Re: RE: RE: KLBC: summer's in, school's out

["William H. Martin" <whm2m@cms.mail.virginia.edu>]

On Wed, 23 Jun 1999 17:02:15 -0400 Steven Boozer 
<sboozer@midway.uchicago.edu> wrote:

> Since we can say "explain one's mistake" and "admit one's mistake", I don't
> see
> why we can't say "correct one's mistake".  

I do see a difference. In English, we use the verb "correct" 
with mistakes meaning to undo the error. In essence, the mistake 
stops being a mistake because it was corrected.

Meanwhile, in Klingon, {lughmoH} literally means "cause to be 
correct", and I'm not sure you can do that to a mistake. You 
cause the situation harmed by the mistake to be correct or you 
cause the person who erred to be correct, but you don't cause 
the mistake to be correct. Mistakes are not correct.

Of course, Klingons may idiomatically use this verb with this 
object, but I would definitely not recommend it without 
verification simply based upon the English cliche "correct a 
mistake".
 
> Whether *Klingons* actually say this is another matter.  Except for Okrand of
> course, idioms can't be predicted no matter how much canon you have at your
> fingertips.  Just try to explain "correct as a tree".
 
Well said.
 
> -- 
> Voragh                       
> Ca'Non Master of the Klingons

charghwI' 'utlh