tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu May 21 11:06:16 2009

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RE: Service

Steven Boozer ([email protected])



Fiat Knox:
>I'm also coming up short on two words that are baffling me: "factor," as
>in "there are many factors to consider," 


How about {potlh} "consequential thing, something important"? 

  tlhIngan qorDu' potlh 
  "Klingon Family Values" (S13 title)

{Duj De' potlh}, literally "important ship information/data" was used in the title of the BoP poster:

  tlhIngan toQDuj Duj De' potlh 
  "Klingon Bird of Prey General Specifications" (KBoP)

Also consider {De'} "information", {ngoD} "fact" and {ngoQ} "qoal, purpose".

>and "reflection" - not to mention "reflect" and, of course, "mirror."


The easy one first:

  {SIla'}   mirror (n.)
  {neSlo'}  mirror (n.)

HQ 10.4 (p.5):  Finally, when he heard that his new friend had considered asking for "mirror" [...] Maltz blurted out that there are two common words for "mirror": {SIla'} and {neSlo'}. He said that a {SIla'} was typically larger than a {neSlo'}, but he wasn't sure if there was any other difference.

"Reflection" is a bit harder.  Not really surprising since we don't even have a basic word for "image" or "picture".  The last time this came up I was informed that ancient Etruscan- and Latin-speakers used "shadow" - *hinthal* and *umbra* respectively - to refer to the reflected images seen in their polished metal mirrors.  This use of {QIb} "shadow" would have to be explained however.

A simpler approach is to re-word your sentence, e.g. with {legh'egh} "see oneself":

  "Lursa saw her reflection in the mirror."

  neSlo'Daq legh'egh lurSa'.
  Lursa saw herself in the mirror.

  neSlo' lo'taHvIS legh'egh lurSa'.
  Using a mirror, Lursa saw herself.



--
Voragh                          
Canon Master of the Klingons






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