tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Oct 30 06:33:05 2006

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Re: Dilbert Comic in Klingon for 2006/10/24

De'vID ([email protected]) 

pm5 wrote:
> Greetings Warriors:
> 
> Here are my translations for the dialogues in [Dilbert comic for October
> 24][1].  Corrections and advises are appreciated.
> 
>         pIn: {qen bItaQ.  qa'vIn 'Iq Datlhutlh 'e' yImevchugh chaq qaq.} (1)
>        Boss: "You've been acting strangely lately.  Maybe you should
>               cut down on the coffee."

First, <yImevchugh> mixes an imperative with a conditional.  It should 
either be <Damevchugh> or <yImev>.  I think a Klingon would use <yImev>, 
i.e., give an order rather than a suggestion.

<qa'vIn 'Iq Datlhutlh 'e' yImev!.>

>      DIlbot: {SoHmo' jIbelHa'pu'.  HoSqu' yISIQ!} (2)
>     Dilbert: "You have failed me.  Feel the power of the force!"

Is <HoS> a noun or verb here?  If it's a noun, it can't take <-qu'>; and 
if it's a verb, it can't be the object of <SIQ>.

>      Doqbot: {qaS wanI' qab bInajvIS'a'?} (3)
>     Dogbert: "Bad dream?"

I don't think <-vIS> can occur without <-taH>, except in certain special 
phrases.  Also, the placement of <-'a'> looks odd to me.  The question 
pertains to whether or not something bad happened, not whether or not 
Dilbert is dreaming.  But it looks like Dogbert is asking, *"Something 
bad happened, was it while you were dreaming?"

<bInajtaHvIS qaS'a' wanI' qab?>

I would suggest something more active, not merely "Did something bad 
occur?" but "Did you encounter something bad?"
<bInajtaHvIS ghu' Qob Daghom'a'?>

>      DIlbot: {qabbejbe'!} (4)
>     Dilbert: "I wouldn't call it bad!"

I like the negating of the suffix <-bej> to express the sentiment here.

-- 
De'vID

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