tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Oct 31 20:00:40 1997
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Re: KLBC:tIqDaj
- From: Qov <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: KLBC:tIqDaj
- Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 20:00:12 -0800
At 20:40 97-10-25 -0700, ghunchu'wI' wrote:
}Qov was confused by a newcomer's sentences. I turned off the
}"Klingon Sentence Grammar" switch on my translator and discovered
}that they appeared to make a lot more sense that way...
}
}Perhaps having an idea of what Dbrews meant will help you to
}determine the best way to correct the mistaken grammar, Qov.
qatlho', ghunchu'wI'. laHvetlh Daghajbogh vIHo'taH.
Dbrews, I'll have another go at this. Please understand that because
Klingon grammar is so different from English, when you used English grammar
with Klingon words, I really had NO idea what you were saying. Two lessons
here: 1. beginners, please include an English translation of your work, to
make it easier to recommend improvemnts and 2. The grammar section is every
bit as important as the vocabulary section when it comes to producing
intelligible Klingon sentences.
Someone on this list once compared translating the same idea into to
different languages, to doing two differnt jigsaw puzzles with the same
picture, but cut completely differnt ways. You cannot look for the Klingon
edge piece with the concept of 'about' on it. It's cut differntly, so you
have to ignore the way English is put together, step back, and find Klingon
pieces that fit together to form the picture you want.
Reread chapter six carefully and start with some basic Object-Verb-Subject
sentences. I'll put some examples for you to try at the end of this.
}ja' Qov:
}>At 18:31 97-10-18 -0700, Dbrews wrote:
}>} qatlhbe' ghItlh SaH veqlargh?
}"Why not write about Fek'lhr?"
A verb suffix like {-be'} can only go on a verb, or sometimes on a pronoun
when it is acting as a verb. It can't be added to negate a question word.
"Why not write about Fek'lhr?" is really asking "Why don't you write about F.?"
To ask a 'why' question in Klingon, you make the statement, and then put
'why' - {qatlh} in front of it.
But Klingon doesn't have a verb meaning 'write about' or 'compose sentences
concerning' I'd say this as: {qatlh veqlargh Daqelbe' DaqontaHvIS} Lit: "Why
don't you consider F. while you write?"
}>}chaq 'oH *halloween* yot yablI'?
}"Perhaps is Hallowe'en invading your mind?"
To ask a question in Klingon there is no inversion. Just make the statement
and then add the question suffix (-'a'} to the verb. Note that the mind is
not a person, so the suffix {-lIj} is used for possession. I know the mind
is responsible for us being able to talk, but that's the way it works. Deal.
chaq yablIj yot'a' *Hallowe'en*?
}>}jIH ghaj Hot 'oH ghoS law' Hu'
}"I have a feeling it is coming many days from now."
"I have a feeling" is an idiom. You mean "I suspect that" it is coming,
perhaps.
Hu' law' paw' 'oH 'e' vIpIH
}>}'oH Qub mu'vam ta' ngoQlI'
}"I think this word accomplishes your goal."
ngoQlIj ta'law' mu'vam
object verb subject
Notice that the idea of "I think" can be put in the {-law'} suffix.
The promised practice sentences:
The animal follows the smoke
the Terran burns the animal.
The Terran blames the Romulan
the Klingon kills the Terran and the Romulan.
The Romulan steals the uniform.
He acts as a Terran.
A star is bright.
The Klingon's hair is black.
Have a good look at chapter six, and examples in other chapters too.
Concentrate on getting the words in the correct order for KLINGON. It's
different than the order for English.
Qov [email protected]
Beginners' Grammarian