tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Jan 26 08:11:59 2007

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Re: Dilbert Comic in Klingon for January 25, 2007

Steven Boozer ([email protected])



At 09:25 PM Thursday 1/25/2007, pm5 wrote:

>nov:   {tayqeq 'Itlh vIgemmeH yuQ Hopvo' qaghoS, 'ach naDev Qoy
>         pagh.} (1)
>alien: "I came from a distant planet to bring you advanced
>         technology, but no one here will listen!"

Technology is {cham}; {tayqeq} is "civilization".

>nov:   {SuQIpqu'.  mut nIv jIH.
>alien: "I am a superior being, you moron[s]!"

Also consider {QIpwI'(pu'} tlhIH" or {qoH(pu'} tlhIH}.  With the plural 
pronoun {tlhIH} "you (pl.), all of you" you can omit the plural suffix.

>nov:    {Doch qaja'bogh yIQoy 'ej yIruch.} (2)
>alien:  "Listen to what I tell you and then do it!"

{Doch} "thing" refers to tangible objects.  Try {mu'mey(wIj)} "(my) words" 
or something similar.

Use the plural imperative {pe-} "All of you [do something]!".   You've 
changed person - it was {SuQIpqu'} "all of you are very stupid" 
above.  Pick one.

Also consider {vang} "act, take action" or {ta'} "accomplish" over {ruch} 
"proceed".  Examples of {vang}:

   bI'IQchugh yIvang
   If you are sad, act! TKW

   batlhHa' vanglu'taHvIS quv chavbe'lu'
   One does not achieve honor while acting dishonorably. TKW

   Qu' buSHa'chugh SuvwI', batlhHa' vangchugh, qoj matlhHa'chugh, pagh ghaH 
SuvwI''e'
   If a warrior ignores duty, acts dishonorably, or is disloyal, he is 
nothing. TKW

   vangDI' tlhIngan SuvwI' ngoy' qorDu'Daj; vangDI' qorDu'Daj ngoy' 
tlhIngan SuvwI'
   The family of a Klingon warrior is responsible for his actions, and he 
is responsible for theirs. TKW

   pevang!
   [untranslated] (shouted by Gowron in KCD)

   nab Hutlh 'ach vang
   He/she lacks a plan, but he/she takes action. KGT

Examples of {ta'}:

   vIta'pu'be'
   I didn't do it. TKD

   Qu'Daj ta'taHvIS Hegh 'e' tul Hoch tlhIngan
   To die in the line of duty is the hope of every Klingon. TKW

   DaH nuq ta'pu' Day joH
   What has Lady Di done now? RT

   'oy'naQ DaQeqDI' mIw wa'DIch Data', 'ach 'oy'naQ Dachu'DI'
   mIw paghDIch Data'
   When you aim the painstik, you accomplish the first step, but
   when you turn the painstik on, you accomplish the zeroth step. KGT

   'oy'naQ Dachu'Ha'DI' mIw HochDIch Data'
   When you turn the painstik off, you accomplish the last step. KGT

BTW notice that {vang} is used intransitively, while {ta'} always takes a 
direct object.

>pIn:   {<Linux> muja' 'e' taghpa' vIwoD.} (3)
>Boss:  "I fired him before he started yammering about Linux."
>
>{woD} "throw away" is the closest word I can find for firing somebody.

We don't know anything about Klingon hiring practices.  >g>  Some 
suggestions:  *{muvHa'moH} from  the verb {muvmoH} "recruit" (BTW the noun 
{ghuv} "recruit" could work for a "new hire").  Similarly *{vumHa'moH} with 
the verb {vum} "work".  Also consider {-moH} "cause" with {mej} "leave, 
depart"; {tlheD} "depart}; {nargh} "escape, eject"; {Haw'} "flee, get out" 
and {qeD} "vacate".  {tlheD} and {qeD} are interesting, if only because 
they've never been used in canon.

For "yammer" there's {jaw} "chat"; {jat} "speak incoherently, mumble" 
(slang); or just {jatlh} "say, speak".  You can add {-qu'} "intensely" or 
even {-taHqu'} to all of these for the idea of yammering on and on.

>qatbot:  {ngaj Qapla' ngeD.} (4)
>Catbert: "Easy come, easy go."

This feels like the perfect place for a proverb.  Let me try to find one.

>And there is no word "easily" in Klingon so I have to rephrase the
>last sentence.

Look at this dialogue from ST5:

   KLAA:   qIpmeH Qatlh'a'?
           "Difficult to hit?"

   VIXIS:  Qatlhqu'.
           "Most difficult."

implying {X-meH ngeD} "it is easy to X, to do X easily".



--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons






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