tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jan 14 18:59:01 1997

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RE: KLBC Good



January 13, 1997 11:28 PM EST, qeyloS:

> That helps for those specific phrases.
> But I'm really looking for advise on how to use "good".

The point is, it entirely depends on what you're trying to say.  English goes 
crazy with the word "good"; it covers lots of meanings.  Not so in Klingon.  
{QaQ} is describing a quality for something.  It's the opposite of {qab}.  I 
can't really tell you more than that without knowing what you want to say.

> Was your vacation good.

If there were a noun for vacation, you might be able to ask it this way.  But 
there isn't.  Don't think in terms of nouns so much.  Use verbs.  {bIghIQ 'e' 
DatIv'a'} "Did you enjoy vacationing?"  Notice that there's not a single 
explicit noun in that sentence!

> Is this writing good.

If by "writing" you mean "manuscript," then you might be able to use {QaQ} 
here.  {QaQ'a' ghItlhvam?}  But that's so generic, it doesn't mean much.  You 
might ask {jIghItlhchu'} "Did I write correctly?"

> Is your computer good.

Good computer!  Nice computer!  Computer want a memory sim?

Be more descriptive!  Sure, I could say {QaQ'a' De'wI'lIj?}, but what does 
that really MEAN?  Good how?  {HoSghaj'a' De'wI'lIj?} "Is your computer 
powerful?"  {nom SIm'a' De'wI'lIj?} "Is your computer fast?"  (Literally, 
"Does your computer calculate quickly?")  {wagh'a' De'wI'lIj?}  "Is your 
computer expensive?"

> Not necessarily dod you enjoy it.

Exactly!  It's not always {tIv} that you'll need.  I can't tell you which verb 
to always use, because there isn't one!  DON'T TRY TO TRANSLATE WORD-FOR-WORD 
FROM ENGLISH TO KLINGON!!!  yaj'a'?

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97040.4


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