tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Nov 25 10:42:46 1999
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Re: Ali's questions
Ali Seymen Alkara <[email protected]> wrote:
: what do warriors call a terran bird? -Bird-Vogel-Kus-
: If there's not an exact translation, please provide Klingon names of
: all types of flying creatures on Qo'noS ...(Were there many?)
So far, we don't know what the general word for "bird" is. In fact, we
only know of one specific type: {toQ} a Klingon predatory avian/raptor/bird
of prey. Bill Willmerdinger got a chance to interrogate Marc Okrand at
BabelCon 2, 4/97):
"When I met Okrand at BabelCon in April, we 'purchased' him at the
slave auction. His 'official' duty was to clarify one word: {toQDuj}
'bird of prey (type of ship)'. According to Marc, a {toQ} is an avian
predator on the Homeworld whose closest Terran analogue would be a
bird of prey. When I told him I had theorized that {toQ} might mean
scout (since that's what a BoP is) he said no, it's definitely an
animal from {Qo'noS} ... a Klingon avian analogous to a Terran bird
of prey. {toQ} does not literally mean bird of prey, it's merely one
type of creature which exhibits characteristics similar to that
grouping of Terran birds."
Non-official words for "bird" that I've seen people using on this list are
*{chalDep} modelled on {bIQDep} "fish" (lit. "water being) from KGT and the
older *(chalHa'DIbaH) used several years ago in the Klingon Bible
Translation Project (KBTP). *{chalDep} seems to be the current favorite.
Klingon birds found in other *non* tlhIngan Hol languages in fandom include:
*cherwtl* bird native to Klinzhai [Dwellers in the Crucible]
*withiki* bird native to Klinzhai [source unknown]
and, from John Ford's language *klingonaase*:
*d'gavama* bird of prey (K-22 scout class) FASA
*z'gavasta* great bird (L-42 class frigate) FASA
*z'gavva* stronger bird (D-32 cruiser class) FASA
: Is it correct to use the phrase *yInwI' wov* as Nabokov uses it in his
: novel Lolita? I mean, as a substitute for *bangwI'*.
"my bright/light life"? What exactly is his Russian expression?
I think what you're trying to say is "light of my life" but {wov} is a verb
meaning "be light, be bright":
yInwIj wov "my bright life"
wov yInwIj "my life is bright"
{wov} is not a noun meaning "light" in general and can't be used this way.
BTW we do have two nouns referring to lights (devices) on a ship:
wovmoHbogh jan
- Qapqu' wovmoHbogh janHommey.
It even has working lights! (Hallmark BoP commercial)
wovmoHwI'
- telDaq wovmoHwI'mey
Wing Lights (BoP Poster)
as well as the non-mechanical {Sech} "torch" and {weQ} "candle", but of
course none of these make any sense applied to people.
Also, {yIn} "life" is still incapable of using language, even when you want
it to refer to a person, and should probably take {-wIj}. {bang} "love"
refers specifically to a person -- i.e. "lover", "loved one", "beloved",
etc. -- and does not mean the emotion of love (for that use {parmaq}),
which is why we say {bangwI'} "my love".
OTOH *{yInwI'} may well be acceptable in love poetry, where it would surely
be understood given the context. You could also try making a private {bang
pong} (a pet name or endearment) out of it: {yInoy}.
But as to what's "correct" in matters of the heart, that's between you and
your {bang}.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons