tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Nov 17 07:30:54 1999

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Re: KLBC Help with a word...

On Tue, 16 Nov 1999 23:56:17 EST [email protected] wrote:

> In a message dated 99-11-16 21:02:15 EST, you write:
> 
> << Hmm.  Ways of saying the first sentence which I'm coming up with tend to
>  weaken the poetry of the second... You may have to translate the two
>  sentences together...
>  
>  choHtaHbogh bIQtIq lIghbogh Duj'e' rur najwI'....
>  
> Hmmm... A dreamer is like a vessel which rides an ever-changing river. It 
> sums up a large part...but still there's something essential (which I cannot 
> quite put my finger on) missing.

Please realize that you have put KLBC in your subject header, 
indicating that you evaluate yourself to be a beginner in the 
use of the language, yet here you are, attempting to translate 
somebody else's poetry.

If you were trying to learn French, would you be doing this? 
Think about it:

As a beginner, simply speaking your own thoughts is a challenge 
and it should be a challenge you are proud to embrace. But no. 
You want to translate someone ELSE'S thoughts. And even that is 
not enough. You want to translate someone else's POETRY.

Would you please look at yourself and reevaluate your chosen 
task? There will either be years enough for you to learn to use 
the language well enough to do poetry, or there won't. If there 
are, then you should wait until you have experienced them before 
attempting this. If there aren't then, well, you shouldn't be 
attempting this. Either way, you shouldn't be attempting this 
NOW.

KLBC + poetry = trouble.

KLBC + somebody ELSE'S poetry = big trouble.

I honestly think you will learn more meaningful stuff if you 
stick to prose until you have mastered it before taking on 
poetry. Otherwise, we'll just go through frustratingly recursive 
bouts of "No, that is not quite what I meant."
 
> juDmoS

charghwI'

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