tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Aug 02 06:11:36 1994

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Re: sayings, and Klingon Translation Ideology



> 
> 
> 
> > this case, "it" really means "today", so using "it" is rather
> > idomatic to English and we are not sure it works in Klingon.
> 
> > jIHeghmeH QaQ DaHjaj.
> > "For the purpose that I die, today is good."
> > 
> > charghwI'
> 
> Sorry, man, I gotta use my first post to disagree. Here's why.
> It seems to me that the concention is to back off from a decisive 
> translation, based on the concept that Klingon culture could convey such 
> a message or saying in an infinite number of ways, and we have no way to 
> guess.
> Well, here's my postulation to solve part of the problem. When a Klingon 
> translates a phrase and uses it in Fed Standard, he or she's not likely 
> to bend it to fit Feddies' ears..."we're" gonna say it just as it was 
> originally formed, as close to the original Klingon idiom (the Idiom 
> problem can work for us as well as against {{:>). So when Worf says "It 
> is a good day to die", I think we can assume the original Klingon is 
> pretty close to that.


I would buy into this more, if Klingon was Worf's first language.  It is 
not.  REmember; he was raised by *humans*.  Terran Standard is is first 
language... or by this point in his life, it is.

Show me a Klingon whose antive tongue is Hol'e', and I will agree you 
have a valid arguement here.


> Besides, it would be a better phrase if "today" was the real subject, 
> rather than another day, or merely the time frame of the deed of dying.
> I think that's the essential gist of the idiom, that now's as good a time 
> as any, so fear me, baby {{:)
> am I making any sense?
> 
> 


Uh... no... but I am known to be pretty dense at times...


--tQ


-- 
HaghtaHbogh tlhIngan yIvoqQo'!  toH, qatlh reH HaghtaH HoD Qanqor...?

--HoD trI'Qal		Captain T'rkal		---------------------
  tlhwD lIy So'		IKV Hidden Comet	|   [email protected]







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