tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Dec 18 09:43:06 2003

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RE: Quote

Steven Boozer ([email protected]) [KLI Member] 

Paul Stolar asks:
> > My work group has a motto I want to translate into Klingon.
> > Who can translate "Kill the engineer, ship the tool!"

ngabwI':
>I've got an even sillier question: could you give us a little more info?
>We have a noun {jonwI'} "engineer", but I strongly suspect it refers to one
>on board a ship responsible for the care and feeding of the engine.

ngabwI' is probably right:  the {jonwI'pu'} are those who work on the 
engine {jonta'} under the command of the engineering officer {jonpIn}.

>Is this what you mean, or is "engineer" referring to "one who solves
>technical problems"?

> > Yes, engineer is one who fixes problems.

Then we have a better word:  {chamwI'} "technician", someone who works with 
technology {cham}.

>Also, for "ship", we have a verb, {HIj}, meaning "to deliver, transport
>goods", but unless you work for FedEx, I strongly suspect this is not what
>you're going for.
>
>What, exactly, does the engineer do, and what, precisely, do you mean by
>"ship"?

> > For 'ship' it means to send to the customer. We do not convey it ourselves,
> > be we do send it.

Some vocabulary: {HIj} "deliver, transport goods", {ngeH} "send", {qeng} 
"carry, convey", {Qay} "transfer".  Of these {ngeH} seems the closest fit 
to what you do.  *{HIjmoH} "cause (someone else) to deliver" might also 
work (since you don't actually deliver them yourself) though this use 
of  {-moH} is controversial.

>Additionally, what kind of tool are we talking about? (A program, a 
>wrench, etc.)

> > We make measurement tools. So "tool" or "instrument" are appropriate.

Unfortunately, there's no exact Klingon equivalent for either of 
these.  The closest is the general word {jan} "device"; in fact, {QoQ jan} 
is translated in KGT as "musical instrument".  So a measurement tool or 
measuring instrument would be {juvmeH jan} or, even simpler, just {juvwI'} 
a "measurer".

Now putting all this together, we can say:

   chamwI' yIHoH; juvmeH jan yIngeH!
   "Kill the technician; send the measuring device!"

   chamwI' yIHoH; juvwI' yIngeH!
   "Kill the technician; send the 'measurer'!"

   chamwI' yIHoH; juvmeH jan yIHIjmoH!
   "Kill the technician; have the measuring device delivered!"

   chamwI' yIHoH; juvwI' yIHIjmoH!
   "Kill the technician; have the 'measurer' delivered!"

Of these, I prefer {chamwI' yIHoH; juvwI' yIngeH!}  It's short, the clauses 
match, and there's a sort of internal rhyme - just right for a motto.



-- 
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons

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