tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Feb 09 11:08:42 1997
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RE: Word Origin Speculation II
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: Word Origin Speculation II
- Date: Sun, 9 Feb 97 19:04:08 UT
On Sunday, February 09, 1997 10:03 AM, [email protected] on behalf of
Kenneth Traft wrote:
> Posted for Glen Proechel, director of the Interstellar Language School
> 1) Puns on the English words. There are many, many examples of this.
> val = smart (valedictorian),
This one I hadn't noticed. I'm not convinced, though.
> tIq = heart (ticker),
It's possible.
> loD = man (lord),
Hmmm . . . it doesn't seem likely, although this word was invented during the
time of Star Trek III, when Kruge was always called "Lord."
> 2) Reversies. That is, forming synonyms or antonyms by saying the words
> backwards:
> noj = lend, jon = capture, SIm = calculate, mIS = confusion.
These are possible, although I'm not at all convinced.
> 4) Internal changes: In some cases synonyms are created by changing the
> middle vowel: SeS = steam, SIS = rain, SUS = wind, ghur = increase (go up),
> ghIr = decrease (go down), magh=betray, mugh = translate.
I seem to remember someone explaining some deal between {magh} and {mugh}, but
I don't know it now. But the others can be thought of, not as an Okrand
trick, but as legitimate relationships in the Klingon language. With {ghur}
and {ghIr}, the {u} is thought of as the "high" sound, while the {I} is the
"low sound" (and is opposite what we English speakers would expect). He does
the same thing with {Dung} and {bIng}.
> 5) Some synonyms are created by varying the initial consonant, often in
> English alphabetic order: HIjol = beam me up, HIQol = beam me down. Qorgh
=
> to care for, Sorgh = to sabotage, mol = tomb, nol = funeral.
These are a mixed case. I could believe that {jol} and {Qol} could evolve
naturally as they are, and also {mol} and {nol}. I'd have more trouble
accepting {Qorgh} and {Sorgh}.
> 6) Sometimes related words share the same initial consonant. notice the
> nature words with "ng". ngem = forest, ngeng = lake, ngech = valley.
Perfectly natural function in languages. This happens all the time in
languages, and isn't just an Okrand "trick."
> 7) The most widely used trick besides puns is onomatopoeia: 'argh = get
> worse, 'ugh = heavy, Hagh = laugh, 'Iw = blood, 'oy' = it hurts, yay' =
> shocked, yIQ = wet (ick), yIH = tribble. There are many of these and they
are
> easily recognizable.
There are two kinds of onomatopoeias in Klingon: the English joke, and the
legitimate Klingon onomatopoeia. When something gets worse, one might shout
something that sounds like {'argh}. Most of the others in your list are
legitimate, too. However, I certainly wouldn't believe that {'Iw} would
evolve in the Klingon culture as one. It's an English-speaker's joke only.
> 8) Because they're so much fun, here are some more puns:
> bIghHa' = prison (big house),
I hadn't seen that one!
> Dor = escort (show someone to the door),
I don't know . . . it might be too much of a stretch.
> ghu = baby (goo),
Another perfectly legitimate onomatopoeia. It's what babies say!
> HeD = retreat (head back),
I don't think so. You'd have to come up with a better explanation.
> HoS = power (horse power),
Ooh, very clever! Is it true though?
> jab = serve food (job),
Errr . . . I doubt it. There are lots of jobs out there. Unless Okrand
happened to take some of his notes with him to a restaurant when he created
this word . . .
> jar, DIS = month, year (jar, dish),
Huh? What's the connection?
> lIm = panic (out on a limb),
It's possible, but . . .
> muv = join (to move from one organization to another),
Oh, I really don't think so. That's just too much of a stretch.
> nIH = steal (nick). Notice also that nIH
> means right hand, i.e., the stealing hand!
I could believe {nIH} coming from "nick" (I don't, though), but I don't think
it has anything to do with a "stealing hand."
> ngIp = borrow (keep),
A bit hard to believe.
> lon = abandon (loan),
I don't think so.
> paw' = collide (pow!),
Actually, this could be considered another real onomatopoeia. The fact that
we also have {paw} "arrive" could indicate that {paw} is derived from {paw'},
and not the other way round.
> puQ = fed up (puke)
Oh, I like that one!
> or puq = child (puke, spit up).
Maybe. I don't think so.
> 9) There are other tricks, a little more difficult to classify, but which
> deserve mention. The word for animal <<Ha'DIbaH>> comes from: Let's go!
> We shoot them!
No. Actually, {Ha'DIbaH} came about because Okrand needed to invent a word
which meant "animal" (which is what Christopher Lloyd says in the movie), and
which matched his lip movements. Try it out: say {Ha'DIbaH}, and then say
"animal." Your lips move in the same way. Many of the words used in the
movie do this.
> The sex-specific words for marriage are interesting and seem to
> derive from German: <<Saw>> (for a man to marry) from German Schau = to look
> whereas <<nay>> (for a woman to marry) seems to come from German dialect nei
> as well as English nay for No!, since a woman usually says no!
That's rather too far-fetched for me to believe without proof.
> The word
> <<mIr>> for chain is an interesting one because it seems to derive from
Soviet
> propaganda. Workers of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your
> CHAINS. The word MIR! peace is an ever-recurring word in Soviet propaganda.
This, too, is quite twisted. I can't discount the possibility, though.
--
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97111.0