tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Feb 26 09:47:56 2007
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Re: Dilbert Comic in Klingon for February 10, 2007
Doq:
> > You can't translate "please" into Klingon any
> > more than you can translate "photon torpedo" into Latin.
mIq'ey:
>The phrase "arrow of fragments of light" would be translatable into either
>of these languages, though a native speaker might have trouble
>understanding the concept of such a weapon, or for that matter the idea
>that light could be composed of discrete particles. For that matter, I'm
>not sure I understand what a "photon torpedo" might be, except that it is
>a projectile involving light particles in some way.
You're not alone. Enterprise armaments officer Reed had never heard of
them either until 2151, when he boarded the disabled IKV Somraw which was
equipped with photon torpedoes (ENT "Sleeping Dogs"). As I understand my
trek-nology, photon torpedoes {'otlh peng} are anti-matter missiles. (Why
they're not simply called {rugh peng} is anyone's guess.) When the warhead
explodes massive amounts of photons are released:
"A particle of matter and a particle of antimatter combine to release two
new particles called photons. A photon, or light particle, is effectively a
puff of light. Photons are the purest form of energy. Antimatter releases
pure energya 100% conversion of mass to photons." (Dan Brown, "Angels &
Demons" [c2000] which features an anti-matter bomb secreted in the Vatican!)
"Matter-antimatter reactions are not fusion. They annihilate each other,
producing photons. (Proton-antiproton reactions produce photons and a few
other things.)" (QeS, 3/01/2006)
"Antimatter has the exact appearance, structure and mass as ordinary
matter, but a different charge. Thus, a subatomic proton has a positive
charge, while an antiproton has a negative charge. Should a particle of
matter meet its corresponding particle of antimatter, they would annihilate
each other, releasing a burst of energy... Star Trek's faster-than-light
spaceship is powered by antimatter fuel... it emits antimatter particles
called positrons. When a positron meets up with its counterpart, an
ordinary electron, they annihilate each other, producing a tiny burst of
light." (Jim Ritter, "Chicago Sun-Times", 9/20/2004)
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons