tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jan 23 08:37:09 2006
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Re: yopwaH
Quvar:
> > "pants" is plural in english, but is it in Klingon?
> > My thought is, why should it be so? So I translate
> > {xxxDaq 'oHtaH yopwaH}
> > "The pants are on the xxx"
QeS:
>I have no problem at all with this. As well, it means that {yopwaHmey}
>"pairs of pants" is also possible.
That would be my guess. Unfortunately {yopwaH} has never been used in a
Klingon sentence, but it was mentioned by Okrand in KGT (p. 58):
A skin belt ({qogh}) both held pants ({yopwaH}) in place and
provided a place from which to hang weapons or weapon holders.
DloraH:
>Long ago people used animal skins and such. Pants as we know them, with
>zippers and belt loops, and pockets, were not designed over night. Clothing
>design "evolved" over time, from some pieces of animal skin tied together,
>then the great invention of linen, then the sewing machine, over thousands
>[...] We just need to investigate about the history of KLINGON clothing
>and its connection with the evolution of the Klingon language.
QeS:
>Again, Klingon is not a code for English, so there's no reason why the
>grammar of Klingon words needs to map to that of English words. A pair of
>pants *is* a singular entity. I don't think anyone would argue that a pair
>of pants is actually somehow two articles of clothing.
Unlike, say, sleeves:
Accompanying sleeves ({tlhaymey}), originally not parts
of the tunic [{yIvbeH}] itself, were generally made of
animal pelts (veDDIrmey), skin (DIr) with fur (veD) still
attached. (KGT 58)
Sleeves were often detachable in European clothing as well -- particularly
that of upper-class women (remember those famous elaborate portraits of
Queen Elizabeth I).
DloraH:
>In the meantime,
>If yopwaH is singular, it would be, well, grammatically singular.
>If yopwaH is plural, it would still be grammatically singular.
Exactly. Either way, {yopwaH} is grammatically singular. (What's Klingon
for "moot"?)
The question should be what - if anything - *{yopwaHmey} means. I'm
guessing with QeS it would mean "pairs of pants". (I packed 3 {yopwaHmey}
and 4 {yIvbeHmey} for the trip).
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons