tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Aug 09 17:49:50 1999

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Re: KLBC: Verb for "Need"



>Mailing-List: contact [email protected]; run by ezmlm
>From: [email protected]
>Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 15:54:16 EDT
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>
>vIjatlh:
>>Since there is no Klingon verb for "need" (as far as I can find),
>
>jatlh quljIb:
>>This raises an interesting question for me:  How does one convey the idea 
>>that you *ought* to do something?  Use <-nIS>?
>
>How about:
>
>bIvang 'e' vIchup.
>I suggest that you take action.
>
>for "You ought to take action." Or perhaps:
>
>bIvangchugh QaQchoH ghu'.
>If you take action, the situation will become good.
>
>Of course, this last one only works in certain contexts.

You CAN always find SOMEthing to say, with enough explication.  The
question is how well will it carry the nuances, including things like
terseness.  "You ought to do X" is NOT identical in meaning with "I suggest
you do X" nor with "If you do X, the situation will improve."  It contains
those meanings, but is not limited to them nor necessarily implies
precisely those... and it's a whole lot shorter.  Doesn't mean your
suggestions are worthless, but just remember that there's no such thing as
a translation.  You're re-stating something in another language.  How you
choose to restate it has an effect on your meaning.

~mark


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