tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Apr 30 11:56:17 1997

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Re: Traveller's Phrasebook

At 09:37 AM 4/30/97 -0700, ~mark wrote:
>
>>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.

>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...
>

majQa'! DaH tlhIngan _Hol_ wIbuS!

>>A Traveller's Phrasebook of Klingon

>>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'?"  

This didn't occur to me.  I just wanted something non-hostile, and the toast
came to mind.

        
>>7. Where is...
>>
>>     nuqDaq 'oH' ...
>>
>
>>        c. the tourist center?
>>
>>          ghIQwI' yaH'e'
>>

I thought there might have been a term for "visitor's center" on the MUSH,
but I couldn't recall it.

>
>>8. I'm sorry.
>>
>>     jIQoS
>
>Hmm.  What do folks think of options "jIpay" and "jItlhIj"?  Not
>necessarily any better, just wondering.
>

Actually, the more I think of it, the more I think {QoS} means 'to feel
sorrow', 
since the other main meaning of 'sorry', 'to regret', is covered by another
verb.

>>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.
>

This one was one of the hardest to find a translation for.


>>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.
>

jIQochbe'.


>>14. Speak more slowly please.
>>
>>     QIt yIjatlh jay'
>
>*Laugh*... "please" as "jay'"!?  Not sure it's bad though.
>

I thought this was more Klingon in outlook.


>>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".
>

maj.

>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.
>

bIlughba'.  I got a little too literal in my thinking. Maybe I wore myself
out with {jay'} above! 8+)

         
>>        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.
>

A minor quibble: is {mebqach} canon?  On the other hand, maybe the tourist _is_ 
asking for the safest stretch of floor.

>>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'? :)
>

I now recall the phrase {nov DorwI'} 'alien escort', which is probably most
accurate.

>On the whole, really nice. :)
>

qatlho'neS

>~mark
>

-- ter'eS

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