tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Jan 09 14:27:27 2002
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Re: Is this valid Klingon?
Qov wrote:
>> laSvarghHomchajDaq pIwvetlh ngoy' net Qub
> The controversy is that we have no evidence from the definition
> or use that ngoy' is transitive.
Russ Perry Jr:
: Ah, bugger. That hadn't occurred to me when I wrote it, but it started
: to make me wonder last night, and now you've pointed out exactly why...
Here's the only example of {ngoy'} "be responsible" from canon:
vangDI' tlhIngan SuvwI' ngoy' qorDu'Daj; vangDI' qorDu'Daj ngoy'
tlhIngan SuvwI'.
The family of a Klingon warrior is responsible for his actions,
and he is responsible for theirs. TKW
Literally: "When a Klingon warrior acts, his family is responsible; when his
family acts, the Klingon warrior is responsible."
: I had been more TKD-literal and translated it as "One thinks they are
: responsible for the odors at their small factory". Not actually being
: a Klingon speaker, I wasn't sure if "responsible" would come across in
: the sense of "they're creating the smell" or "they're supposed to stop/
: reduce the smell". Even more so, I'd hoped it would have a slight
: suggestion of "regardless of what they make there, it is THEY who cause
: the smell". :-)
> To be safe, I would say:
> laSvarghHomchajDaq pIwvetlhvaD ngoy' net Qub
> I would translate it into English as "It is thought that they are
> responsible for those odours in their production unit(s)."
Instead of the noun {pIw}, use the verb {He'}:
He'DI' laSvarghHomchaj ngoy' chaH net Qub.
"It is thought that when their production unit(s) smell, THEY
are responsible."
Talking about smells in Klingon is a little tricky, as you have several
options:
{largh} "smell, sense odors" (v.) - person does this
{He'} "smell, emit odor" (v.) - object does this
{He'So'} "stink" (v.) - object does this
{pIw} "odor" (n.) - the scent or smell itself
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons