tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Sep 14 11:11:34 2004

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The long and short of it

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

De'vID:
> >> (Also, does <ngaj> apply to words?  When one says that
> >> words are "short", is one speaking of their stature or their
> >> duration?)

ngabwI':
>We don't know, exactly. Until we do, use this as you feel it should be used.
>I would have no problem with you describing a word as {ngaj}, because words
>are meant to be spoken, and so occupy a certain amount of time. I would
>think this also carries over to the written form.

I agree completely.  Language events (words, sentences, stories, etc.) are 
spoken, while writing is merely one of several methods to record those 
events.

Checking my notes, I find nothing about words per se, but time periods can 
be {nI'} "be long/lengthy (in duration)":

   poH nI'
   a long time. KGT

and these time periods can consist of days:

   nI' jajvam
   This day is long. (st.klingon)

   nI' DaHjaj
   Today is long. (st.klingon)

or nights (which can also be {ngaj} "be short (in duration)"):

   {maj ram} ... is all that remains of two formerly used longer expressions,
   {ngaj ram} ("The night is short") and {nI' ram} ("The night is long"). The
   original full expressions, then, were {maj, ngaj ram} ("Good, the night is
   short"), suggesting that it would not be long before the next day's activi-
   ties could begin, or {maj, nI' ram} ("Good, the night is long"), suggesting
   that there was ample opportunity for rejuvenation and meaningful dreaming.
   [KGT 120]

or even one's life:

   nI'be' yInmaj 'ach wovqu'
   Our lives burn short and bright. (Anthem)

   yIn nI' yISIQ 'ej yIchep
   Live long and prosper! RTm

Songs can also be {nI'}:

   The drinking songs are always sung loudly ... and they tend to be rather
   lengthy ({nI'}) and, from a non-Klingon perspective, repetitive.  [KGT 78]

For those who like to rely on canon, I think this last bit about songs is 
the most relevant.  Songs are meant to be sung or chanted {bom}.  Even if 
they're later recorded {qon} or physically written down {ghItlh}, 
recordings take time to play and writing takes time to read or perform.



-- 
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons

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