tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Oct 18 23:15:24 1997

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Re: KLBC: Some phrases.

At 05:35 97-10-15 -0700, 'eQ wrote:

> I tried translating a few of
> them into klingon an here's the restult. Could you please point out
> any errors I've might have done?

vIlughqangmoHbej.

I'm a forigner, but that's a long story.
{jInov 'ach 'e' 'oH lut nI''e'.}

No problems with {jInov} but you've been tripped up by an attempt to 
translate "that" in the second part. The word {'e'} only means that 
in one particular circumstance, and this isn't it.

"That's a long story" is sort of an idiom, but assuming it would be 
understood in Klingon, take advantage of the Klingon verb instead of 
using it as an adjective. 

{'ach nI' lutvetlh}  "but that story is long"

> I've got loads of money.
> {Huch law' vIghaj.} or perhaps {DeQ law' vIghaj.}
> (Don't know if one can use {law'} on "money".)

Yes. {law'} works on both countable and uncountable nouns. 

> You have beautiful eyes.
> {mInDu' 'IH Daghaj.}

Or simply: {'IH mInDu'lIj}

> No is no answer.
> {xxx 'oHbe' <<ghobe'>>'e'}
> (Is there a word for "answer (n)"? I haven't got the KGT yet, 
> perhaps it was in there?)

ghobe'.  We haven't such a word.  I would translate this without 'to 
be' (that seems to be my theme of the day, but it's an important one. 
English uses to be A LOT).  It's a quip, so restyle it to be snappy 
in Klingon, how about:

{Qo' bIjangchugh bIjangbe'}  - If you answer no you don't answer.

I've changed your {ghobe'}, the answer to a yes/no question to {Qo'} 
a refusal, because well, I think that's the sort of no e're considering.  If
you disagree, change it back.

> Where do I find the local dealer?
> (but it's more like "Where can I find a merchant around here?")
> {nuqDaq naDev Suy vItu'?} 
> (Yeah, alright, so I know it lost something in translation, but I 
> was wondering, can I have *both* {nuqDaq} and {naDev} in the same 
> sentence like this?)

It works very well.  An excellent translation.  Remember that  naDev 
is a noun, so {naDev Suy} can be interpreted as "the area around 
here's merchant" - perfect for "the local dealer."  

> Where can I buy ten pairs of white socks?
> ("Where can I buy two times ten white socks.")
> {nuqDaq cha'logh wa'maH paSlogh chIS vIje'}

You want to say "where *can* I" so add the ability suffix {-laH} to 
{je'}.  {nuqDaq vIje'laH} "where can I buy them?"

To me {cha'logh} here suggests that you want to buy ten socks twice, 
rather than "two times ten socks."  

> (So this is might be a poor translation, but how do I say 
> pair? Or does paSlogh mean "a pair of socks"? TKD says only 
> "socks" - but in *plural*, how should one interpret that?)

Very good question.  I would cop out and say {cha'maH paSlogh}.  Next 
time I see a Klingon haberdashery I'll stop in and ask on this point.

> Where is the action?
> {nuqDaq vangtaHghach vItu'.}
> (Is there a noun meaning "action"? Have I used {ghach} correctly?)

Ugh.  There isn't a noun meaning action, and had you an urgent need 
for one you could form it the way you have with {-ghach}, but 
generally the desire to use {-ghach} is an indication that you're 
neglecting Klingon's verb-centricity.  How about:

{nuqDaq qaS vay'?}  - where is something happening? (a general sort 
of where do I go for something to be happening)

{nuqDaq vanglu'lI'?} - where is action being taken (this would be if 
you knew there was something particular happening somewhere and you 
didn't want to miss it)

> Do you accept VISA?
> {[VISA] Dalaj'a'?}

maj.  People have been known to use the word {mep} in this context. 

> Choose Klingon! (Popular booterism slogan)
> (Was of course "Choose Icelandic!")
> {tlhIngan yIwIv!}

If you mean the language, you would have to say {tlhIngan Hol yIwIv}, 
but I think you mean it more broadly, as in choose a Klingon, Klingon 
customs, food, etcetera. Works well.

> Kronos for Klingons. (Recist remark)
> {Qo'noSvaD tlhInganpu'!}

Backwards.  The {-vaD} suffix goes on the beneficiary.  
{tlhInganpu'vaD} "for the Klingons"

{tlhInganpu'vaD Qo'noS}  this is a sentence fragment as much as the 
English is, but it could be taken as part of any 
expression like {tlhInganpu'vaD Qo'noS wIneH/wIchoq/wIpol/wIHub ...} 
so it seems perfectly acceptable.

> One more thing. I know that all adverbials can function alone as
> excamations (TKD 5.4, last), but how about question words? Can 
> *any* simple question word stand alone as a question (such as {'Iv} 
> for "Who?" etc.). I CK MO himself user {'ar} that way, but does it 
> apply to all of them?

nuq?  ... 'Iv? .. chay'? ... ghorgh? ... 'ar? ... qatlh? ...
They work fine for me.  They aren't sentences, but they are perfectly 
understandable utterances, given context.

majQa'.  Qu' DawIvbogh Data'ta'.

Qov     [email protected]
Beginners' Grammarian

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