tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Jul 12 05:07:32 2002

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RE: RE: word-question



lab Voragh:

>Andrew Strader:
>>That's a fair complaint. But there are other tools that avail us, and after a
>>while, you won't miss "dangerously" and its kin.
>
>Andrew's right.  Instead of fixating on elements Klingon doesn't 
>have - such as freely-formed adverbs - focus on trying to re-state 
>the thought using the tools we do have, specifically verbs and the 
>correct use of suffixes.

yes, but that's more difficult! ;)

>>mIchDaq DayItchugh QobtaHvIS ghu'...
>
>Another verb is {'el} "enter, go in" and it's used in TKD:
>
>   mIch 'elpu' jay'
>   They've entered the @#$% sector!
>
>We also have an example using {ghu'} "situation" in "Power Klingon", 
>adding the sense of danger to the action of the main verb:
>
>   DopDaq qul yIchenmoH QobDI' ghu'
>   Set fire on the side when there is danger ("when the situation is 
>dangerous").
>
>So, putting these together:
>
>   mIch Da'el QobDI' ghu'
>   You enter the zone when the situation is dangerous.

but there's no choice. the situation is always dangerous in the zone. 
i mean, the situation is dangerous when i enter the zone.

Qob ghu' mIch Da'elDI'.
(the situation is dangerous when you enter the zone.)

but anyway, maybe i found a way to express it more klingonly:

Qob mIch.
(the zone is dangerous.)

>Another way is using a {-meH} purpose clause:
>
>   mIch Da'elmeH Qob ghu'
>   Entering the zone is dangerous (for you).
>   ("In order for you to enter the zone, the situation is dangerous.")

_this_ is possible? i mean, it seems that the zone is dangerous in 
order to that i enter it. it should be the other way round. the zone 
is dangerous, but inspite of that i enter it. hm...

>Translating into another language is more than mechanically 
>translating each element from the original:  i.e. adverb for adverb, 
>noun for noun, verb for verb, etc.  For example, although it may be 
>good German, no English speaker I know of would say "you dangerously 
>walk into the zone".  Yes, it's grammatically correct (and 
>understandable), but it's not how we use that particular adverb. 
>It's not idiomatic.

in german you say: es ist gefaehrlich in die zone zu gehen
"it is dangerous in the zone to go.". i just wanted to imitate 
"batlh" and "QIt" an so on. ok. it doesn't work. i'm trying to learn.

>We just have to accept the fact that Klingons get by without a lot 
>of adverbials.  Instead, they carefully vary the use of the verb 
>suffixes, many of which actually do add adverbial connotations to 
>the basic meaning of the verb.  Take another look at them in TKD and 
>examine Okrand's use of suffixes in his sample sentences.  Look 
>particularly at the appended "List of Useful Expressions".  You'll 
>be surprised at what you can do with them.
>
>It does take practice, and it's often exasperating, but that's where 
>the fun is for many of us on this list:  What can you do with the 
>tools we have?  How can we combine grammar, style and idiom?

:) yes. you're right.

sts.


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