tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Feb 12 05:34:25 1994

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Re: prefixes on pronouns



\Well, regardless of the mublaHghachqoq of yISoH, I instantly agree that
\marqoS's is the superior translation.  majQa'!
	qatlho'.  Although I was not alone in thinking of {Da} - at least two
of us posted that version, and others probably thought of it without
posting . . . 

\So, ok, how would you do one where we really do mean *to be* the thing, not
\just to act like it?  Here are versions with yISoH.  Any alternatives?
\
\Worf, to Riker, who's vacillating (*again!*) about whether to accept
\yet another promotion to captain of some other ship:
\
\    "HoD yISoHvIpQo'!"      'Don't be afraid to be [a] captain!'
\
\Here, I don't think Da cuts it.  We're not talking about behavior, we're
\talking about accepting the rank and actually *being* one.
	We're talking about accepting the rank and actually *becoming* one:

	HoD yImojvIpQo'!

\How about:  Worf, talking to Odo:
\
\    "tlhIngan yISoH!"       'Be a Klingon!'
\
\Here, Worf really *is* telling him to change form {{;-)

	And again, the fact that there is a change taking place makes {moj}
appropriate:

	tlhIngan yImoj!

\And a perhaps murkier one:  Worf giving Data a costuming suggestion
\for the upcoming Halloween party in 10 Forward:
\
\    "HaghmoHwI' yISoH"      'Be a clown.'
\
\We'll leave aside the issue of whether or not HaghmoHwI' is the best
\way to say "clown". {{:-)
	I think I'd use {moj} yet again, although it is a bit murkier.

In general, it's hard to use the imperative with "be" in a manner that doesn't
involve a change... If you really are instructing someone to continue to bewhat
they currently are, there might be justification for 'yISoH' (or yISoHtaH,
perhaps)... but I'm hard pressed to contrive a justifying example.  I think
rewording avoids this issue in general.

\P.S.  HaghmoHwI' yISoH!  HaghmoHwI' yISoH!  HaghmoHwI' muSHa' qo' Hoch....
\(doesn't scan very well, does it?)

	'sokay, neither did my version of "muSHa'ghach Duj". :)

-marqoS



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