tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Dec 09 12:26:07 1997
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Re: KBLC: Form Letter Help
- From: Qov <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: KBLC: Form Letter Help
- Date: Tue, 09 Dec 1997 12:25:59 -0800
At 20:33 97-12-08 -0800, QatanI wrote:
}Below is a form letter I am working on to welcome new KAG members who
}are assigned to our ship in Marietta. KBLC help is welcome.
}========================================================
}nuqneH
}
}QatanI jIH, IKV veqlargh QeH QumpIn.
You've clearly translated this from English, but you didn't watch what
happened to the apposition (the two things that you are) when the SVO
changed to OVS. Both things that you are should be strung together, then
the {jIH}.
}*Marietta Ga* waw'maj.
{MG 'oH wa'maj'e'} Don't forget the way the pronoun-as-to-be construction
works in Klingon. Review section 6.3, especially the last part.
}Qe' *Denny's* maghom wej *Saturday each month* Daq *Hwy* loSmaH wa'.
When you use the noun noun construction as a possessive the order is the
same as English. {*Denny's* Qe'Daq} is "at Denny's restaurant" and then it
gets too mixed to correct. It's fine to drop an English noun or verb into
Klingon when thre is no Klingon word that gives the required precision, but
rearranging Klingon sentences to accomodate English phrases doesn't work.
}Dub pa' Qe' *Denny's*
}maghom chorgh *pm*
}*This month* maghom:
}*December* xx, 1997 tera'ngan poH
{Dub} in Klingon refers to a body part, not a prepositional concept. {Dub
pa'} is as intelligible as "buttocks room." All time stamps go at the
beginning of a Klingon sentence, and locations go at the beginning, too,
marked with {-Daq} to show their grammatical function. Don't translate your
whole brochure yet. Just write one or to well-crafted *Klingon* (not
translated English) sentences on the English version and the newcomers will
be just as impressed.
}chopong'a', juH mI'wIj ***-***-****, Duj mI'wIj ***-***-**** x ****.
Are you aiming at "will you call me?" You're using an English idiom.
Klingons do not use polite questions to avoid giving orders. You want to be
called, you tell the person to call you.
Hmm, I skipped down to your signature and saw no translation so I worked
from guesses. I didn't realize the signature was the signature on the
letter, not the e-mail, with the translation underneath that. I don't like
to do a translation for someone, as you know. If you really want to
translate this whole text, I recommend a careful re-reading of chapter 6, on
syntax, and then using only single English words for things like "December"
and "Saturday." The tape Conversational Klingon explains how to do times of
the clock in Klingon, if you don't have it, ask and I'll explain.
}I am QatanI, the communications officer aboard the IKV Fek'lhr's Fury. We are
}stationed in Marietta Ga. We normally meet the third Saturday of each month
}at the Denny's restaurant on Cobb Pkwy (Hwy 41) -- that's south of Windy Hill
}Rd. and north of Cumberland Mall. We meet in the "back room" at Denny's at
}8:00 pm.
}
}Our next meeting is :
}December **, ****
}
}If you need to contact me, my home phone is ***-***-****, my work phone is
}***-***-**** extn. ****.
Qov [email protected]
Beginners' Grammarian