tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Aug 22 01:51:55 2000
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tlhIngan "Tao" ?
Greetings to the Empire:
I decided not to give this question a KLBC marker because it maybe
is not a mere translation question:
The chinese concept/ religion/ philosophy "Tao" has a certain
similarity to "the Klingon Way" as frequently quoted in the serials.
Tao is often translated as "harmony", "way", "the natural course of things".
One could also say "doing the right thing". The scholars here definitely can
supply more good translations, please do so!
On Terra, it is not just an idea, Tao formed an entire pre-Buddhist way of
thoughts, life, dealing with problems, situations, people.
A good warlord commanded his troups sucessfully if he was lead by Tao,
a good artist expressed Tao in his pictures.
And Tao did not moralize about "good" and "evil", because everything
was a part of "the natural course of things".
Now, that concept is pretty Klingon, almost basic to the race's character.
(To humorously quote the actor J.G.Hertzler who portrayed General Martok,
"Everything Klingons do is the Klingon way! ;-)
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My question:
What would be a good tlhIngan Hol representation of Tao?
I have been thinking about:
- (tlhIngan) tIgh : the (Klingon) custom/ way (TKW)
- ghob: ethics/ virtue (TKW)
I favor ghob - it denotes "a particularly valued quality or a form of
behavior exemplifies moral correctness, as defined by a society"
The moral part disturbs me a little, perhaps this is just a Federation
misinterpretation :-)
Otherwise, ghob seems just right, especially when you look at the context
in various TKW proverbs:
"Adhere to Virtue honorably" : batlh ghob yIpab
"Virtue is the reward" : pop 'oH ghob'e'
So Virtue / ghob is a greater quality than the single person and his needs,
also something beyond mere law. (A situation is conceivable that following
Virtue honorably might mean breaking a law.)
So I think I have my word for "Tao".
But what is tlhIngan tIgh then?
Is the "Klingon Way" an interpretation of "Virtue", a method to be a
Klingon, a set of recommendations? Or is it represented by the actual laws
passed in a Klingon society?
I have no answer here and ask for assistance.
Qapla'
--
taj'IH veStay chopwI'
C.O. IKV quv'a'
S.C.O. Faces of Fire Squadron
Dark Vengeance Fleet
Khemorex Klinzhai Germany