tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Oct 30 00:01:49 2010
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Re: A request for assistance
- From: R Fenwick <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: A request for assistance
- Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:00:13 +1000
- Importance: Normal
ghItlhpu' lojmIt tI'wI' nuv, jatlh:
>I wonder whether a Klingon would consider a rose's thorn to be closer associated
>with DuQwI' or with naHjej. We've translated the latter to "thistle",
*Okrand* translated it that way (KGT 88, and on pp. 221, 260 mistakenly given as
*{neHjej}).
taH:
>but we can't know that it is not a more generic word for any plant that has parts
>that would be considered "sharp".
I know it's an argument from etymology, but {naH} is translated by Okrand in KGT as
"any part of any plant that is eaten" (the usual glosses are "fruit" or "vegetable").
{naHjej} is also given in the section of KGT that covers food. Given what we do know
about the term, I don't feel comfortable using it to translate "rose".
Anyway, {DuQwI'} as a derived noun can be translated more literally as "stabber",
still very appropriate for a thorn, and {DuQwI'mey} are associated with several
Klingon weapons (KGT pp. 58, 61, 67). So I actually see {DuQwI'} as a singularly
appropriate translation of "thorn" - though culturally I think a Klingon would
consider a flower *with* thorns to be a better symbol for a strong woman.
>We don't talk about trees like that, or bushes,
Really? "I was gardening today and dug the fig out, but left the limes alone."
>and perhaps we should not assume that this carries across the language barrier
>between English and Klingon.
That problem doesn't apply to {DuQwI' Hutlhbogh chal tI} anyway.
QeS 'utlh