tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Feb 04 15:57:24 1997

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RE: KLBC



February 03, 1997 11:27 PM EST, jatlh Gerald Borleis:

> HIQumtaH

We're not quite sure yet, but examine this word carefully.  Literally, you 
have said, "Continuously communicate me."  You did not include the "to" part 
of it.

In this particular case, you can use the noun suffix {-vaD}.  First, just say 
{qeQumtaH} "All of you!  (Continuously) Communicate!"  Then, use {-vaD} to 
indicate who receives the results of this act.  See TKD section 3.3.5.

jIHvaD peQumtaH!

> tlhIngan Hol vIqeqnIS jIH

vaj Daq lugh DawIvba'pu'!  :)
Then you've obviously come to the right place!

> <English Translation> bonob

If you want to say "Include the English translation," and you want to use 
{nob}, you must use an imperative prefix, not {bo-}.  ({bo-} is a regular 
prefix, meaning "you (plural)/it."  Since the object is singular, you use 
{yI-}.

"English translation" yInob.

However, the reason you cannot find a word for "translation" is that Klingon 
uses verbs a lot more than it does nouns.  English uses more nouns.  So, try 
to recast your ideas into verbs:

"English" jatlhwI'pu'vaD yImugh.
Translate for English speakers.

> boram Hap

You sure like using the {bo-} prefix, and I'm not sure why!  It doesn't go 
here either.

First, though, let me point out that I'd guess that {Hap} means "matter" as in 
the opposite of antimatter.  This is likely, because there is also {rugh} 
"antimatter," and there's only one definition for "matter."  So, {Hap} 
probably doesn't mean "subject matter."

So what can we use instead?  {qech} "idea" is a good one.  You could even 
expand this, using relative clauses (see TKD 6.2.3) to {qech wIqelbogh} "idea 
which we consider."

Now, since {qech} is a third-person noun, and it will be the subject of this 
sentence, the correct prefix to choose is the null prefix.  Do not use a 
prefix.  Here we go:

ram qech.

ram qech wIqelbogh.

> 'ach tlhIngan Hol tlhInganmey joq <Star Trek>'u' muDajlu'

When you use noun conjunctions like {joq}, they must come *after* the nouns 
they join.

tlhIngan Hol, tlhInganpu', "Star Trek" 'u' joq

Note that I used {-pu'} on {tlhIngan} instead of {mey}; {tlhInganmey} means 
"Klingons scattered all about."  See TKD section 3.3.2.

Now, you've tried to use {-lu'} to translate a passive English sentence.  
Unfortunately, what you have done doesn't work.  For one thing, you can only 
use the prefixes {vI-}, {Da-}, {wI-}, {bo-} and {lu-} (or none) when using the 
suffix {-lu'}.  (Better read up on this suffix, TKD section 4.2.5.)  Secondly, 
{Daj} means "be interesting."  The subject is the thing that is interesting.  
Why would you want an indefinite subject with this verb?

In this case, one might simply say that it's interesting, and leave off the 
"for me" bit:

Daj tlhIngan Hol, tlhInganpu', "Star Trek" 'u' joq.

After all, you're the one saying it.  But it may come to pass that you want to 
say that these things are interesting to *you*, but not to someone else.  
Well, you might specify this with an {'e'} sentence (see TKD 6.2.5; this is a 
tricky thing to master):

Daj tlhIngan Hol, tlhInganpu', *Star Trek* 'u' joq 'e' vIQub jIH.
*I* think that the Klingon language, Klingons, and/or the Star Trek universe 
are interesting.

> Talk to me.
> I need the practice with Klingon.
> Include the English translation.
> The subject is not important; but, the klingon language, Klingons, or the
> Star Trek Universe are of interest to me.

loQ jIjatlh.
DaHjaj jIDoy'taH.
meq vISovbe'.
'ach jIjeghQo'.
not jegh tlhInganpu'!

chaq latlh mu'mey nI' law' mu'meywIj nI' puS.
qech yItagh tlhIngan Hol DajatlhtaHvIS, 'ej jIjangbej.

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97097.9


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