tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Mar 25 15:06:35 1999

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Poetry (was Re: bogh veng noy'Ighrov)

On Thu, 25 Mar 1999 06:16:35 -0800 (PST) david joslyn 
<[email protected]> wrote:
> On Wed, 24 Mar 1999, Alan Anderson wrote:
> 
> > What is it about the Klingon language that compels people to try to
> > write epic poetry in it?
> 
> The pure challenge, Alan, the pure challenge.

Unfortunately, most commonly, new Klingon speakers use poetry to 
EVADE the REAL challenge, which is to write intelligible Klingon 
prose. In most languages, poetry is what you write AFTER you 
have mastered prose when you want to express something that 
reaches beyond the potentials of prose. Meanwhile, you are not 
ready to consistently tackle the challenge of expressing 
thoughts to the full limits of prose.

Please don't take that as an insult. It is just that those who 
are exprienced in this have been there, done that when it comes 
to arguing with someone about whether their "poetry" actually 
has any meaning.

Tofu machinations gift subordinates, very, very slowly. cApItOl 
iDeEA.

There. English poetry. Wanna make something of it?
 
> I see your point, though. I think I'll just write the story out in English
> and submit it to jatmey or Fire & Steel that way. 

You might consider learning to be conversational in the language 
first. Just a suggestion.
  
> > I'd like to close by pointing out one thing:
> > >Someone (I believe it was Voragh) stated that today was the {batlh jaj},
> > >the Day of Honour. Thank Kahless for the distance which seperates us. Such
> > >is my anger at the insult to my pride that I'd challege either of both of
> > >you to the {Suv batlh}, the Honour Combat, if could.
> > 
> > Your phrase {Suv batlh} is in the wrong order for "Honour Combat", and
> > {Suv} is a verb, not a noun.  Simple errors like that are very clear
> > signs that you will frustrate both yourself and anyone trying to help
> > you if you try to produce more than paragraph or two of a story at your
> > present demonstrated level of proficiency.
> > 
> 
> Well, I pulled that word order from the novel _Day_of_Honor_. The book
> maynot be considered canon, but what phraes there were *seemed* acurate.

I'm sure your poetry would be FULL of this kind of reasoning, 
which is why those whom you want to read it have this angst you 
don't seem to understand.

> > --
> >   Alan Anderson, professional programmer and amateur Klingonist
> >     proud member of the Klingon Language Institute since 1995
> > qo'mey poSmoH Hol -- language opens worlds -- /
> > 
> > 
> > 
> quljIb, lutbomwI'

charghwI' 'utlh

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