tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Oct 04 11:30:38 2001

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Re: Klingon WOTD: chID (v)



From: "Steven Boozer" <[email protected]>
> : "Have the courage to admit your mistakes," from TKW, which I
> : believe was given as /QaghmeylIj tIchID; yIyoH/.
> : (Note: it really should be /yIyoH'eghmoH/.)
>
> "Make yourself brave!  Screw up your courage!"  Nope, you're overthinking
it.
> "Admit your mistakes; be brave" is perfectly fine - particularly in the
> lapidary style of Klingon proverbs - though reversing the clauses sounds
better
> in English: "Be brave; admit your mistakes."

According to KGT, verbs of quality used as imperatives take /-'egh/ and
/-moH/.  One does not say "be brave," one says "cause yourself to be brave."
(There are times when this doesn't count; this rule indicates normal usage.)

/yoH/ is a verb of quality: Conversational Klingon has /wej tlhInganpu' yoH/
"three brave Klingons."

The proverb was written before Okrand came up with this information, and it
is supposed to be a proverb, so I'm not advocating a change to the phrase.
However, regarding correct usage of Klingon, /QaghmeylIj tIchID; yIyoH/ is
lacking.

SuStel
Stardate 1759.6


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