tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Nov 05 10:02:14 2001

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RE: KLBC: confusion



Sean Healey:
> >DopDaq qul yIchenmoH QobDI' ghu'
>
> "When the situation is dangerous, build a fire on the side."  Is this a
> Klingon proverb, or am I mistranslating something, or what is going on?
> I don't understand what he's trying to convey.
 
DloraH, BG:
: This comes from the tape Power Klingon. It is a Replacement Proverb. When
: you make a mistake and make yourself look dumb, you say one of several
: replacement proverbs to restore your honor.

Mark Okrand introduced the actual term {qa'meH vIttlhegh} "replacement proverb"
in HolQeD 5.1:

  "This is the only way to say 'replacement proverb' currently, but in
   the past, the common term was the lenghthier {quvqa'meH vIttlhegh}, 
   literally, 'proverb for (the purpose of) being honored again'. The
   word {qa'meH}, clearly a shortened form of {quvqa'meH}, was
   originally used only in the construction of {qa'meH vIttlhegh}, but,
   though historically two verb suffixes, it has become accepted as a
   noun in its own right, meaning replacement in the sense of something
   that takes over for or is used instead of something that is gone or
   that has been lost. It is not used for a temporary substitute or a
   stand-in; the word for that is {lIw}."

: The tape PK covers more detail about its use and some of the other proverbs
: available.

For those who don't have PK, here are the known {qa'meH vIttlheghmey}:

  DopDaq qul yIchenmoH QobDI' ghu'.
  Set fire on the side when there is danger.

  jagh DajeymeH nIteb DaSuvrup.
  To defeat the enemy, be ready to fight alone.

  reH Suvrup SuvwI''a'?
  A great warrior is always prepared.

  reH latlh qabDaq qul tuj law' Hoch tuj puS.
  The fire is always hotter on someone else's face.

  Hagh qoHpu' neH HeghtaHvIS SuvwI'pu'.
  Only fools laugh while warriors die.

  HIvqa' veqlargh.
  The Fek'lhr strikes again.

This last is, perhaps, the most frequently heard.



-- 
Voragh                       
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons


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