tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Jun 02 15:09:09 2004

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Re: mu' lo' QaQ 'oSbogh mu'tlheghmey

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

lay'tel SIvten wrote:

>I propose the creation of a body of nontrivial example sentences illustrating
>how each Klingon word can be used.  Many of the sentences could be taken
>directly from canonical sources, but not all words have been used in 
>canon.  Such
>sentences could also provide a definition of sorts.

This isn't a bad idea, although you're talking ultimately about creating an 
annotated Klingon-English glossary.  All attempts to publish the entire 
vocabulary online have come up against Paramount's or Simon & Schuster's 
copyright.  Consider their point of view:  If someone can download it for 
free from the Internet, why would they buy "The Klingon Dictionary"?

That being said, that's exactly how I remember vocabulary.  I memorize one 
*non-trivial* sentence featuring the word and affix in question.  This is 
particularly effective when learning all those verb prefixes.

>Here are some possible sentences based on some of the first words of the KLI's
>collector card #2, Verbs of Personality.

Where possible, the examples should come from canon; that way, we know 
we're using the word correctly and not imposing our own assumptions on 
it.  A classic example of this would be trying to come up for something for 
{taH} "be at a negative angle", the long arguments about whether {jev} 
"storm" was a weather verb or not, and the l-o-n-g discussions about how 
{SIS} "rain" was used.

I'm sure others will have something to say.  I don't have the time now to 
comment on your sentences, but a quick check shows that all but two of 
these verbs have been used in canon:

>boH:  nom qaS Hoch neH boHwI'.

   bIboH. yIjotchoH!
   You're impatient. Calm down! KGT

>matlh:  maghbe' matlhwI'.

   qorDu' SaHlu'chugh 'ej matlhlu'chugh vaj wa' tlhIngan ghob potlhqu'
   devotion and loyalty to family is one of the most important Klingon 
virtues. S13

   yoHbogh matlhbogh je SuvwI' Say'moHchu' may' 'Iw
   The blood of battle washes clean the warrior brave and true. (Anthem)

[Okay, this infamous line from the Anthem should never be used as an 
exemplar!  <g>]

>Dogh:  qoH Da DoghwI'.

   Dogh; tIghla' rur
   foolish as a t'gla KGT

>qej:  Hoch par 'ej bep qejwI'.

   qej; veqlargh rur
   mean as Fek'lhr. KGT

>Sey:  be' 'IH vIleghDI' qoj bom chuS vIQoyDI' bISeychoH.

Never used in canon.

>SeymoH:  jaghmeywI' vIjeyDI' juppu'wI' vISeymoH.

   SeymoH QeH
   Anger excites. TKW

>maw':  Qubchu'be' maw'wI'.

   bImaw''a'?  Duvuv SuS DaneH'a'?
   Are you crazy? Do you want the wind to respect you?  KGT
   (i.e. "What's with you? Are you an idiot?" [KGT 122])

>vID:  pagh meqmo' vay' Suv vIDwI'.

Never used in canon.

>tlhaQ:  muHaghmoH lut tlhaQ.

   lut tlhaQ DaSov'a'?
   Do you know any funny stories? PK

Perhaps some of the longer examples could be shortened a bit to make them 
easier to remember.

BTW lay'tel, if you wanted to show how the verbs are used, why do so many 
of your examples show derived {-wI'} nouns?

>Could something like this be put on the wiki?  Is anyone else interested in
>doing this too?

I don't have time or access to input it on the wiki(s), but I'd certainly 
be willing to check entries against my canon files.



-- 
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons

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