tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Apr 02 10:54:39 2001
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RE: KLBC: first post
taD:
: Note that {ghItlh} means "mark, incise, engrave, write", and refers to
: the physical process of marking on something (such as paper). So {ghItlhwI'}
: could actually mean "stylus" or "one who writes (on something)".
I.e. a "scribe", "secretary" or "amanuensis".
Xardana replied:
> Could ghItlh refer also to "stamping" with a rubber stamp, for example,
> thus making a mark appear on the paper or similar medium?
taD:
: KGT defines {ghItlh} as "engrave, incise, mark". So stamping may or may not
: be covered by this meaning. However, for lack of a better word, I would say
: that it's okay to use {ghItlh} if you stamp something. If you want to
: distinguish between marking something and stamping something, though, then
: you would have to describe the process in more detail.
Don't forget the verb {per} "label".
Okrand discussed {ghItlh} vs. {qon} and {gher} on startrek.klingon:
The verb usually translated "write," {ghItlh}, refers to the
physical activity of writing (moving the pencil around, chiseling,
etc.)"
Note, too, the derived noun {ghItlhwI'} "stylus", which Okrand describes as a
tool used to make marks of some sort and, by extension, any writing implement
in KGT (p.79).
: Note that the verb {ghItlh} refers to the physical process of marking
: something, and the verb {qon} refers to composing or recording something
: (such as a story or a song).
Since {ghItlh} is also the word for "manuscript", I think we can safely assume
that the verb {ghItlh} refers to writing that manuscript in whatever format, at
least generally. Perhaps historically Klingon writing was originally incised
on a hard surface (such as Terran cuneiform which was incised on clay tablets
and stone) which accounts for the literal meaning of {ghItlh} as "engrave,
incise, mark". By the 24th century, however, {ghItlh} seems to mean simply the
general, physical act of writing in whatever format.
If you must distinguish between marking via engraving or incisions and marking
via ink, paint or other pigment (rItlh), remember that we have the verb {DIj}
"use/paint with a pigment stick (rItlh naQ) from KGT. Other useful verbs
include {ngoH} "smear" - expanded to "paint using fingers" in KGT - and
{nguvmoH} "dye, stain, tint" (KGT).
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons