tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon May 08 14:25:32 1995
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Re: with lots of help from yoDtargh, here's my translation
- From: "William H. Martin" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: with lots of help from yoDtargh, here's my translation
- Date: Mon, 8 May 95 17:25:23 EDT
- In-Reply-To: <[email protected]>; from "Alan Anderson" at May 8, 95 8:11 am
According to Alan Anderson:
>
> Jim Boniface wrote:
> > "We shall gladly feast on those who would subdue us"
> > "nupujmoHqangbogh nuvpu'vetlh DISop 'e' wItIv"
>
> yoDtargh wrote:
> > maj. What is this quote from?
>
> maj Dajatlh? ghobe'! yoDtargh yItuH.
tuHnISbe' yoDtargh. qar.
> <<'e' wItIv>> jatlhlaH net chaw''a'?
HIja'. mu'tlhegh QaQ 'oH.
> <<tIvtaHvIS>> vImugh "gladly" vaj vIjatlh:
Note that the word "gladly" has no grammatical justification
for being in that sentence. The subject is implied in {vImugh},
which is first person, so unless your name is "gladly", this is
not quite a sentence.
> nupujmoHqangbogh nuvpu'vetlh'e' matIvtaHvIS DISopqu'
Generally, it is a bad idea to place any dependent clause
between a verb and its object. Even if your word order were
correct, you lose the sense of causal connection between the
eating and enjoying if you reduce it to mere simultenaity.
"While we were enjoying [the basketball game on TV], we very
much ate those who were willing to weaken us."
Meanwhile, the original attempt literally translates to:
"We eat those people who were willing to weaken us. We very much
enjoy that." This is quite grammatical.
> Here's an occasion to invoke TKD section 6.7! If I instead say
>
> matIvtaHvIS nupujmoHqangbogh nuvpu'vetlh DIsopqu'
>
> it might be interpreted as meaning
>
> "those people who would subdue us while we are glad, we eat."
While this is true, you cannot disambiguate by placing the
time-setting clause between the verb and its object. You may
choose to place this particular clause AFTER the main verb.
While I tend to normally shun this word order, it is acceptable
and will accomplish your desired disambiguation:
nupujmoHqangbogh nuvpu'vetlh DISopqu' maQuchtaHvIS.
I tend to prefer {tIV} as transitive and {Quch} as
intransitive, and I still don't like this sentence as much as
the original, but it accomplishes your goal without violating
basic Klingon grammar.
> -- ghunchu'wI'
>
>
charghwI'
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