tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Dec 23 15:40:49 1996
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RE: hello
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: hello
- Date: Mon, 23 Dec 96 23:40:40 UT
December 23, 1996 6:05 PM, jatlh Clint St.Laurent:
> >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 am only a beginner but it seems like a LOT of debate is waging over
> this simple phrase... Why would humans ask "what's up?" when they mean
> 'hello'? Shouldn't this phrase (nuqneH) be taken as an idiom rather than
> literally? After all, nobody expects to see canines and felines hitting
> the ground just because "it's raining cats and dogs."
But don't you see; that's precisely why it should be taken literally! What
does "What's up?" mean? You say it means "Hello." Well, what does "hello"
mean? My dictionary defines it as "an exclamation to attract attention or
express greeting." All that does is explain how it's used; it doesn't explain
what it *means*. Because it doesn't *mean* anything!!
But {nuqneH} DOES mean something!!! It means "What do you want?" It doesn't
mean "I'd like to get your attention in a friendly manner."
You only want to use {nuqneH} as an idiom because you want to directly
translate the word "hello." "Hello" is a greeting. {nuqneH} is a greeting.
Therefore, you conclude, they mean the same thing. No. Humans (at least,
Western-biased ones) greet each other by smiling, saying "hello," and talking
about the weather. Klingons get to the point. If there is any uncertainty as
to why the other is standing there, they'll ask {nuqneH?}.
--
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 96980.1