tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Sep 23 11:03:58 1997

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Re: Klingon Name



QatanI writes:
>yIn DayajmeH 'oy' yISIQ
>{to understand life, you must endure pain}

majQa'.  The exact translation is a command, "to understand 
life, endure pain," but it is reasonable to say it slightly 
differently in English. This must be the first time I've seen anyone 
go in one message from "How do you say Tony in Klingon?" to correctly 
using a type-9 verb suffix.  See this, everyone?  This man bought the 
book and read it.

>My 'oy' is my name search. 'e' vIHar {i believe that} QatanI -or-
>K'tahni might be good for (phonetically: kah-tah-nee [= K'Tony]).

Take your time with the name search.  Really really take your time.  
I look around at the people on the list and I see how many have 
made name choices, and then realized they are unwieldy, they don't 
like the sound, the name doesn't match Klingon phoentics, or they 
just get sick of it.  

DaH qaja' 'e' vIHar 
{now I tell you I believe that} 

Other way around.  I believe that now I tell you.  Reread the section 
on sentence as object in chapter six to see how {'e'} works, and 
note the exception for verbs of saying.

>this is maj. 

{maj} is an exclamation.  Think of it like "bravo"  or "attaboy."
You wouldn't say "this is bravo."

>Am I right, or does this sound Dogh? (Don't make me QeH)

'IHqu' mu'tlheghlIj wa'DIch.  Your first sentence is lovely.  But 
*this* sounds foolish. Klingon verbs embedded in English sentences 
just don't work.

>yIQuchlu'

I think you've been told already that "be happy"  is simply {peQuch}.
An imperative gives an order.  To whom is the order being given?  If 
to no one, then it's not much of an imperative statement.  If to 
someone, then the indefinite subject suffix is wrong.

>QatanI

I like it.  

- Qov


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