tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Jan 05 11:12:07 1997

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RE: name question

January 04, 1997 6:47 PM, jatlh SuSvaj:

> Do you really want to be called "I Am Trusted"?  How about "Dances With 
> > Wolves"?  Or "Sitting Bull"?  Or "I Activate The Transport Beam"?
> 
> Actually, from what I have seen on this list, none of the above names would
> be that much out of the norm.  I rather like the Native Americanish sound
> that many of our chosen names have.  Including yours and mine ("Wind Wing",
> and "Wind Warrior" respectively).  

Actually, the literal translation of my name is only an incidental goodie.  My 
name actually has a longer story behind it, which many of the regulars on the 
list already know.

Back when I first started learning Klingon some years ago, my usual computer 
nickname was "Stormcrow."  When I decided to choose a Klingon name, or rather, 
a good one (I had been trying out a couple of {-wI'} names before it, and was 
very unsatisfied), I decided to try and translate "Stormcrow."  Of course, I 
couldn't.  There's no noun for "storm," and no word at all from "crow."  I 
thought of extracting word elements like {toQ-} in {toQDuj} (it wouldn't have 
mattered since it was a name).  I thought of making a literal translation, but 
only got as far as {SuS puvwI'}, which still wasn't right, and it was still 
another {-wI'} name.  I just started flipping through the dictionary for words 
or sounds.

I happened upon {tel}.  I did *not* look for the word "wind"; it isn't listed 
in the English-Klingon side of TKD.  I thought {SuS-tel} (I'd been putting 
lots of sounds on {SuS-}) and then saw that the translation was "wing."  
"Wow!" I thought.  "That's about as close as I'm going to get!"  It was a 
simple, short name, which no longer meant "Stormcrow," but had its origins in 
that search.  Somehow, once I started signing my e-mail with it (upon my 
return to the list after about a year), it stuck.  When people actually 
started to call me by that name (especially at qep'a' wejDIch when people had 
no idea who David was, but knew who SuStel was), I began to identify 
personally with the name.

> > What about just {voq}?
> 
> *voq* isn't a noun.

So?

> It doesn't mean "Faith".

So?

> It means "To have faith in".

What rule says one must choose a noun as a name?  The figurine in KCD is 
called {Suvchuq loDnI'pu'} "The Brothers Battle One Another."  That's a 
*sentence*!

I suggested {voq} while thinking along the same lines as how I chose *my* 
name.  I had an idea, but then allowed the sounds to change until I had 
something which *sounded* good (to me).  Beyond the initial idea, I wasn't 
concerned too much with the translation.

After all that, though, the choice is up to Caryn.  If she decides to name 
herself {'}, I guess I'd have to accept it.  (Though I'd also guess that she'd 
have no taste!)

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97015.1

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