tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Apr 30 09:14:28 1997
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Re: Traveller's Phrasebook
- From: "Mark E. Shoulson" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: Traveller's Phrasebook
- Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 12:14:32 -0400 (EDT)
- In-reply-to: <[email protected]> (messagefrom Terrence Donnelly on Wed, 23 Apr 1997 02:24:29 -0700 (PDT))
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>Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 02:24:29 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Terrence Donnelly <[email protected]>
>
>Mia Soderquist of the Constructed Languages mailing list has a list of phrases
>every traveller should know. I've never seen a Klingon version of the list,
>so I thought I'd try my hand at it.
>
>Some of these phrases probably don't really have Klingon equivalents, but I
>tried to
>fill in every slot with something that would get the traveller's point across
>without putting the speaker in physical danger.
I've been so busy I haven't been able to do this myself. I suppose I
should do the Grammarian thang and critique this, if I can...
>A Traveller's Phrasebook of Klingon
>
>1. Hello
> yIqIm (the approacher)
>
> nuqneH (the responder)
Standard disclaimer about how we don't really know that the approacher
can't open with "nuqneH", and some people believe very firmly one way and
some the other...
>2. How are you?
>
> reH QuvlIjDaq yIHmey tu'lu'be'jaj
Huh? That's a toast, not a request or any kind of greeting.
My own favorite for this is "bIpIv'a'?" Straightforward, no beating around
the bush, asking for the important information (I don't care about you're
mental health or your Aunt Edith's surgery; are you well and hale and can
you manage your everyday tasks?) Others think this is too wishy-washy and
a Klingon would never ask this (I disagree. If I'm commanding a mission, I
need to know if my soldiers are fit to carry it out).
>3. My name is...
>
> ... 'oH pongwIj'e'
>
> jIHvaD ... ponglu'
>
>4. What is your name?
>
> nuq 'oH ponglIj'e'
>
> chay' SoHvaD ponglu'
I like the use of chay' here. Hebrew does the same, as an aside: how are
you called?
>5. I am lost.
>
> DaqwIj vISovbe'
Yeah. :)
>6. Where am I?
>
> nuqDaq jIHtaH
>
>7. Where is...
>
> nuqDaq 'oH' ...
>
> a. the bathroom (WC/toilet/human waste collection center)?
>
> puchpa''e'
>
> b. my luggage?
>
> tepwIj'e'
>
> c. the tourist center?
>
> ghIQwI' yaH'e'
>
> d. the embassy?
>
> rIvSo''e'
All work fine.
>8. I'm sorry.
>
> jIQoS
Hmm. What do folks think of options "jIpay" and "jItlhIj"? Not
necessarily any better, just wondering.
>9. Please
>
> bIyeqneS'a'
Ugh.... That sounds strained. Probably the best answer is that this just
isn't translatable. Using the -neS suffix might be closer, but even that
isn't quite right. Also, "yeq" isn't always applicable.
>10. Thank you!
>
> qatlho'
Be sure to note the plural form too! Possibly also for plural speakers.
>11. Help!
>
> HIQaH
Yeah, that's good.
>12. I don't speak Klingon very well.
>
> tlhIngan Hol vIjatlhlaHchu'be'.
Drop the -laH; it doesn't add anything really and just makes the sentence
more ponderous.
>13. I don't understand.
>
> jIyajbe'
>
>14. Speak more slowly please.
>
> QIt yIjatlh jay'
*Laugh*... "please" as "jay'"!? Not sure it's bad though.
>15. It was my wife's/husband's idea to come here for vacation!
>
> maghIQmeH naDev maSuch 'e' wuqta' be'nalwI'/loDnalwI'
chup for wuq?
>16. Could you recommend...
>
> maHvaD .... DachuplaH'a'.
May want to go over the rest of them also for need for "jIH" and "maH"
forms, as well as "SoH" and "tlhIH".
Would not asking this as yes/no seem a little wittering to a Klingon? I
half-expect the answer to be a blink of surprise, a short "HIja'", and
then walking away. More likely a Klingon would ask for information more
straightforwardly, by ASKING for just what was wanted, or maybe even simply
saying "... yIchup." There's nothing rude about the imperative.
> a. a good restaurant?
> Qe' QaQ
>
> b. something good to eat?
> nay' QaQ
>
> c. a good hotel?
> QongmeH Daq Qobbe'
I like Qobbe'! :) I tend to prefer "mebqach" to QongmeH Daq. The latter
sounds more like where the safest stretches of floor are.
> d. a good doctor?
> Qel po'
Good avoidance of overuse of the polysemous QaQ.
>17. That was a lovely meal. What was it?
>
> Dunqu' nay'. nuq 'oH Soj'e'.
Good.
>18. How much do we owe you...
> ... DIlmeH Huch 'ar DapoQ.
Good. Maybe just "XvaD Huch 'ar DapoQ?" Could be either.
> a. for the meal?
> nay'
>
> b. for the room?
> pa'
>
> c. for the things that we broke?
> 'aH'e' wIghorpu'bogh
Nice use of 'aH.
>19. How much did you say it cost again?
> Huch 'ar jay'
I like it.
>20. You are joking, aren't you?
> jutojba', qar'a'.
Not a likely thing to say... At least not as anything but last words. But
given the following discourse not all that unbelievable. After all, if
Klingons killed one another at EVERY disagreement, well... I just can't
believe that. There has to be some argumentation going on.
>21. I am sorry, I didn't mean to insult you.
> jIQoS; qatIchpu' 'e' vIHechbe'
>
>22. Our customs are very different from yours.
> tIghlIj rurbe'qu' tIghmaj
Looks good. I'm iffy on the use of pIm anyway.
>23. I don't know anything about local politics, I'm afraid.
> Qu'vatlh! naDev woQ Dotlh vISovbe'chu'.
Hee... Good.
>24. Our guide did not tell us that there was a
>(revolution/war/soccer[football] championship) going on in this country.
>
> naDev qaStaH (Daw' / veS / QI' tuH) maHvaD ja'be' DevwI'ma'.
A DevwI' is more a leader than a guide. Perhaps DorwI'? Or lInDab De'? :)
>25. Thank you for your hospitality. We enjoyed our visit very much, but
>now we must be going home because we have many important things to do
>there.
>
> maghIQtaHvIS juquvmoHmo' pItlho'neS. naDev maSuch 'e' wItIvqu',
> 'ach DaH juHmajDaq macheghnIS. pa' Qu' law' potlh tu'lu', 'ej nom
> mavangbej wIneH.
On the whole, really nice. :)
~mark
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