tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Feb 11 19:19:44 1997
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RE: "It even has working lights!" (Hallmark)
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: "It even has working lights!" (Hallmark)
- Date: Tue, 11 Feb 97 22:49:15 UT
February 10, 1997 10:31 PM EST, jatlh Voragh:
> And there is the always controversial:
>
> wov light (n) (Hallmark commercial)
>
> Here is my current version of the relevant line:
>
> Qapqu' wov. po' 'oH janHom'e'.
> "It even has working lights!" (subtitle)
>
> I wonder whether the subtitle wasn't changed in post-production after
> Okrand translated it. (Anyone know anything about the filming of this
> commercial?) SuStel categorically rejects wov as a noun, but I haven't seen
> him post a better transcription of what the Klingon crewman is saying as he
> holds up the little Bird-of-Prey ornament and examines it admiringly.
I don't categorically reject {wov} as a noun. It may be one. I categorically
reject the assertion that this line represents correct Klingon. In fact, the
belief that {wov} is a noun is all very well and dandy, but what exactly does
{po' 'oH janHom'e'} mean?!? I still have yet to hear the original source of
{po'} as a noun explained to me. I place about as much faith in this sentence
as I do in {cha'maH wa'vatlh rep} meaning "noon."
Whether this sentence was written by Okrand or no, it's one I'd take my knife
to, and shout, "Wrong! Here's how to do it!"
I've never seen the commercial, so I don't have my own transcription. My
opinions on this subject are based entirely on what I've heard on the list.
Make of that what you will.
--
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97116.9