tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Sep 28 21:18:09 1996

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Re: KLBC: Klingon toast

At 08:57 PM 9/6/96 -0700, Jeff Velten wrote:
>I am trying to translate the following toast into tlhIngan Hol:


I have to give you a word of caution on creating toasts.  i get the
impression (and I may very well be confusing these with replacement
proverbs!) that in the highly-ritualized Klingon society, one does not just
"make up" a toast; generally only "traditional" toasts are permitted.


>qamDu'lIjDaq yIHegh
>
>May you die on your feet
>
>I'm not entirely sure of this translation... I was unable to find a
>construct similar to "May you..." so I used the imperative format. Is
>this the proper way to do this?


Well, you can... but there IS a suffix that means "may" in the sense of
expressing a wish or desire, as you have here.  It is described on pages
175-176 of your KD, and it is -jaj.  You do not use an imperive prefix with it.

While what you have is grammatically correct, I suspect that "on your feet"
is idiomatic or slang for "standing".  I would say this as:

        bIQamtaHvIS bIHeghjaj!
        "May you die while standing!"


>Once again, I'm open to any and all constructs and criticism...


Hope this helps!


>Qapla'
>Qetlh


--tQ


---
HoD trI'Qal, tlhIngan wo' Duj lIy So' ra'wI'
Captain T'rkal, Commander IKV Hidden Comet (Klingon speaker and net junkie!)
HaghtaHbogh tlhIngan yIvoqQo'!  toH... qatlh HaghtaH Qanqor HoD???
monlI'bogh tlhInganbe' yIvoqQo'!  SoHvaD monlI' trI'Qal...

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