tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Feb 23 07:56:04 1999
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Re: KLBC: 'Iv & nuq
[email protected] asks:
: << Is it possible for the words {'Iv} and {nuq} to be used in sentences
: that are not questions? I'm trying to translate Abbot and Costello's
: 'Who's on first' sketch (yes I know, I'm being silly again), and the
: comedy value rapidly deteriorates if {'Iv} and {nuq} can only be used as
: questions. >>
I'm not sure I see the problem. Why don't you post the full routine here
on the list and we'll all play around with it?
T'Lod answers:
: As far as TKD, I recall these words acting as nouns for the purpose of
: prefixes, but not saying they are nouns.
If you assume that {'Iv} and {nuq} are also players' names, much of the
humor should survive intact, though you would have to rewrite it a little.
For example (leaving aside how to translate a baseball "base" for the
moment), {Daq wa'DIchDaq 'Iv?} can only mean "Who's on first?" as a
question. If {'Iv} were a name, you would have to say in Standard Klingon:
{Daq wa'DIchDaq ghaHtaH 'Iv?} using {ghaHtaH} as a link verb, which blows
the joke.
Perhaps if one or both of the parts were played by speakers of a regional
dialect - say one which doesn't use {ghaH} as a copula or uses it with all
question words? - or Terrans whose Klingon isn't very good.
Keep in mind that {'Iv} "who" and {nuq} "what" are NOT used as relative
pronouns as in English, which are often translated using {-bogh}: {qetbogh
loD} "the man who is running, the running man", {vay' DaneHbogh} "what you
desire, that which you want".
FYI, here's how Okrand has used {Iv} and {nuq}:
yaS legh 'Iv
Who sees the officer? TKD
'Iv legh yaS
Whom does the officer see? TKD
SoH 'Iv?
Who are you? CK
SoH 'Iv jay'?!
[Who the $%#@ are you? (untranslated)] ST6
Question words (in this case, {nuq} what?) function the same way
pronouns do in questions with to be in the English translations.
Thus, the question {yIH nuq?} "What is a tribble?" is exactly
parallel the statement {yIH 'oH} "It is a tribble" ... The answer
to the question {yIH nuq?} (What is a tribble?) would presumably
be a definition or description of a tribble. (st.klingon)
qaStaH nuq jay'
What the #$*@ is happening? TKD/ST6
Duj ghoStaH nuq
What is coming toward the ship? TKD
nuq legh yaS
What does the officer see? TKD
nughoStaH nuq
What is coming toward us? TKD
nuq Dalegh
What do you see? TKD
Dochvam nuq?
What is this? CK
nuq mI'lIj, tera'ngan?
What is your number, Terran? CK
Daqvam nuq?
What is this place? CK
nuq tu'lu'?
What is there? CK
pa'Daq qaStaH nuq?
What's happening over there? CK
Sojvetlh 'oH nuq'e'?
What is that food? PK
Dujvetlh 'oH nuq?
What ship is that? ST6
DaH nuq ta'pu' Day joH?
What has Lady Di done now? RT
nuq DaneH
What do you want? KGT
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons