tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Nov 03 17:07:40 1996

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RE: KLBC: mughmey

Before I say anything else, let me point out that the subject line of this 
message has a noun suffix attached to a verb.  This is illegal.  The attempt 
was to say "translations," but this is not the way to do it.  {mugh} is not a 
noun.

In Klingon, it helps to be specific.  Be specific, and the grammar falls into 
place.  Be vague, and you can't say much.  Instead of saying "translations," 
tell us what you are translating.  If you're translating a story, say {lut 
vImugh}.  If you're translating a proverb, say {vIttlhegh vImugh}.  Klingon 
loves to use verbs, not nouns.  This can be difficult for English-speakers, 
since English is very noun-oriented.

jatlh HurghwI':

>  mu'meyvam lughbe'chugh jIH yIja'!

There are two parts to this sentence, and I will address them one at a time.  
The first is the clause, *{mu'meyvam lughbe'chugh}.  You are obviously trying 
to say "If these words are not right."  Now, the verb is {lugh} "be correct."  
What is correct?  "These words."  Klingon sentence order is 
OBJECT-VERB-SUBJECT.  If "these words" are the subject, as they are here, then 
they need to go *after* the verb:

{lughbe'chugh mu'meyvam}

Next, you gave a command: *{jIH yIcha'}.  Look at the imperative verb prefix 
table on TKD 34.  Since the object of "tell me" is "me," you have placed the 
{jIH} in the right position.  But the verb prefix is wrong.  Object "me" means 
you need to use the prefix {HI-}.  "Tell me" is {HIja'}.  It's a complete 
coincidence that it is also the word for "yes."

Therefore, this whole sentence should be

{lughbe'chugh mu'meyvam, jIH HIja'}

>  "Why do some people have a nose which runs and feet which smell while >  
others
>  have a nose which smells and feet which run?"
>
>  qatlh qetbogh ghIch He'bogh qamDu' je ghajtaH vay'pu' larghbogh ghIch
>  qetbogh qamDu' je ghajtaHvIS pImbogh vay'pu'?

Oh boy.  This joke cannot work in Klingon.  We don't know if Klingons say that 
noses "run" or "flood" or "fill" or what.  A nose "running" is an idiom.  
Also, the words for "smell (sense odors)" and "smell (emit odors)" are 
different in Klingon, and the joke is based on this idea.

However, the grammar is pretty good.  The only thing I'd suggest is adding the 
word {'ej} "and" between {vay'pu'} and {larghbogh}.  Otherwise, it's something 
of a run-on sentence, and is difficult to follow.

I, for one, love Klingon puns.  But they've got to be funny in Klingon!

>  "I will meet you at the place where the sun rises."
>
>  SaSwI' qIH Hovmaj. pa' SoH qaghom jIH
>
>  {I'm not sure how to turn a sentence into a preposition of location. Is
>  there a  suffix for "where" in this sense?}

There is no suffix for "where."  It's best for you to recast the sentence 
until it is in a form that Klingon can use.

This just requires a bit of recasting, and the recognition that it's a poetic 
statement.  You cannot meet me "where the sun rises."  The sun does not 
"rise"; the planet turns.  Even if it did rise, you cannot get there.  It's 
not *on* the planet.

However, the sentence has merit.  You have used {qIH} to mean "meet," which 
was an interesting idea, but without the English translation, I'd be 
hard-pressed to realize that {SaSwI'} meant "horizon."  Even then, {qIH} means 
"meet for the first time."  The sun appears to "meet" the horizon every day, 
so I woud say that {ghom} would be the verb for this purpose.

However, I'd like to suggest a different approach.  You could say something 
like {taghDI' Hoch jaj, nargh Hovmaj.  bIngDajDaq qaghom.}  "Our star appears 
at the beginning of each day. I'll meet you below it."  A more literal 
translation of this would be rendered as "As soon as each day begins, our star 
appears.  I will meet you at its area-below."  Again, it's a somewhat "poetic" 
way to say things, but then it's a poetic sentiment.

SuStel
Stardate 96843.2

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