tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Dec 22 12:19:38 1996
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RE: hello
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: hello
- Date: Sun, 22 Dec 96 20:12:30 UT
December 22, 1996 12:37 PM, jatlh SuSvaj:
> ghItlh TPO
>
> > nuqneH does not mean greetings; and we know what he wants.
>
> I think we are all aware that nuqneH literally means "What do you want?"
> However it has been explicitly stated that nuqneH is the "only" greeting in
> tlhIngan Hol, and that is how it is commonly used.
Oh dear, here we go again.
{nuqneH} is indeed the only standard greeting, but that doesn't mean you use
it the same way you use "hello." Klingons have social situations where it is
correct to use {nuqneH}. Why would it mean "what do you want?" if it really
meant "hello?"
I can't find this in the FAQ . . . hmmm . . .
As we learn in Power Klingon, a Klingon prefers straightforwardness. Start by
stating your business. Walking up to a person and asking {nuqneH?} and then
starting to talk without waiting for a reply would be viewed as mad to a
Klingon. When a Klingon says {nuqneH?}, he means it literally!
--
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 96977.0