tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Jan 16 17:05:43 1997
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RE: Quotable quotes
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: Quotable quotes
- Date: Fri, 17 Jan 97 00:41:32 UT
January 16, 1997 5:19 AM EST, jatlh 'Iwvan:
> David Trimboli wrote:
> > January 14, 1997 10:43 PM, jatlh George Morton:
> > > Even one hair has a shadow.
> > > Etiam capillus unus habet umbram.[...]
> > {QIb ghajtaH je wa' jIb}, "One hair also has a shadow,"
> > although this may not mean what you want it to in some situations.
>
> Do we know that {jIb} can refer to a single strand of hair as well
> as an entire chevelure?
Words I can't find in my dictionary I won't respond to! :)
No, we don't know this. Do you?
If you like, {wa' jIb tlheghHom}. That's about as good as it gets.
> And why the aspect suffix on {ghaj}?
*shrug* Why not? It's just how I was thinking of the sentence. No, there's
no direct English corresponding form, so I can't just translate.
> > > The appearances of things are deceptive.
> > > Fallaces sunt rerum species.[...]
> > Here's an idea for a complete reworking of this idea.
> >
> > rut toj Dochmey Hur.
> > Sometimes the outside of things deceive.
>
> How about {pIj Dolmey chaHbe' Da Dochmey} `Things often appear to be
> what they aren't'?
It'd have to be {bIHbe'}. And I don't like {Dolmey} there. {pIj Dochmey
bIHbe'bogh Da Dochmey}.
> > > Honor is not everything; it is the only thing.
> > > Gloria omnia non est; res sola est.
> > > Hoch oH'be' quv'e' ; neH Doch 'oH quv
> > [...] Hoch 'oHbe' quv'e'; Doch neH 'oH.
>
> `Honour is not all; it is merely a thing.' That won't do, SuStel.
Fine. {SaH quv neH. SaHbe' latlh.}
Now, you've mistaken {neH} a little. When it follows a noun, it means "only,
alone." {wa' Doch neH} "One thing only." When it follows a verb, it means
"merely, just." It trivializes the action of the verb. {jISop neH} "I merely
eat." So, the second part of the above translation should read, "it is a
thing only." You're right, it's not what what we're looking for, but you
haven't translated correctly, either. "It is merely a thing" would be {Doch
'oH neH}. Remember, when using pronouns in "to be" forms, the pronoun acts
like a verb.
--
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97045.9