tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Dec 29 11:38:52 2007

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The Art of War: title

Agnieszka Solska ([email protected]) [KLI Member] [Hol po'wI']

In the original Chinese the title consists of two characters:
- BING, which carries a variety of meanings including war, warfare, 
military, soldier, and army;
- FA, i.e. method.

Here are the various possible renditions of the title I have contemplated:

1. {QojmeH}, i.e. "In order to make war":

2. {Qojchu'meH}, i.e. "In order to make war perfectly":

These two are modeled on {jabmeH}, i.e. "In Order to Serve", the title of a 
cookbook of by J'puq, mentioned in KGT, p. 86.

3. {veS mIw'a'} i.e. "The Tao of War(fare)" or "The Art of War(fare):

The word "Tao" comes close in meaning to the word "art" understood as the 
skills, principles or methods used in conducting an activity (e.g. the art 
of conversation, the art of cooking). {mIw'a'} is how I rendered Tao in my 
translation of the "Tao Te Ching."

4. {QI' mIw}, i.e. "The Military Procedure(s)/Method(s)":

Very close to the Chinese title.

5. {QojmeH mIwmey}, i.e. "Procedures/Methods for making war":

Also close to the Chinese title.

6. {veS mIw}, i.e. "Warfare Procedure(s)":

The option I like best. It not only captures the meaning of the Chinese 
title but actually mirrors its structure. Of course, the same could be said 
about {QI' mIw} but the noun {veS} has a broader meaning than {QI'} and thus 
seems a better equivalent of the polysemous BING.


'ISqu'

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