tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Apr 01 20:38:36 1996

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Re:KLBC Re: KLBC: van & more

"C4" writes:
>Suvan tlhIngan Hol jatlhwI'pu' 'ej qavan tlhIngan Hol pabwI'  --
> with a hole in my head.

QaQlaw' mu'meylIj, 'ach lughbe' <Su->.  chaq <Sa-> DaghItlhHa'.
'ej "Grammarian" wImughmeH <pabwI'> wIlo'be' -- <pabpo'> wIlo'.
mu'ghom'a'Daq <pabpo'> tu'be'lu', 'ej pabna'mo' chenlaHchu'be',
'ach "grammarian" DelmeH lo' *Marc Okrand*, vaj lugh 'e' wIlaj.

This is okay, except for the {Su-} at the beginning, which might easily
be a typo for the correct prefix {Sa-}.  And except for the word {pabwI'}
which I think you want to mean "Grammarian" -- we say {pabpo'}.  It's not
in the dictionary, and it's not even quite "legal" by the rules given in
the dictionary, but Marc Okrand used it to refer to a Grammarian and we
accept it as correct.

[And except for the mixing of languages, especially using the English
word "with" which doesn't translate directly.  I think using Klingon
words in English sentences actively hinders learning Klingon grammar,
and using English phrases with Klingon sentences is simply lazy.]

>The proverb was my own fabrication. Perhaps a bit presumptious, but I've been
>itching to try & compose something in tlhIngan Hol.  In the first line, I was
>trying to use the Paleo-Klingon numerical system (3 X 3 + 1). Perhaps I
>should have stuck a "je" in there. If there are other problems with grammar,
>spelling, let me know. Please! :-)

We don't know how that number system was used, so I wouldn't expect anyone
to be able to understand an _ad hoc_ attempt to resurrect it.  I remember
two big problems with the first line: {wejlogh} was misspelled, and it was
apparently used to modify a number, not a verb.  I've discarded the original
note, but I seem to remember another misspelled word and a {vaj} that didn't
seem appropriate.

>By the way, I've enrolled in the postal course, so hopefully my grammar will
>improve. I will try to remain a little more reserved until such time.

SIbI' bIQapbe'mo' meH yItamQo'!  bIjatlhbe'chugh, DulughmoH pagh, 'ej
not tlhIngan Hol pup Daghoj.

Don't be quiet just because you didn't get it right the first time!  Unless
you speak, nobody will be able to correct you, and you will never learn the
correct way to use the language.

-- ghunchu'wI'               batlh Suvchugh vaj batlh SovchoH vaj

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