tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Oct 11 10:30:13 2000

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RE: fractions



SOA2K wrote:
> It is common in English to call 2/3  "two over 3"

I've never heard this.  But then, I've only been speaking American English for
44 years.  I've only heard "two-thirds".  Would you really say, "Give me two
over three  of the pie?"

Is this how they're teaching kids to say fractions now?  I suppose it works for
higher order fractions, e.g. 23/345 "twenty three over three forty five" is
simpler than "twenty three three-hundred-forty-fifths".

> Could we not refer to a fraction this way in Klingon?
> e.g..  cha' Dung jav

DloraH:
: Dung is a noun, not a verb, so what you have written here is a noun-noun
: combination.  The "area above" belongs to "two".  "two's area above".  
: This would make "two" the denominator.  The same continues when you attach
: jav (which is 6, not 3) to the noun Dung. "the area above's six", "six of 
: the area above".

Also, since {Dung} is a noun in Klingon meaning "area above/overhead", not a
preposition meaning "above" as in English, you would also use {-Daq}:

  "An English preposition need not be a part of the translation. 
   Klingon {Dung} means 'area above', and {DungDaq} is 'overhead',
   literally something like 'at the area above'." (TKD:27)

Okrand's example:

   nagh DungDaq 
   above the rock (TKD)

Thus, "two above three" would have to be {wej DungDaq cha'} - whatever that
might mean.
 
: We have the word for decimal (vI').  Just use that (until we hear more
: from Maltz.)

Agreed:  2/3 = 0.667 {pagh vI' jav jav Soch}.  

This shows again that you can devise any method you like to deal with
mathematics, but it won't be understood by others - even those who ostensibly
speak the same language as the translator! - let alone any Klingons!  We just
have to be patient and wait for Maltz.



-- 
Voragh                       
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons


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