tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Dec 28 00:26:36 1999
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Re: Klingon WOTD: qarDaSngan (n)
Tom West:
>> How would you translate the name for their planet Cardassia Prime?
>> Would it be qarDaSya prIm?
Voragh:
> "Prime" is an English word, short for primary. If this is actually how the
> Cardassians (and others) refer to their homeworld I would translate it, not
> transcribe it, and say {qarDaS wa'DIch} or {qarDaS wa'}.
So how *is* "prime" used by the Trek writers? Is Cardassia Prime so called
because it's the principal planet of the Cardassian Union? the largest
planet in the system? The capital? If it's simply the Cardassian
homeworld, why not just call it Cardassia -- plain and simple? <G>
SuSvaj:
: I wouldn't use "qarDaS wa'". That implies that the planet is the first
: planet away from it's sun, for which we have no evidence.
Agreed, if the Cardassian sun is named Cardassia. (I was merely listing
the available options.) We also need to keep in mind that "one" names are
also used for other things in Trek. Remember Gorkon's flag ship "Chronos
One," named after the planet {Qo'noS}? This name didn't seem to confuse
the Klingons or the Feds of the 23rd century. And regardless of whether
Federation stellar cartographers in Kirk's time call it the Amrita System,
we still have no idea what the Klingons themselves call their sun, let
alone what orbital position Qo'noS occupies.
> You might also be able to get away with {qarDaS'a'} in context, but
> I prefer the {wa'DIch} form.
All that being said, of the four options I still prefer {qarDaS wa'DIch}.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons