tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Jan 03 00:13:20 2001
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Re: Qu'vatlh!
In a message dated 1/2/2001 11:59:10 PM Central Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
> I would however appreciate it if some generous soul on this list would be
> so kind as to help me "get off on the right foot" as far as learning
> klingon goes. If anyone would be able to assist me in this manner, please
>
I have a course textbook for the Klingon language, which is undergoing
evaluation by Pocket Books. Meanwhile I have had various students evaluate
the book by using portions of it. If you would be so kind, here is the first
lesson, with others to follow in a reasonable time so you can learn each
lesson without feeling flooded.
Naturally, you need Conversational Klingon, an audio cassette, in order to
work on proper pronunciation. You should continue to study the grammar
section of The Klingon Dictionary. This course is designed to teach students
without TKD, but you obviously need someone or CK to learn pronunciation.
Speak Klingon boldly! Speak aloud! Do not fear mistakes! They happen, but
you are going to overcome them and become an expert.
Lesson One
Buying Paper
Read the dialogue even though you do not understand why some things translate
as they do; then study the grammar notes; then review the vocabulary list;
then re-read the notes as necessary. Now, practice the drills, all of which
are accurate Klingon. Next, do the translation exercises from English into
Klingon. Go back and read the dialogue again, this time comprehending
everything. Finally, there are gole-playing exercises.
jatlh Suy: nuq DaneH?
The merchant says, "What do you want?"
jatlh nov: nav vIneH.
The alien says, "I want paper."
jatlh Suy: nav vIghaj. HItlhej!
The merchant says, "I have paper. Accompany me!"
Suy tlhej nov. nav legh. woH. roQ.
The alien goes with the merchant. He sees paper. He picks some up. He puts
it down.
jatlh Suy: DaH nav yIwIv!
The merchant says, "Choose [some] paper now!"
jatlh nov: maj. navvam vIneH.
The alien says, "Okay. I want this paper."
jatlh Suy: DaH yIDIl!
The merchant says, "Pay for it now!"
nav DIl nov. mej.
The alien pays for the paper. He leaves.
The emphasis in this lesson is verb prefixes indicating who is doing the
action to whom/to what. You will get more practice on adverbials each lesson.
Grammar Notes: Klingon sentences have the basic word order Object + Verb +
Subject. Example: nav neH nov means The alien wants paper.
Klingon does not have articles: a, an, the.
Klingons do not discriminate the gender. nov might be a male alien or a
female alien. The verbs may translate as He wants paper OR She wants paper,
for example.
You noticed that sentences which have the same subject as the previuios
sentence/s do not need a subject, not even a pronoun referring back to the
previous subject. The same is true when referring to the object. Example.
nav woH nov. roQ. The alien picks up the paper. He puts it down.
Klingons get right to the point. Instead of elaborate greetings, say what
you want. This is why there are no greetings nor words like "please" and
"thank you."
Klingon verbs take prefixes which indicate who is doing the action of the
verb to whom:
Suy vItlhej = I accompany the merchant.
Suy Datlhej = You (singular) accompany the merchant.
Suy tlhej = He/She/It accompanies the merchant.
Suy tlhej nov = The alien accompanies the merchant.
Suy yItlhej = Accompany the merchant!
HItlhej = Accompany me!
The prefix yI- means "do it!" This makes the verb imperative (a command).
Examples: nav yIDIl! = Pay for the paper! Suy yItlhej! = Go with the
merchant!
Adverbials, including time words, precede the basic sentence. Examples: DaH
nav neH Suy = Now the merchant wants paper. DaH Suy tlhej nov = Now the
alien goes with the merchant.
Nouns may take five distinct types of suffixes, attached in numerical order,
with holes in the order being allowed. The first four types of these
suffixes modify the meaning of the noun itself. The type 4 suffix indicates
possession. In this lesson you receive only -vam "this." We will explain
suffixes more as they occur in later lessons. nav = paper; navvam = this
paper; Suy = merchant; Suyvam = this merchant; nov = alien; novvam = this
alien.
Vocabulary:
Da- = you (singular) ---> him, her, it, them (verb prefix)
DaH = now (adverbial)
DIl = pays for (verb)
ghaj = has, owns, possesses (verb)
HI- = do it to me! (verb prefix, imperative)
jalth = says, speaks (verb)
legh = sees (verb)
maj = okay, fine, good (exclamation)
mej = leaves, exits (verb)
nav = paper (noun)
neH = wants, desires (verb)
nov = alien, foreigner, outsider (noun)
nuq = what? (question word)
roQ = puts down (verb)
Suy = merchant (noun)
-vam = this (noun suffix, type 4)
vI- = I ---> him, her, it, them (verb prefix)
wIv = chooses, selects, picks out (verb)
woH = picks up (verb)
yI- = do it! (verb prefix, imperative)
Drill: nav vIneH. nav DaneH. nav neH nov. nav neH Suy. nav vIghaj. nav
Daghaj. nav ghaj nov. nav ghaj Suy. nuq vIlegh? nuq Dalegh? nuq legh
nov? nuq legh Suy? nav yIlegh! nav yIwoH! nav yIroQ! nav yIDIl! DaH
navvam yIDIl! DaH navvam DIl novvam.
Translate into Klingon, using only the grammar and vocabulary introduced so
far: I see the paper. You see the paper. The foreigner sees the paper.
The merchant sees the paper. I pay for the paper. You pay for the paper.
The foreigner pays for the paper. The merchant pays for the paper. I pick
up the paper. You pick up the paper. The foreigner picks up the paper. The
merchant picks up the paper. I put the paper down. You put the paper down.
The alien puts the paper down. The merchant puts the paper down. Pick up
the paper! Put the paper down! Pay for the paper now! See me! Come with
me! Choose this paper now! See this foreigner now! Put the alien down, now!
Answer in Klingon, based on the dialogue above: nuq neH nov? nuq ghaj Suy?
nuq jatlh nov? nuq jatlh Suy?
Role play: Have one person pretend to order and pay for paper!
Remember: Go back and re-read the dialoge while keeping the English side
covered up with a folded sheet of paper. Read it unti your are completely
familiar with it. Then, move on to the next lesson.
peHruS
P.S. If you have comments, please send them to [email protected]