tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Jan 31 19:41:47 1997

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RE: meeting greeting

January 31, 1997 2:16 PM EST, jatlh tevram:

> A colleuge (that doesn't look like it's spelled right!)

colleague

> is giving a talk
> on the problems of Language in the Biological Sciences, and he wanted
> an introduction in Klingon.  Here's his original intro:
> 
> Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.  Welcome ot tonight's gathering.
> We are all family here, so please make yourselves at home.
> 
> What I cam up with was:
> 
> nuqneH.  \DaHram\ qalneHneS.  SuSaH 'e' jIbel.  qorDu wItay'.
> SuleS 'ej jaghmey lIghIjbe'.
> 
> which I translated as:
> 
> Greetings.  I am honored to see you tonight.  I am pleased that you 
> are present.  We are family, together. Relax and let your enemies scare
> you not.
> 
> Questions:
> 
> is \DaHram\ a valid extrapolation for tonight given the Klingon for today?

No.  Okrand has used the word {jajvam} in {Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam}  "It is a 
good day to die" in TKW.  One would presume that one might also say {ramvam}.

> I wasn't sure about the family part at all.
> 
> What I wanted to say was "relax and fear no enemies" (for make yourself
> comfortable), but Klingon has no word for fear that I could find, so I
> went with "let your enemies scare you not."  Does this scan ok to you?

Using {ghIj} in this way is correct.  However, there are a number of problems 
in your greeting which need to be addressed.

First of all, I feel that I must point out that if a Klingon were giving this 
lecture, he wouldn't bother with any of this.  He'd just get to the point.  
Maybe he'd shout {peba'!}

nuqneH.

Of course, my usual position on this is that {nuqneH} is only used by someone 
who actually wants to find out what you want.  But the evidence on this is 
confusing, and possibly contradictory, so I'll just let it go at that.

\DaHram\ qalneHneS.
I am honored to see you tonight.

The verb for "see" is {legh}.  Also, since he is speaking to more than one 
person, he cannot use the prefix {qa-}, he must use {Sa-}.  {ramvam 
SaleghneS}.

SuSaH 'e' jIbel.
I am pleased that you are present.

{'e'} is an object, so other objects should be able to occupy its place.  
Let's quickly assume you meant {vI-} on {bel}; can I say {puq vIbel} "I am 
pleased the child"?  No, of course not.  {bel} is a stative verb, and simply 
doesn't take any objects that we know of.  Therefore, {SuSaH} cannot be the 
object of {bel}.

To say this, you need to use a different construction: {SuSaHmo' jIbel}.  
"Because you are present, I am pleased."

qorDu wItay'.
We are family, together.

"Family" is {qorDu'}; don't forget that final glottal stop.

Again, does it make any sense to have an object for {tay'}?  How do you 
"together something"?  No, we need a different construction again.

matay'DI' qorDu' maH
When we are together, we are a family.

Actually, there's a proverb which works very well here:

matay'DI' vIHtaHbogh bIQ rur mu'qaDmey.
Between us, curses run like water.  (PK)

SuleS 'ej jaghmey lIghIjbe'.
Relax and let your enemies scare you not.

"Relax" is a command, and needs an imperative prefix: {pe-}.  {peleS}.

You've gotten the word {jaghmey} in the wrong spot.  Here it's the subject, 
and must go last.  Also, enemies are probably beings capable of using 
language, and so should get the {-pu'} plural suffix.

'ej lIghIjbe' jaghmeyraj

But this is just "your enemies do not scare you."  You said "let your enemies 
not scare you."  I don't know if you wanted to make this a wish {lIghIjbe'jaj 
jaghmeyraj} or a command {lIghIj jaghmeyraj 'e' yIchaw'Qo'}.

Anyway, let me stress again that a Klingon speaker would not bother with all 
of these pleasantries.  He'd just get right to business.

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97087.3

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