tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Jan 31 15:55:13 2002

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

Re: KLBC: Klingon distress call (updated)


> > > > maH nuHIvtaH jagh. maHegh 'ach DIrIQ. pechol 'ej DaHIv. bortaS 
> chenobHa'.
>
> > > On reflection, I probably should have used some imperative prefixes. . .
>
> > > maH nuHIvtaH jagh. maHegh 'ach DIrIQ. HIchol 'ej tIHIv! bortaS ghonobHa'!
>
>"The enemy is attacking US. We are dead, but we be injured them. [Okay, so if
>you are dead, who sent this message, and if you are dead, why does the enemy
>continue to attack?] Come closer and attack them! Ungive us revenge!"

Don't forget that Klingon has no tense.  "We will die" is a perfectly valid 
translation of maHegh.  I'd kind of expect nuHIvlI' jagh under that 
circumstance, but perhaps they don't appear to be attacking with any sort 
of purpose.

Canon attests to "give back" as a translation of nobHa'.  I'm not sure I've 
seen the prefix trick used with an imperative, but the structure is correct 
for the prefix trick.

taj qanob - I give you the knife
taj qanobHa' - I give you back the knife
taj HInobHa' - give me back the knife
bortaS ghonobHa' - give us back revenge

Or maybe "Rend undo us vengeance."  You've got to bear in mind that the guy 
sending this Sotlaw has multiple sucking chest wounds, and his hair is on 
fire.  I do tend to agree with charghwI' when he says:

> > >bortaS ghonobHa'
> >
> > This implies that they will be taking back what they
> > presumably have given.

It at least sounds like they are asking for something they've had before to 
be returned.  So perhaps: bortaSmaj yISuq.

> > And this brings up the question, what do we do with revenge?  Do we tlhap,
> > baj, jon, ta', chav, nob, jab, etc.?

I feel like answering this one with HISlaH!  Why not?  English has a few 
nouns that prefer particular verbs (practise agriculture/law/medicine, 
transact business) but it isn't wrong or ugly to attempt, work at, serve 
in, or do those things.  There is evidence (qI', cha', laQ) that Klingon 
has cliched verbs for particular nouns, but I'm not going to let that stop 
anyone from nej-ing, quch-ing, nor poQ-ing revenge.

Back to archive top level