tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Nov 17 08:48:43 2006

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Re: Dragons and ketchup

McArdle ([email protected])



Steven Boozer <[email protected]> wrote:
   
  >mIq'ey wrote:
>> {lung malja' yIniSQo' bIngalmo' 'ej bI'eymo' Dutlhejchugh qettlhup}
>
>"don't disrupt (interfere with) dragon business because you're chewy and 
>(you're) delicious, if ketchup accompanies you"
>
>Clearly I don't recognize this quote!
   
  Sorry.  The original quote is :
   
  "Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup."
  (With variations:  "Meddle not ..."; "... ye are crunchy ..."; "... taste good with ...")
   
  This shows up from time to time on bumper stickers and t-shirts.  (Try googling {dragons ketchup} and you'll see.)  Since your translation captures exactly what I was trying to express, I think I'll count it a success.  OTOH I'm open to suggestions if you think there are better ways to express any of this in Klingon.
   
  >
>>Since there doesn't seem to be a word for "crunchy",
>
>Not knowing what you're trying to say, I think {ngal} is pretty close, 
>though {tlher} might do in a pinch:
>
>In terms of texture, Klingon food may be {ngal} ("chewy"),
>{char} ("slimy"), or {tlher} ("lumpy"), all considered
>positive attributes (depending, of course, on the particular
>dish). (KGT 84f.)
   
  Yeah, I saw that.  I suspect that of the three, {ngal} is closest to what I wanted (I associate "lumpy" with gravy, which I don't think fits this context, although a Klingon might disagree).  
   
  >>I had thought to do something with {choptaH}, on the order of "one can 
>>gnaw you",
>
>{choptaH} "it bites continuously, it keeps on biting"
   
  Rendered "gnaw" at KGT 89.  I like the idea of dragons gnawing on human bones like Klingons on a {naHnagh}, and I may still go with this now that you've acquainted me with KGT 181.
   
  >>but I ran up against the fact that both {-lu} and {-laH} are type 5 
>>suffixes and thus, as I understand it, can't coexist. Is there any way 
>>around this? (It's surprising that {-laH} is type 5 given that other 
>>suffixes I would consider semantically similar, such as {-qang} and 
>>{-rup}, are type 2.)
>
>Keep reading. 
   
  I shall.  Thanks.
   
  qatlho' 'ej qavan
   
  mIq'ey
 
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