tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Apr 29 05:00:41 2003

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Re: KLBC: How would you say.... ....in Klingon?

marqoS wrote:

>I've added KLBC to the subject so the Beginners' Grammarian
>will jump in here.  Meanwhile, I'll take a crack at your phrases:

So you agree that this is a KLBC-message?
Then you should remember that this means that the Beginners' Grammarian is the first one to reply.
Anyway, it wasn't mark as one... qay'be'! qaHoHbe'... DaHjaj.  }};-)

>> Meet me at $ at #### hours.
>I'm not sure we know how to tell time in Klingon yet, but I'm not up
>on the latest discoveries.  But just "Meet me at $" would be "$Daq HIghom".

AFAIK, "Meet me at 4 a.m." is {loS rep maghom} or also {loSvatlh rep maghom}
"four o'clock" and "four hundred hours"

Voragh just gave us the canon examples, so no need to explain more, do I?

>> I have got to go.
>jIjaHnIS.

Literally, "I need to walk". Not quite the same. If you need "I gotta go", like you need to leave the place, use the verb {mej} "leave, depart": 
   {jImejnIS} "I need to leave"
If you want to let it sound more "Klingon", say it more strength:
   {DaH jImej} "I leave now!"

Perhabs you know ST6, the Undiscovered Country, where General Chang stands with his crew on the transporter platform and says to his ship 
{DaH machegh}

>> Please!
>> Thank you!
>> You're welcome.
>Klingons aren't big on social niceties, and would generally leave all such
>phrases out of their conversation.  However, we do know how to say
>"I thank you", if you insist: you can say "qatlho'" (to a single person) or
>"Satlho'" (to many people).

That's correct. But the meaning of the verb {tlho'} is not the same as Terrans use it, not a polite "thanks". 
{qatlho'} could be translated (exaggerating a bit) "I am grateful for what you have done for me, and therefore I thank you". At least, that's how it 
sounds to a Klingon.
But it's frequently used among Terrans on this list and others, just as {qay'be'}, literally "it is no problem" can be a good translation for the common 
answer "You're welcome."
(but not "you're welcome on my planet"!)

>> Can you come over to my place at #### hours?
>(at #### hours) juHwIjDaq  bIpawlaH'a'?

"Are you able to arrive at my home at # hours?"
This asks if the plane will arrive on time, but still okay.
Other verbs you could use:
{Such} - "visit"
{ghom} - "meet"
{Sop} - "eat"
Yes, why not just the verb that says what you wanna do?

{19vatlh rep juHwIjDaq maSop'a'}
"Will we have dinner at my place at seven?"

>> May I come over to your place at #### hours?
>(at #### hours) juHlIjDaq  jIpawlaH'a'?
This looks like asking for a permission:
  "Do you permit me to visit you at eight tonight?"
  {cha'maHvatlh rep juHlIjDaq qaSuch 'e' Dachaw''a'}


There is a sentence on one of the tapes which sounds 
{cha'logh juHlIjDaq jISop 'e' yIchaw'neS} 
"allow me to eat at your house twice, your honor"
= i.e. "the food is good, please invite me again"

(I hope I missed nothing, I don't have the transcript next to me)


Quvar
Beginners' Grammarian
  ghojwI'pu' vISaH.

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