tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Apr 05 06:16:51 2010

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RE: Age

Steven Boozer ([email protected])



naHQun:
>> Which book, tape, or article discusses how to discuss ages?
>> i.e. The caves are tens of thousands of years old.

  With longer time periods, such as a century ({vatlh DIS poH}),
  millennium ({SaD DIS poH}), or a period of 10,000 years (myriad,
  perhaps) ("netlh DIS poH"), the words {ret} ["period of time ago"]
  or {pIq} ["period of time from now"] may be used in place of {poH},
  e.g., {cha' vatlh DIS poH} "two centuries", but {cha' vatlh DIS
  ret} "two centuries ago". The phrase {cha' vatlh ben} would mean
  "200 years ago". The choice of construction depends on what is
  being emphasized: in this case, the total number of centuries (two)
  or the total number of years (200).  [HQ 8.3:3]


qurgh:
>The only one that jumps to mind right now is the line from Power Klingon:
>
>  cha'vatlh ben HIq vItlhutlh
>  I will drink two century old ale
>
>You'll need to pick an exact date though:
>
>"Klingons pride themselves on punctuality, so it is important to be
>precise when referring to time. Though Klingons are sometimes inaccurate, 
>they are *never* approximate." - PK :D
>
>  vaghnetlh ben bIH DISmey'e'
>  The caves are fifty thousand years old

More examples with {ben} "years ago":

  vagh SanID ben buDbe' wamwI'pu'. 
  5,000 years ago, hunters were not lazy. (st.k 11/99)

  loSmaH ben jIboghpu'
  I was born 40 years ago. (i.e. I am 40 years old) (st.k 12/12/96)

 
-- 
Voragh                          
Canon Master of the Klingons






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