tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jul 28 13:29:31 1997
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RE: KLBC one simple question
- From: "Andeen, Eric" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: KLBC one simple question
- Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 13:34 -0700
ghItlh SuStel:
> Now, we know that Klingons don't say "thank you."
> Michael Dorn tells us this on one of tapes. ("'Please,'
> 'excuse me,' 'thank > you,' and the like.") However,
> many Earth-bound Klingonists feel the need to express
> this very human sentiment. Thus, they take the word
> and use it in the expression {qatlho'} "I thank you."
> In fact, I feel that if you're going to express gratitude
> with this word, you'd best do it in Clipped Klingon, like this:
> tlho'
> Thanks.
> I just used the noun (or the verb, it doesn't really matter)
> and said it.
> That said, I rarely, if ever, use the word myself. Usually, I
> like to use the language as a Klingon would use it. Often a
> good, satisfied {maj!} is quite sufficient to get the point across.
One of the primary reasons for "Thank you" in English is to
acknowledge an action. For example, when handing a weapon
to another person, it's a good idea to make sure he has hold
of it before letting go. The safety protocol I learned in the Boy
Scouts was to say either "Thank you" or "I got the durned thing"
when receiving a knife or axe.
Another reason for "Thank you" is receiving something in the
mail: the "Thank you" lets the sender know the package arrived
safely. In both of these cases, the phrase "Thank you" is polite
and functional. I would expect the Klingon to drop the polite and
be more direct with the functional.
When receiving a weapon, I would probably say <ghaj> for
"I got the durned thing" (clipped). When receiving a message
which requires acknowledgement, <jIyaj> or <jabbI'IDlIj vIHev>
may be appropriate. When acknowledgement is not required
for any reason other than politeness, a Klingon would most
likely say nothing. I would expect <tlho'> to be reserved for times
a Klingon wishes to express true gratitude, and not diluted by
the formalized uses "Thank you" is subjected to by most English
speakers.
pagh