tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Mar 10 23:21:01 1994

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Re: KLBC: Passing Time



>From: "TRI'QAL" <[email protected]>
>Date: Fri, 11 Mar 1994 11:49:41 -0400 (EDT)
>Subject: Re: KLBC:  Passing Time
>
>*Beginner*
>
>...Paulvo':
>
>>qabqu' De'wI'maj pat
>
>A note on your translation:  What you actually said was "the system of our
>computer is very bad."  There is absolutely nothing wrong with this; it was
>grammtically correct and I understood you perfectly.  Since I am not really
>certain where the English came from (Actually, I think "computer" is used as
>an adjective, and we don't have a verb "to compute"... although we DO have
>SIm, "to calculate", but I think that would confuse people... I really don't
>think a lengthy debate on English grammar fits here), I am not going to
>comment on your style here.  Yes, I altered the translation very slightly in
>my reply... it is a matter of style, and just what the English words 
>"computer system" mean to you.  Follow?  Or was this too much?  (yes, I get
>to "cheat", and use my comments on your translations as filler between my
>tlhIngan and the English translations.  I like it. {{:) )

I agree that I probably should have said De'wI'meymaj instead; but remember
that the plural suffixes are often optional; they are not required (but aren't
wrong if you use them anyway).

As for the derivation of De'wI'...  There IS a mu' tlhIngan "De'"...  "De'"
is a noun, and means data, or information.  De'wI' is not a standard
construction, but the connection is pretty obvious...

...Paul




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