tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Apr 14 20:52:18 1997

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

RE: Loose translation

jatlh SI'IluD:> qam bIngDaq targhlIj tu'lu'
> 
> I made this up for the postal course.

Umm . . . You're not asking for answers, are you?  If you are, then I insist 
that you do not read my response below.  On your honor as a Klingon speaker!

> I translated it as "your targh is a
> pest" I understand that the literal translation is "one finds your targ
> under foot". What I was trying to do here is not be so danged literal when
> thinking of concepts to write about for the exercises at the end of a
> lesson. I recall reading about translation contests in HolQeD where the
> judge(s) were not looking for exact literal translation. Is this not
> proper? I think that, in context, this phrase would be understood and the
> "pest" connotation would come out. What are your thoughts?

I don't think it carries this connotation at all.  It says only, "Your targ is 
below the feet."  It's a very good thought you've got, but you seem to have 
tried to translate using an English idiom.  If your targ is "under foot," it's 
not literally under your feet.  But the expression belongs to English, not 
Klingon.

To get Klingon idioms, read through TKW.  You can find lots of proverbs to 
allude to.  The next time you want to tell someone to get started on 
something, tell him {pIpyuS yIghor}.  You don't *literally* mean that you want 
him to break a pipius.

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97287.0

Back to archive top level