tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jun 21 07:58:50 2005
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Re: Is it my turn yet?
juDmoS:
>I've been trying to figure out a way to refer the concept of taking
>"turns"...implying not only that there is a structure to this game but
>that, when my turn is over, it is your (or someone else's) turn, which
>will itself have a definite starting and ending point, during which
>he/she/it will attempt to counter whatever strategy you are attempting to
>employ, and that, eventually, it will be my turn again, and so on, until
>the winner of the game is decided (rather a long-winded description for a
>simple four-letter-word, is it not?). I know the concept exists, but what
>means has been used to convey this concept to date? I've been so far
>unable to determine a way to do this that does not involve a lengthy
>discussion of the concepts. Is there one? Can someone refer me to a handy
>term or phrase which will sum this up concisely?
The closest I can think of is {'eb} "opportunity, chance, opening", which
has been used to refer to a round of drinks:
<<'eb Qav>> jatlhpu'.
He said, "Last call!" CK
and there's a couple of proverbs that would be appropriate during a game:
reH 'eb tu'lu'
There is always a chance. TKW
Hoch 'ebmey tIjon
Capture all opportunities.
["In Klingon, opportunities are captured [jon], not taken; a missed
opportunity is said to have escaped [nargh]." (TKW 51)]
For examples of missed opportunities, see these variant translations from
st.klingon (jan. 1998):
jIpaSqu'mo' narghpu' qaSuchmeH 'eb.
I was too late to visit you.
("Because I'm very late, the opportunity to visit you has escaped.")
qaSuch vIneH 'ach narghpu' 'eb. jIpaSqu'.
I was too late to visit you.
("I want to visit you, but the opportunity has escaped. I am very late.")
qaSuchlaHbe'. jIpaSqu' vaj narghpu' 'eb.
I was too late to visit you.
("I cannot visit you. I am very late, thus the opportunity has escaped.")
{DuH} "possibility" and {wIv} "choice" might also work, depending on the game.
Okrand has only talked briefly about game terminology:
"To win" a competition is {Qap}. (If it's a decisive or particularly
gratifying victory, they'd say {Qapchu'}, even though that's a bit
redundant... To a Klingon, to win is to function perfectly. The oppo-
site notion, "lose", is commonly {luj}, also meaning "fail". (HQ 2.4)
{pe''egh} is used for "keep score" (lit. "cut oneself"):
It comes from an old Klingon habit of keeping track of accomplishments
by making small cuts on one's skin, usually on the face, as a tally.
(TKW 135)
potlhbe'chugh yay qatlh pe''eghlu'?
If winning (lit. "victory") is not important, then why keep score? TKW
Other game-related verbs include {qaD} "challenge", {'ov} "compete" and, of
course, {Quj} "play a game".
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons