tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Aug 16 08:30:19 2000
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Re: [KLBC] [The Raven] ghaytan Help!
Tremal-Naik wrote:
: I always intended ghaytan (likely) as "like". Today I've discovered
: that I'm wrong!! :((
Right. It's an adverbial, meaning surely, probably, certainly, etc.
{ghaytan} likely (adv.)
- never used by Okrand
{ghaytanHa'} unlikely, not likely (adv.)
- ghaytanHa' jay'
Not bloody likely! (Radio Times)
: (I've got many problems with english and in my office I
: haven't an english dictionary). How could I say "like" or "as"?
In general, we use {rur} "resemble":
SuvwI' juHmey rur tachmey.
Bars resemble warriors' homes. CK
[or: "Bars are like warriors' homes."]
Dejpu'bogh Hov rur qablIj.
Your face looks like a collapsed star! PK
Hov ghajbe'bogh ram rur pegh ghajbe'bogh jaj.
A day without secrets is like a night without stars. PK
matay'DI' vIHtaHbogh bIQ rur mu'qaDmey.
Between us, curses run like water. PK
Doq 'ej beqpuj rur
(it) is {Doq} and resembles {beqpuj} (an orange mineral)
[i.e. "it's orange"]
[Objects may be compared to something else that typically has a
particular color.] KGT
Doq 'ej Qaj wuS rur
be orange/red and resemble *kradge* lips [i.e. be brown]
["The lips of the kradge are presumably a particular shade of
brown."] (startrek.klingon 2/98)
We learn in Klingon for the Galactic Traveller that {rur} is used to form a
large number of common Klingon similes (clichés):
ram; ghIlab ghew rur
trivial as a glob fly
let mInDu'Daj; Separmey rur
Her eyes are hard; they resemble separ.
[Her eyes are as hard as separ-stones.]
HoSghaj; mupwI' rur
powerful as a hammer
bIr; bortaS rur
cold as revenge
puj; bIQ rur
weak as water
HoS; 'Iw rur
strong as blood
'oj; bomwI' rur
thirsty as a singer
ghung; qagh rur
hungry as {gagh}
jeD; ghevI' rur
thick as {qagh} sauce
mIgh; molor rur
evil as Molor
ngo'; QI'tu' rur
old as Qui'Tu
qan; QI'tu' rur
He/she is as old as Qui'Tu [Paradise]
qej; veqlargh rur
mean as Fek'lhr
quvHa'; ghe'tor ngan rur
dishonored as an inhabitant of Gre'thor
wov; ghI'boj Sech rur
bright as the Torch of G'boj
jej; Daqtagh rur
sharp as a *d'k tahg*
jejHa'; naH taj rur
dull as a vegetable knife
lo'laHbe'; chetvI' chIm rur
worthless as an empty torpedo tube
yuD; jey'naS rur
dishonest as a double-headed ax
yuDHa'; ghIt rur
honest as an ax head (or, honest as an open hand)
Dogh; tIghla' rur
foolish as a *t'gla*
tlhIb; toppa' rur
incompetent as a *topah*
bIt; tI'qa' vIghro' rur
nervous as a *tika* cat.
tun; reghuluS 'Iwghargh rur
soft as a Regulan bloodworm
tlhab; ngem Ha'DIbaH
rur free (independent) as a forest animal
'up; yIH rur
disgusting as a tribble
matlhHa'; romuluSngan rur
disloyal as a Romulan
qur; verengan rur
greedy as a Ferengi
wIH; Hur'Iqngan rur
ruthless as a *Hur'q*
Hoj; tera'ngan rur
cautious as a Terran
Hem; tlhIngan rur
proud as a Klingon
nong; vulqangan rur
passionate as a Vulcan (ironic!)
tam; Hew rur
quiet as a statue
val; Huy' rur
clever as an eyebrow
lugh; Sor rur
correct as a tree
'IQ; rav rur
sad as a floor
Sagh; Ho''oy rur
serious as a toothache
boch; ghIch rur
shiny as a nose
For variety, you can also use {nIb} "be identical" and {rap} "be the same".
For "unlike", you say {rurbe'}; {pIm} "be different" and {Sar} "be varied, be
various" are also useful.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons