tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Apr 26 16:24:50 2006

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Re: par' vs. muS?

Shane MiQogh ([email protected]) 

>{bang pongmey} are not based on your actual name. In fact, the rules for 
>forming them are quite obscure. 
  I only ment that regular klingon names would be based on our real names. Like Terrance is te'reS or something like that.
   
  >The phenomenon of the {bang pong}, however, is not secret. Usually,
>parents teach their children how the system works and have to give
>examples in doing so, though it is not known whether the example pet
>names are actual pet names used by the parents doing the teaching.
>Sometimes, however, children learn about the custom from other
>children. In particular, younger children often tell each other pet
>names they have heard. A child who has a reputation for revealing
>pet names is usually quite popular among other children, though
>older Klingons, upon finding out about his or her lack of propriety,
>will certainly take disciplinary action. As children grow older and
>start to experience {parmaq} ("love, romance") themselves, they tend
>to become quite protective of their own {bang pongmey}.
>Primarily because of the conversations of children, but also
>because, despite all precautions, one member of a couple is on rare
>occasion overheard saying a {bang pong}, it is possible to give a
>small number of examples. A {bang pong} is formed by attaching {-oy},
>the suffix indicating endearment, to an everyday noun. Most of the
>resulting terms make very little sense to anyone not in the parti-
>cular relationship, and none translates well. Some pet terms are
>based on words for kinds of food, such as {chatlhoy} and {'awje'oy}.
>Perhaps these words could be rendered in Federation Standard as
>"soupy" and "poppy" (from "soda pop"), though neither translation
>conveys the intimacy and intensity of the Klingon. Other terms
>consist of words for weapons plus {-oy}: for example: {yanoy},
>{HIchoy}, {tajoy}, {jorwI'oy}. A third type involves body parts,
>Klingon or otherwise, as in {'uSoy}, {'aDoy}, {pIpoy}, {pachoy}.
>Another term based on a body part, {Ho'oy}, is one of the few that
>makes sense to a non-Klingon if it is remembered that {Ho'} is a
>slang term for "hero, idol". (It is also enormously important that
>this word be pronounced correctly so that it is not misconstrued
>as {Ho''oy'} ["toothache"]).
>Because of the nature of the {parmaq} relationship, misusing a
>{bang pong} is a serious cultural offense. This could mean, among
>other things, revealing a {bang pong} to someone other than one's
>{parmaqqay}, revealing a third party's {bang pong} (regardless of
>how this information was acquired), addressing one's {parmaqqay}
>by the wrong pet name, or using a {bang pong} in a public setting.
>Unless a visitor gets involved in a serious relationship with a
>Klingon, it is strongly advised that one avoid saying anything that
>can be misinterpreted as a misused {bang pong}. (KGT 200-201)
   
  This sound terran... Especially the first part...
   
  >{parmaq} is indeed a noun, not a verb. After his additional research, 
>Okrand labelled it "love, romance (n)" in the KGT glossary.
   
  I'm tempted to treat it like how some things in french are nouns but define a verb..... I know that makes little sence but to say you'd afraid you "avoir peur" or "have fear"... Then again, this would probably be the only case in klingon where it would be done, so it'd be a bit unusual to use this method... It's an unusual and wierd idea that i myself came up with as wrong in my head, but i'll send it anyway... lol
   
  >Unlike English, {nuq} "what" is never used as a pronoun in Klingon so this 
>problem doesn't arise. Instead, you need to repeat the actual noun ("her 
>words", "my speech", "his idea", etc.) or use a relative clause with 
>{-bogh}. Examples of the latter method:
   
  If there was a klingon preposition for "to" in reletivity of an action vs person this would be easier... "I must give the message to the captain!" would be difficult in klingon. I can' think of any method off the top of my head, it'd be intresting how anyone comes up with how to say that exact phrase... lol

		
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