't use it alone as a
comment ("Is that so? Really?").
> > Boss: "Work on this all night or I'll punch you."
> > DIlbot: {ramvam Hoch Qu'vamvaD yIvumtaH pagh yIbech!}
>
>How about the verb {mup} 'to hit, strike': {pagh qamupbej!}.
Not bad, but I would use {qIp} "hit (with hand, fist, implement)" as {mup}
"impact, strike" *may* refer only to objects. (In SP2 it's used with
regard to the side blades on a dak'tagh, and we have the derived nouns
{mupwI'} "hammer" and {mupwI'Hom} "mallet [for striking a musical
instrument]".) For "I'll punch you" try {qaqIpqu'}. We have an example:
tIqIpqu' 'ej nom tIqIp
Hit them hard and hit them fast. TKW
Other hitting verbs are {moq} "beat (with implement)", {tlhaw'} "hit
(percussion instrument) with fist" and {weq} "hit (percussion instrument)
with palm". I rather like {tlhaw'} here. The image is Mindy hitting
Dilbert like a drum, similar to using someone's face "like a punching bag".
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons