tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Oct 15 08:47:39 1997
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Re: "Please."
- From: Qov <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: "Please."
- Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 08:47:26 -0700
At 05:40 97-10-15 -0700, Bjorn X wrote:
}Ok, so I know klingons don't walk around saying "please." But how would
}they do it? I mean how do you express the notion "please" in the klingon
}language? The simplets I could come up with was:
}
}{beltaHghachwIjvaD 'e' yIruch.}
}
}Is this "way out"? (I am uncertain about the use of ghach.) Shouldn't
}there be a shorter way to say this? - I mean "please" is so compact, but
}klingon doesnt seem to be compatible with that compactness. (As to be
expected }I guess, but anyway.)
Ick. Klingon simply does not have the word please. What is please about?
It's either a meaningless word thrown in because that is the formula for
non-hostile requests in Englisy, or it's an indication of respect and
subserviance. In cases where it is the latter, just leave it out. The
Klingon for "would you please pass the saccharine?" is {HaQchor HInob}.
There are Terran languages, Finish for one, that skip the fancy
circumlocutions. "please" itself is simply a shortened circumlocution: "if
you please" or "if it pleases you." If you really mean respect honour or
subservience in your request, use the suffix {-neS} on the verb.
{ghoSuchneS} "Please do us the honour of visiting us."
Note that you'd MEAN this. This would be something you'd say to a high
ranking officer, if it really was an ohonour, not flowery language for your
friends.
Notwithstanding, the grammar of the above doesn't work, either. The object
represented by 'e' must be a complete sentence, and {bel} ceased to be a
verb when you put {-ghach} on it. There is also a perfectly good noun
{bel}, so no need to {-ghach} it.
I'll follow up to your other postings later.
BTW, my mailbox lost all its read/deleted/replied flags last eek and I may
have missed a few postings I should have responded to. If anyone is still
waiting for a reply to a KLBC, from more than two days ago, please resend it.
Qov [email protected]
Beginners' Grammarian