tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Mar 01 11:06:14 1999
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RE: FAQ (was RE: Placement of aspect suffixes)
> > --Holtej 'utlh
> First: What does this 'utlh mean? I know what it says, but why do some
> on the list use it? Last time I was on the list, you and the others
> didn't have it.
This is a convention begun by the previous Beginner's Grammarian, Qov. KGT explains the
difference between {yaS} and {'utlh}, both of which mean "officer." {yaS} implies an
officer currently in service, while {'utlh} implies an officer who has honorably retired
(though it is said to happen infrequently in Klingon culture, where officers would
normally die honorably in battle).
KGT p. 50-51. "There is a second term for "officer," but it is not frequently used. As
is well known, it is considered the duty of officers on Klingon ships to assassinate their
immediate superior if the higher-ranking officer has been judged unfit to serve, perhaps
as a consequence of neglecting his or her duty, demonstrating cowardice, or behaving
dishonorably. This practice extends even to the captain of the ship. As a result, there
are not many officers who end their service to the Empire by simply stepping down or
retiring. There are some, however, and the word {'utlh} is used to refer to an officer of
this type. Perhaps "officer emeritus" is an appropriate translation."
Qov started using this title when she resigned as BG, and other former BG's have picked it
up. charghwI' and I are both former Beginner's Grammarians (a complete list is available
in the FAQ), so we have taken to using this title, as a way of indicating that we are
retired BG's.
> About your FAQ: Why don't you put it in your footer of your email? Just
> one line, or two, as the last line of the message. I believe it is as
> effective as to "Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com" :-)
We have discussed doing things like this in the past, in the context of telling people how
to unsubscribe, but it was not accepted. The compromise was to put the unsubscribe
instructions in the header. This was before my time as the list admin, and I do not
remember the arguments against putting a footer in every message. I might take to sending
a message once-a-month or so announcing the FAQ with the URL (rather than posting the
contents).
> muHwI'
> www.levinius.de
-- Holtej 'utlh