tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Dec 14 17:36:52 1996
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RE: Old Translations
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: Old Translations
- Date: Sun, 15 Dec 96 01:36:47 UT
December 14, 1996 3:11 PM, jatlh Perry Brulotte:
> K: SuDo'be'chugh, vaj lIHIv.
> E: If you are not lucky, they'll attack you.
maj.
> K: Do' mamej.
> E: Luckily we left.
Umm, well, yes. I'm wondering if it means "It was fortunate that it left," or
"We left in a lucky manner."
> K: DubwIj DatI'a'?
> E: Can you fick my back?
nuqjatlh?!!?
> K: De'wI'wIj vIDubnIS.
> E: I need to upgrade my computer.
maj. DaHjaj De'wI'wIj vIDub je. DaH wejmaH cha' "megabytes" lo'.
> K: yIDuDQo'.
> E: Do not mix it.
maj. Assuming, of course that {DuD} means "mix something" and not "be
together." But if it did mean the latter, why would Okrand use {tay'taHbe'
'Iw bIQ je} in TKW? I think your sentence should be all right.
> K: Dugh DevwI'wI'.
> E: My leader is vigilant.
maj.
> K: DIHIv yIDuHmoH.
> E: Make it possible for us to attack them.
Almost. This is a bit tricky:
DIHIv 'e' yIDuHmoH.
Cause to be possible that we attack them.
> K: nuq DuHmeymaj?
> E: What are our possibilities?
This only works when clipped. The full version would be
nuq bIH DuHmeymaj'e'?
> K: DujlIj vIvoqbe'.
> E: I do not trust your instincts.
maj.
> K: Dujvetlh yIHIv!
> E: Attack that ship!
maj.
> K: DaH jIDum.
> E: I am taking a nap now.
maj.
> K: bIDunbe'.
> E: You are not wonderful.
maj. mu'tlheghmeyvam vIlaD qatlh DaneH?
> K: Dujvetlh Dung yIbaH.
> E: Fire over that ship.
maj.
> K: nuq DuplIj?
> E: What is your strategy?
Again, this is clipped. The full version would be
nuq 'oH DuplIj'e'?
> K: choDuqbe'chugh, vaj qaDIl.
> E: I'll pay you not to stab me.
There are three problems here. The first is a spelling error: "stab" is
{DuQ}.
The verb {DIl} means "pay for." The object of the verb must be whatever you
are paying for. You have two choices here. Either specify what you're paying
for, {vaj De' vIDIl}, or choose another verb (or possibly use the word
{jIDIl}, leaving what you're paying for general).
Finally, there is a purpose clause which needs {-meH}:
choDuQbe'meH SoHvaD Huch vInob.
I'll give you money so that you don't stab me.
> K: DuSchajDaq yIbaH.
> E: Fire at their torpedo tube!
maj.
> K: DuSaQDaq yIjaH.
> E: Go to school.
maj.
> K: yIDochQo'.
> E: Don't be rude.
maj.
> K: Dochvam bIr'a'?
> E: Is this cold?
You have misordered this sentence (it happens a lot with stative verbs). The
subject of the sentence is "this thing."
bIr'a' Dochvam?
> K: qatlh bIDogh?
> E: Why are you silly?
maj.
> K: DaH DoghjeylIj vIneH.
> E: I want your unconditional surrender now.
maj.
> K: HIDoH!
> E: Get away from me!
maj.
> K: Dujvetlh Doj.
> E: That ship is impressive.
Again, another misordered stative verb. What you've said is "Impressive
ship." This is only a noun phrase. What you wanted to say is
Doj Dujvetlh.
> K: Dol vIHoHlaH.
> E: I can kill the entity.
maj. You're not going to use *every* word in the dictionary, are you? :)
> K: nuqDaq Dom?
> E: Where is the radan?
I guess you are!
Another clipped statement. The full version is
nuqDaq 'oH Dom'e'?
> K: Dujraj Don Dujmaj.
> E: Our ship is parallel to yours.
maj.
> K: Dop nuq bIneH?
> E: What side to you want?
This is one of those cases where you're trying to say "which something?" This
cannot be done in Klingon. Don't say *{nuq <noun>}. Reword your sentence.
Dop yIwIv!
> K: 'Iwvam Doq.
> E: This blood is red.
{Doq 'Iwvam.} See why?
> K: Dujvam wIDoQ.
> E: We claim this ship.
I suppose so. Ships are often considered "territory."
> K: puchpa'Daq choDor'a'?
> E: Will you escort me to the bathroom?
maj.
> K: DoSvetlh yIbaH!
> E: Fire on that target!
I don't know if {baH} can take an object. You used {-Daq} with other {baH}
sentences. Why not continue:
DoSvetlhDaq yIbaH!
> K: Dotlh HIja'!
> E: Status report!
This is a tricky case. As far as we can tell, Klingons only use direct
quotations with their verbs of saying. You're trying to say "Tell me the
status!" but it probably comes out as "Tell me 'status'!"
In this particular case, I usually allow {ja'} to take an object besides the
person being spoken to. My reasoning: one of the words used to define {ja} is
"report." In English, you "report" a thing, not a person (unless that person
is the subject of the report). I'd get by with {jIHvaD Dotlh yIja'!} In a
battle situation, where clipped Klingon is being used, I'm sure they just say
{Dotlh!}
> K: bIDoy'chugh, vaj yIQong.
> E: If you are tired, sleep.
maj.
> K: Doy'yuSDaq majaH.
> E: We are going to Troyius.
maj.
> K: DebDaq juDevchugh, vaj pIHoHnIS.
> E: We must kill you if you lead us into the desert.
maj.
> K: juDev vIneHchugh, juDevlaHbe'.
> E: You couldn't lead us if you wanted to.
Hmmm . . . you should be able to read this as "If you want to lead us, you
cannot lead us." Does this mean the same thing to you?
> K: De'vam choDIlnIS.
> E: You must pay me for this information.
Again, the object of {DIl} must be the thing being paid for.
jIHvaD De'vam DaDIlnIS.
> K: De'wI'wIj yIHIvQo'.
> E: Don't attack my computer.
maj.
> K: DIbmey vIneH.
> E: I want priveleges.
maj.
> K: DaH choDIlbe'chugh, vaj qaHoH.
> E: If you don't pay me now, I'll kill you.
heh . . . sounds like a prostitute.
DaH jIHvaD Huch Danobbe'chugh, vaj qaHoH.
> K: tugh DIlyumvam qanobqang.
> E: I will give you the trillium soon.
Actually, your Klingon says "I will be willing to give you the trillium soon."
> K: HIDIngQo'!
> E: Don't spin me!
maj.
> K: nuqDaq DIp?
> E: Where is a noun?
nuqDaq 'oH DIp'e'?
> K: DIrwIj yIchopQo'.
> E: Don't bite my skin.
maj.
> K: DISDaq ghoHIvQo'.
> E: Don't attack us in our cave.
Your Klingon didn't have "in *our* cave," but this is fine otherwise.
> K: yIDISbej.
> E: You will confess.
If you're making a statement, don't use an imperative prefix.
bIDISbej.
If you're commanding, say "Confess!" {yIDIS!}
> K: bIDIv'a'?
> E: Are you guilty?
maj.
> K: DIvI' DIHIv.
> E: We attack the federation.
You've got a prefix which makes it mean "We attack organizations." You need
to say
DIvI' wIHIv.
> K: DIvI'may'Duj nughoS.
> E: A federation starship is approaching.
The subject is "a Federation starship."
nughoS DIvI'may'Duj.
> K: Do 'ar wIghaj?
> E: How fast are we going?
Hmm!! That's an interesting way to do that! I don't know if it works, but
you certainly get points for trying!
nom majaH'a'? nuq 'oH Domaj'e'?
--
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 96955.7