tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Aug 18 07:16:45 1998
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Re: the nature of pIqaD (was Re: KLBC - attempt at translation, v 1.1)
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: the nature of pIqaD (was Re: KLBC - attempt at translation, v 1.1)
- Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1998 17:07:08 -0400
From: Alan Anderson <[email protected]>
>Two pieces of information from TKD might be useful here.
>
>Page 11:
> There is a native writing system for Klingon (called {pIqaD})
> which seems to be well suited to the various dialects.
>
>This doesn't manage to explain whether the writing system indicates
>changes in pronunciation or not, but it does imply that there's only
>one writing system that encompasses all dialects. Something that is
>able to do that is likely to be phonetic in nature, or at least partly
>phonetic.
Why?
Suppose the following is the symbol which means "place of residence":
#
When someone from the First City read this, he says {juH}. When someone
from Morska sees the very same symbol, he says {ju}.
On the other hand, it *could* be a phonetic system, or an alphabet. This
statement doesn't really tell us anything except that the dialects don't
encounter much trouble in the writing system.
>Page 14:
> Those few Klingons who pronounce {b} as {m} would say Klingon
> {baH} /fire (a torpedo)/ and {maH} /we/ the same way, and have
> to memorize which word is spelled which way.
>
>This implies that {pIqaD} does *not* indicate changes in pronunciation
>between dialects. It also argues against {pIqaD} being idiographic in
>nature, with the word "spelled" implying an alphabet.
I think "spelled" could very well be a simplification of "form the written
version of." I don't think it's necessarily meant that specifically, just
as the rest of that chapter is fast and loose with description of
pronunciation. Again, it *could* mean that, but I don't think this confirms
it.
Let the symbol % mean "shoot a torpedo out of the ship." Let the symbol &
mean "we, us."
ta' Hol:
% baH
& maH
Morskan:
% maH
& maH
and the Morskan would have to memorize the "spellings" of the different
meanings.
Once more, for emphasis to those who like to accuse me of this sort of
thing, I am *not* saying this is the sort of pIqaD I wish to promote. I am
simply providing counterpossibilities (is that a word?).
The information on pIqaD has so many possible meanings, it doesn't really
tell us much at all.
SuStel
Stardate 98628.0