tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri May 02 10:28:07 1997

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Re: The Klingon Anthem! At last!

I like both charghwI''s and Krimhurg's interpretations of this.  I agree
with charghwI': there is too much here that is _close_ to being right for it
to be
a coincidence.  I think charghwI' and Krimhurg have it basically right.  I
would parse it slightly differently, tho.  I'm combining charghwI''s and
Krimhurg's
versions into one, and then I'll give my translation (not in verse, but as
it would
read as free text.)

Qoy qeylIs puqloD
Qoy puqbe'pu'
yoHbogh matlhbogh je SuvwI'
SeymoHchu' mayu'
maSuv manong 'ej maHoHchu'
nI'be' yInmaj 'ach wovqu'
batlh maHeghbej 'ej yo' qIjDaq
vavpu'ma' DImuvpa' reH maSuvtaH
Qu' mamevQo' maSuvtaH ma'ov


Listen, son(s) of Kahless, listen, daughters, (you) brave and loyal warrior(s).
  ({Qoy} is Clipped Klingon for {yIQoy}; the relative phrases are a poetic
   flourish for the simple statives: {SuvwI' yoH matlh}; the absence of plural
   suffixes on every noun is unimportant in the general context; the only
problem is    the {je} after the relatives -   we don't use it with
adjectives, IIRC, so would we    use it with relatives?)

We ask: Are you totally excited? (by an up-coming battle?)
  ({SeymoHchu'} should be {SuSeymoHchu''a'})

We fight, we are passionate, and we kill completely.  (after first addressing
   the listeners, now the singer includes them in the 'we')

Our life is short, but it glows (brightly?).

We die with honor, and we continue to fight before (until?) we join our
fathers in the Black fleet.

We refuse to stop the mission, we continue fighting, we compete.
  (the first {ma-} should be {wI-}, of course.)


-- ter'eS

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