tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Sep 29 23:36:53 1996

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Re: Need translation, having problems....

96-09-29 17:38:36 EDT, jatlh Perry J. Brulotte:

> This probably should be KLBC, but I kind of wanted to try and get a
>  relatively "quick" response and we know <trI'Qal> is very busy....

Well, if there's one thing I am, it's quick (as a certain BG has pointed out
to me recently . . .).  I answer you because you asked . . .

>  A friend asked me to translate the following for a role playing situation:
>  "Deeds speak louder than words, little warriors."
>  Here are the possibilities I have come up with:
>  
>  1)  ta'mey jatlh law' mu'mey jatlh buS, SuvwI'Hommey.
>    -- Deeds speak more than words, little warriors.

I don't think this works.  If you look over TKD pp.70-71, you'll see that it
says, "Any verb expressing a quality or condition may fit into the Q slot
[the verb which is more or less]."  This means the verb should be stative,
i.e., usually one of the verbs which are translated "be <something>," like
{bIr} "be cold."  You've tried to use {jatlh} here, but {jatlh} is definitely
not a stative verb.  It represents an action, not a condition.

Secondly, the verb for "be few" is {puS}, not {buS}.

Thirdly, the {-mey} suffix is not used for the plural of beings capable of
using language.  For that, use {-pu'}: {SuvwI'Hompu'}.

>  2)  ta'mey tam buS mu'mey tam law', SuvwI'Hommey.
>    -- Deeds are less quiet than words, little warriors.

Same comments about {puS} and {-pu'}.  However, now you've got a stative
verb, {tam}, "be quiet," but you've reversed the order of the standard
law'/puS construction.  As far as we know, you can't alter the format of
law'/puS; it's got to be exactly as shown on TKD p.70.  I can see why you did
it, though (you wanted it to match the English original).

If you reverse the order, you get

mu'mey tam law' ta'mey tam puS, SuvwI'Hompu'.
"Words are quieter than deeds, little warriors."

This is a grammatically correct sentence, but it doesn't seem to be
emphasizing what you want, correct?  You want to talk about what gets your
attention, right?

>  3)  ta'mey chuS law' mu'mey chuS buS, SuvwI'Hommey.
>    -- Deeds make more noise than words, little warriors.

Now you're getting the idea, although I don't know if I'd understand the
reference to deeds being "noisy."  Why not try to recast closer to the
*meaning* of the sentence?  Here's my go:

ta'mey potlh law' mu'mey potlh puS, SuvwI'Hompu'.
"Deeds are more important than words, little warriors."

Hope I helped.  I also hope that trI'Qal doesn't consider this a breach of BG
territory.  You did ask . . . !

SuStel
Stardate 96747.8

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