tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Mar 08 07:02:28 2004

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Re: Welsh National Anthem (KLBC?)

Scott Willis ([email protected]) [KLI Member] [Hol po'wI']

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "avarQ, son of gharan" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2004 8:05 PM
Subject: Welsh National Anthem (KLBC?)


> A friend has asked me to translate the Welsh national anthem. I have
> struggled to get what I have here.
> Anyone interested in lending a hand?  It would be nice if some of the
> 'poetry' could be maintained. :)

While I can't help with the translation, I *can* look over the grammar, and
wish you the best of luck with your project. }}: )

> The land of my fathers is dear to me,
> puHDaj vavpu' potlh 'e' vIHar,

Object-Verb-Subject: {potlh puHDaj vavpu'} "The fathers of its land are
important."
You need to drop the {-Daj}. The possessive is already present in the
noun-noun construct:
{nuH pegh} "Secret of the weapon."
And you will need to flip the {vavpu'} and {puH}.
If you want to get across the idea of "My fathers", don't forget {-wI'} (N4,
possessive, indicating the thing possessed is capable of using language.) So
all together,
{potlh vavpu'wI' puH 'e' vIHar}
"I believe the land of my fathers is important."

> Land of bards and singers, famous men of renown,
> puHDaj lut ja'wI'pu' bompu' je, loD noy,

Not bad, but drop the {-Daj}, and put {puH} at the end (see above), and
{bom}, as a noun, means "song", not "singer". "Singer" is {bomwI'} "One who
sings". I would also probably put the {loD noy} in with the rest of the
nouns.
All together,
{lut ja'wI'pu', bomwI'pu', loDpu' noy je puH.}
"Land of storytellers, singers, and famous men."

> It's brave warriors, so good patriots,
> SuvwI'pu' yoHDaj puH, nuvpu' matlh,

Only type 5 noun suffixes go onto a verb acting adjectivially:
{SuvwI'pu'Daj yoHmo'} "Because of its brave warriors."
And there's no mention of "land" in the English in this line. Unless it's
called for by the Welsh, you could probably drop the {puH}:
{SuvwI'pu'Daj yoH, nuvpu' matlh}
"It's brave warriors, loyal people."

> For freedom they lost their blood.
> tlhabvaD 'IwDaj chIlta' chaH.

"For freedom, they've misplaced his bloods."
I'd suggest changing {-Daj} to {-chaj} "their", and putting {lu-} on the
verb, to show a singular object. ("blood", not "bloods")
So, corrected:
{tlhabvaD 'Iwchaj luchIlta' chaH}
"They've misplaced their blood for freedom."

And, just as a suggestion, try {regh} "to bleed", instead of {'Iw chIl} "to
misplace blood":
{tlhabvaD regh chaH}
"They bleed for freedom."

>      Land!    Land!
>      I am faithful to my land.
>      puH!     puH!
>      puHwIjvaD vIvoqtaH.

The last line means "I am trusting it for my land"
Try dropping the {-vaD}:
{puHwIj vIvoqtaH} "I'm trusting my land."

Another suggestion: use {matlh} "to be loyal"), instead of {voq}:
{puHwIjvaD jImatlh} "I am loyal to my land."

>      While sea is a wall
>      Surchem 'oH bIQ'a'

Don't forget the {-'e'}: {Surchem 'oH bIQ'a'*'e'*}
You could also try {tlhoy'} "territorial wall", instead of {Surchem} "Force
field"

>      O let the old language continue.
>      HoD jaq taHjaj.

This word order is appropriate only for toasts. Unless it's called for by
the Welsh, put the {taHjaj} at the beginning of the sentence.
I will assume that you meant {Hol} "language", not {HoD} "captain"
So we have:
{taHjaj Hol jaq} "May the bold language continue"
If you meant "old", as in "not new", use {ngo'} instead of {jaq}

{pe'vIl mu'qaDmey tIbach!} Good luck!

--ngabwI'
Beginners' Grammarian,
Klingon Language Institute
http://kli.org/
HovpoH 701261.8

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