tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Oct 20 07:45:23 2008
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RE: movie transcripts
Quvar:
> long time ago I had a transcript of the klingon spoken in the movies, but
> I can't find it in my archives :-(
> Can any one either post them here, or tell me where I can find them in the
> list's archives (the search function seems not to work...)
The Klingonska Akademien's "Archive of Okrandian Canon" includes movie dialog:
http://klingonska.org/canon/
Although searchable by word or expression, the complete lines of dialog themselves are not themselves viewable (possibly for copyright reasons).
Here are my own transcripts with a few added notes, subtitles, corresponding lines from the novelizations, etc. that I've added over the years. (Unfortunately, pasting the text into my new email program stripped it of all formatting, so if it's too distorted or you can't make something out, let me know.)
STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (ST:TMP)
Marc Okrand has always given full credit to James Doohan and Mark Lenard for creating the eleven original words that he used as the basis for tlhIngan Hol. (Not a great deal to base a whole language upon really.)
This is Okrand's version of the opening scene (done after the fact) with the subtitles as they appeared in the movie:
wIy cha'
Display tactical!
HaSta
Visual (display)!
cha yIghuS
[Tactical], stand by on torpedoes!
'eH
Ready.
[captain raises his hand in preparation for the order to fire]
SSS... baH
Ready... Fire!
juntaH
Evasive [action]!
"The Klingon dialogue in Star Trek: The Motion Picture was devised by James Doohan and spoken by Mark Lenard, who, of course, played the Klingon commander in that film. My understanding is that Doohan recorded the dialogue on tape and Lenard then listened to the tape and wrote down what he heard in a way that would help him learn the lines. To the best of my knowledge, Lenard's handwritten transcription of this tape is the only written version of what Doohan made up." (charghwI'?)
"A few years ago on the CruiseTrek to Bermuda I had the great pleasure of sitting with Mark Lenard and interviewing him for HolQeD (check your back issues for the interview). At the time he simply reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the transcription of his original lines from the film. With his permission I made a copy of that sheet, and it is included in the KLI's archives." (Lawrence Schoen 2/98)
In that interview in HolQeD 4.3 (1995), Lenard said that the lines "never had a real meaning, they had various translations of it..." This is his transcription (pronouncing "ch" as in Yiddish/German):
HUIT TCHA
("Did you see what I saw?")
ECHSS TU
HUIT TCHA EK'KOOS or HUIT TCHA ECH'CHOOS
HUISS HA ZOONTAHK
PSHAAH BISMACHT
KAIYI KLINGON KUZIMA PSHAAH
KUZUG OCHS MUJI AZAK
ICH ACH KOS ZZTUT TUDJIOCHS
HARAS MUJIA UDJIK KAMAZAK
SPUZ KAZUK GARAND - KAIYI
KLINGON KUZIMA AK ZO AK
STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK (ST3)
The tlhIngan Hol in the movies is actually pretty good; Marc Okrand himself coached many of the actors. The translations in parentheses are the (subtitles) as they appear in the movie followed by the [closed captions] in brackets, which was helpful in places where there were no subtitles. Angle brackets indicate <uncertainties> in the transcription due to muttered dialogue, background music or sound effects. I have added excerpts from Vonda McIntyre's novelization in {curly brackets} when they differ from the subtitles which may reflect an earlier version of Harve Bennett's screenplay used by the novelist in her adaptation.
Valkris: qa'vam De' vIje' rIntaH.
(I have purchased the Genesis data.)
Valkris: HablI', Su': labbeH.
(Ready to transmit.)
{"I have obtained the Federation data, and I am ready to
transmit."}
The line as written is "Ready to transmit." The line as spoken in English by Ms. Shirriff was "Ready to transmit". Okrand just had to invent sounds to fit her mouth movements when the people who make such decisions decided, after the fact, to have her speaking Klingon. My recently concocted theory on this line is that Okrand altered the line to be a command to Valkris' computer (i.e. "Data transceiving-device, attention: prepare to transmit"), but the subtitle didn't get changed. (ghunchu'wI') "My interpretation of Valkris' HablI' Su' labbeH line in ST3 as a command to the data-transceiving device (analagous to a pet command) was confirmed [by Okrand]. Apparently the subtitle `Ready to transmit' is not very good." (ghunchu'wI' at qep'a' loSDIch) "When I mentioned to Okrand at qep'a' loSDIch that I thought that this was in the form of a `pet command', he said it was a valid interpretation." (ghunchu'wI')
Kruge: So'wI' yIchu'Ha'
(Disengage cloaking device!)
{The voice spoke a few words which only Valkris recognized,
for they were in a Klingon language.}
Kruge: <...> yIchu'qa' (?)
[bridge crewman pushes button and the lights come back on]
Kruge: De' yIlI'... DaH
(Transmit data. Now!)
Valkris: jabbI'ID pItlh. Qu'vaD lI' net tu'bej
(Transmission completed. You will find it useful.)
{"Transmission completed, Commander. You will find it
essential to your mission."}
["... this line was one of those Valkris was filmed saying in English, then redubbed in Klingon. Okrand had to match lip movements. The subtitle was something like "You'll find it useful." There was no mention of "for the mission" in the subtitle, but Okrand needed to add something to give her a reason to keep her lips moving. Note that lip movements for "You'll find" look a lot like Qu'vaD, "it" looks a lot like lI' and "useful" loosely matches tu'bej." (charghwI') Was the Klingon line Qu'vaD lI' 'e' Datu'bej, but the actress dropped a syllable and said qu'vaD lee' natu'bej forcing Okrand to come up with net?]
Kruge: vaj Daleghpu'
(Then you have seen it?)
{"Then you have seen the transmission?" Kruge said, implying
regret and inevitability.}
Valkris: HISlaH jawwI' [joHwI'?, heard: jahwhi']
(I have, my lord.)
{"I have, my lord," Valkris replied, granting permission in
the second stratum and offering forgiveness as the third.}
Kruge: Do'Ha'
(Unfortunate.)
{"That is unfortunate," Kruge said.}
Valkris: jIyaj
(Understood.)
{"I understand," Valkris said. She made all three strata the
same, for she wanted him to know that she understood what she
was doing and why, that she understood what he was doing and
why, and that she understood that he would make certain the
promises made to her would be kept.}
Kruge: chuyDaH
(Thrusters.)
{"Thrusters," Kruge said, in the form of their language used
by commanders to subordinates.}
Valkris: Qapla' jawwI' bangwI' je
(Success my lord and my love.)
{She spoke again, in formal tongue, to Kruge. "Success,
Commander. And my love." She did love him, indeed, as the
instrument of her bloodline's redemption.}
Kruge: batlh Daqawlu'taH
(You will be remembered with honor.)
Kruge: baH
(Fire!)
{Then he switched dialects again. Valkris knew he was speaking
so she would be sure to hear his command: "Fire!"}
Kruge: He chu' ghoS. DIvI' neHmaH
(New course. Federation neutral zone.)
{"Execute a course to the Federation boundary."}
Kruge: yIje'
(Feed him!)
{Kruge gestured casually at Warrigul. "You may have the honor
of feeding my pet," he said.}
Gunner: luq, joHwI' [heard: jaHwI]
(Yes, my lord.)
[Kruge, Torg and Maltz view the tape of the Genesis data.]
Kruge: So? Speak.
Torg: Great power... to control, dominate.
Kruge: Speak.
Maltz: Impressive. They can make a planet.
Kruge: Oh yes. New cities, homes in the country, your woman at your
side, children playing at your feet. And overhead, fluttering
in the breeze, the flag of the Federation. Charming. Station.
Maltz: Yes, my lord. [Maltz leaves]
Kruge: Share this with no one.
Torg: Understood, my lord.
Kruge: We are going to this planet. Even as our emissaries negotiate for peace with the Federation, we will act for the
preservation of our race. We will seize the secret of this
weapon, the secret of ultimate power!
Torg: Success, my lord.
[Kruge's BoP encounters USS Grissom orbiting Genesis]
Kruge: matHa', DoS jonta' neH
(Gunner: target engine only.)
{"I told you," he said dangerously, in the lowest of the low
dialects, "engine section only!"}
Kruge: baH
[Fire!] (untranslated)
[BAH!] (captions)
Kruge: qama'pu' jonta' neH
(I wanted prisoners!)
{"I wanted prisoners," Kruge said, layering all the strata of
his words with contempt.}
What Kruge says right before that point is one of the great retcons of Klingon. The Klingon is qama'pu' jonta' neH!; the original script had the English as "I told you: engine only!" (qa- I/you; *ma' tell; -pu' perfective; jonta' engine; neH only), but it got rewritten in the subtitles to "I wanted prisoners!" Reconciling this change led to the addition of the -pu' plural suffix (and thus indirectly to -Du'; previously all plurals were formed with -mey), the -ta' accomplishment suffix, and the verb neH "to want", with its lack of affixes explained by clipped Klingon. The verb ma', meaning "to tell", was changed to ja' to remove the ambiguity of the sentence and make the substitution less obvious. (marqoS)
And, of course, the addition of the verb ma' "accommodate." So now, qama'pu' means "I have accommodated you," perhaps in a tongue-in-cheek swipe at Paramount by MO. (Holtej)
Maybe the same person who was supposed to fix the subtitle is responsible for the "I told you--engine only!"/"I wanted prisoners" mutation. (ghunchu'wI')
Gunner1: bach Do', qaH
(A lucky shot sir...)
{"A fortunate mistake," the gunner said.}
Kruge: Ha'DIbaH
(Animal!)
{"Animal," Kruge muttered.}
If you look closely you can see that the actor was saying "animal", and the Klingon was dubbed over later. (SuSvaj)
Torg: Sir, may I suggest...?
Kruge: Say the wrong thing, Torg!
Torg: Sir, if it's prisoners you want, there are life signs on the planet. Perhaps the very scientists you seek.
Kruge: Very good.
Sgt: <yajchu'. ghargh... veQ> (?)
[Understood clearly. Worms... garbage!] (untranslated)
{Kruge heard the serjeant whisper a protective curse.}
Sgt: jIyajHa'. chay' jura'?
[I don't understand. What are your orders?] (untranslated)
Kruge: meH, naDev qaS wanI' ramqu'.
(Bridge, nothing happening here.)
{"Torg," he said easily, "I have found nothing of consequence.
I am continuing the search."}
Maltz: Vessel entering sector.
Torg: Yes. Federation battle cruiser. Have they scanned us?
Maltz: Not yet.
Torg: So'wI' yIchu'
(Engage cloaking device.)
Sgt: yIHu'
[Get up!] (untranslated)
[YIAHUQ!] (captions)
{He flung his arms around her and began to squeeze, shouting
angrily in a dialect of Klingon she did not understand.}
Kruge: toH. I've come a long way for the power of Genesis and what do
I find? A weakling human, a Vulcan boy, and a woman.
[DAH!] (captions)
{"So!" he said. He spoke in Standard, but his faint accent did
nothing to disguise his impatience. "I have come a long way
for the power of Genesis and what do I find?"}
Sgt: joHwI'
[My lord!] (untranslated)
[JOHWI'.] (captions)
Kruge: I ordered no interruptions.
Torg: But sir, Federation starship approaching.
Kruge: Bring me up.
Kruge: may' yIghuH
(Battle Alert!)
Kruge: Report status.
Torg: We are cloaked. Enemy approaching on impulse power. Range,
5,000 kellicams.
Kruge: Good. This is just the turn of luck I have been waiting for.
Maltz: Range - 3,000 kellicams.
Kruge: Steady. Continue on impulse power.
Maltz: Range - 2,000 kellicams.
Kruge: Stand by to transfer energy to weapons... at my command.
Maltz: Firing range, sir.
Kruge: baHwI', DoS yIbuS. QuQ neH. yaj'a'?
(Gunner: Target engine only - Understood?)
{"Sight on target, gunner," Kruge said. "Disabling only.
Understood?"}
Gunner2: yajchu' qaH
(Understood clearly, sir.)
Maltz: 1,000 kellicams closing.
Kruge: wej... wej.
[WAIT. WAIT.] (captions)
{"Wait," Kruge said, as the Enterprise loomed larger in his
viewport. "Wait..."}
Maltz: vaghvatlh qelI'qam
[Five hundred kellicams.] (untranslated)
[VAQ VALIS KELIQAP] (captions)
Kruge: cha yIghuS. So'Ha'!
[Stand by on torpedoes! Uncloak!] (untranslated)
[TYRUSCH. SHOHA!] (captions)
Kruge: Emergency power to the thrusters!
Kruge: baH
[Fire!] (untranslated)
[BAH!] (captions)
Gunner: Ready to fire emergency .
Kruge: Why haven't they finished us? They outgun me ten to one.
Maltz: The enemy commander wishes a truce to confer.
Kruge: Put him on screen.
Kirk: -----
Kruge: So, the Genesis commander himself.
Kirk: -----
Kruge: He's hiding something. We may have dealt him a more serious blow than I thought.
Torg:
KRuge: I trust my instincts. [(Speaks English) Kirk, this is your opponent speaking. Don't lecture me about treaty violations. The Federation, in creating an ultimate weapon, has become a gang of intergalactic criminals. It is not I who will surrender, it is you! On the planet below, I have... ]
Kruge: wa' yIHoH. jISaHbe' [or, wa' HoH: heard: yaHoH]
(Kill one of them. I don't care which.)
{Saavik did not understand the order Kruge next gave to his
serjeant--that is, she did not understand the words
themselves, which were of a dialect she did not know. But the
intent was terribly clear.}
Kruge: Take every last man, form a boarding party armed heavily.
Torg: They outnumber us, my lord!
Kruge: We are Klingons! Once you control the ship we will transfer our flag there and and take Genesis from their own memory banks.
Kruge: jolpa' yIjaH. Qapla'! [heard: gIjaH]
(To the transport room. Success!)
{"To the transport room," Kruge said. He saluted Torg.
"Success!"}
Kruge: Transporter. Stand by.
Torg: Ha'!
[motions boarding party to follow him] (untranslated)
[HARA.] (captions)
Torg: My lord, the ship appears to be deserted.
Kruge: How can that be? They're hiding!
Torg: Yes sir. And the bridge seems to be run by computer. It is the only thing speaking.
Kruge: Speaking? Let me hear.
Comp.: nine...eight...seven...six...five...
Kruge: Get out! Get out of there! Get out!
Sgt: joHwI'! joHwI'!
[My lord! My lord!] (untranslated)
[JOHWI'. JOHWI'.] (captions)
Kruge: Drop all weapons! Over there, all but Kirk.
Kruge: Maltz. Prisoners are at beam coordinates.
Kirk: You should take the Vulcan too.
Kruge: No!
Kirk: But why?
Kruge: Because you wish it.
Kruge: matlh, jol yIchu'
(Maltz--activate beam!)
{Then he spoke into the communicator in his own language.
Kirk did not understand the words, but it must have been the
order to transport.}
Kruge: Genesis. I want it!
Kirk: Beam the Vulcan up, and we'll talk.
Kruge: Give me what I want, and I'll consider it.
Kirk: You fool, look around you! The planet's destroying itself!
Kruge: Yes, exhilarating, isn't it?
Kirk: If we don't help each other, we'll die here.
Kruge: Perfect. Then that's the way it shall be.
Kruge: Give me Genesis!
Kirk: matlh, jol yIchu'
[Maltz, activate beam!] (untranslated)
[MALTZ, JOL YICHU!] (captions)
{He opened his communicator, muffled the pickup by rubbing
his thumbnail back and forth across it, did his best to copy
Kruge's low, harsh voice, and repeated the last words Kruge
had transmitted.}
Maltz: I do not deserve to live.
Kirk: Mr. Chekov, take the prisoner below.
Chekov: Aye, sir.
Maltz: Wait! You said you would kill me.
Kirk: I lied.
On the back of the Star Trek III DVD case (translated by Okrand?):
Qugh la'vaD QIn pav.
[Urgent message for Commander Kruge.]
qa'vam jan SeH DIvI'.
[The Federation controls the Genesis Device.]
qa'vam yuQ Quv DaghojmeH Duyma'vaD yIjatlh.
[To learn the Genesis Planet's coordinates, speak to our agent.]
qa'vam jan yISuq.
[Aquire the Genesis Device!]
potlhbe' to'.
[Tactics aren't important.]
(i.e. Do it anyway you can; we don't care how!)
STAR TREK V: THE FINAL FRONTIER (ST5)
The tlhIngan Hol in the movies is actually pretty good; Marc Okrand himself coached many of the actors. The translations in parentheses are the (subtitles) as they appear in the movie followed by the [closed captions] in brackets, which was helpful in places where there were no subtitles. Angle brackets indicate <uncertainties> in the transcription due to muttered dialogue, background music or sound effects. I have added excerpts from J.M. Dillard's novelization in {curly brackets} which may reflect an earlier version of David Loughery's screenplay (story by William Shatner, Harve Bennett and David Loughery) used by the novelist in her adaptation.
For the deleted scenes (in English) from the movie, see http://www.geocities.com/phineasbg/st5deleted.html.
Klingon lines from scenes in an earlier draft of the script missing from the final cut (but included in the novelization) are in [square brackets]. Some of them were published in HolQeD 8.4:12-13.
"Inside the commercially available script for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier you won't find much Klingon. The lines designated to be spoken in Klingon appear, parenthetically, in English. During the making of the film Marc Okrand created notes and tapes for the Klingon actors to work from in preparing their lines." (Lawrence Schoen in HolQeD 8.4)
"Okrand mentioned [at qep'a'] that though he was present for the filming of the Klingon scenes, he was not there when the subtitles were inserted. Probably what happened is that someone (unfamiliar with Klingon) ... was involved in putting the subtitles..." (SuSvaj, 7/28/06)
"Yesterday I had the occasion to view the extras on the Star Trek V and VI special edition DVDs (on the second disks). I don't know if they've already been discussed here, but there are some things that are of interest to Klingonists. There's a short segment on the Star Trek VI disc on the Klingon language in which Dr. Lawrence Schoen makes an appearance. There are interviews with the actors who played Klingons on both discs. The one on Star Trek V is called "That Klingon Couple" with the subtitle tlhIngan chang'engvetlh. While their lines in Star Trek V had a few problems that may annoy some Klingonists, the actors themselves had an excellent attitude towards learning the Klingon and took it very quite seriously. I was very impressed with that aspect of things. ... The most interesting thing for Klingonists is probably the deleted scene in which some Klingon was spoken by General Koord to Romulan Ambassador Caithlin Dar at Paradise City when they first meet.
"At one point, Spice Williams exclaims "Brilliant!" and the word chong! is shown in the subtitle (all Klingon subtitles in this segment are given in Roman font). At another point she is describing her reaction to being hired for the movie, and says 'Wow, wow! For Star Trek! Omigosh!', and the subtitle said yay, yay! Hov lengvaD! baQa'! (Okay, I'm sure yay is a joke and isn't actually the Klingon way of saying wow. But it's cute.) She describes a scene from the movie (near the end) by saying the line "Oh, what wonderful muscles", and the subtitle was toH, Somraw'Du' Dunqu'. (That's not a typo on my part, the <'> is there on *Somraw' in the subtitle.)
"Todd Bryant at one point asks Spice Williams if she remembers "that Hoch Dun puS line", and the subtitle said Hoch Dun puS. Then she looked up as if trying to remember it, and said something which was subtitled as 'entepray' Hub patmey luchu'be'. Was this line in the movie? I didn't find it or a line like it in the movie, and I don't know if it's a deleted line that she remembered, or if she misremembered a line and whoever did the subtitles re-constructed it from what she said. (It does sound like that's what she said. If she remembered a deleted line after all these years then she has an amazing memory! A line like that--"They didn't activate Enterprise's defense systems"--would be perfect near the end of the movie when the Bird-of-Prey catches the Enterprise unawares.)
"There's another deleted scene that was supposed to show that there was a romantic relationship between Klaa and Vixis. Presumably they're speaking Klingon in that scene, but unfortunately the commentary talks over it and you can't hear what's being said. (Anyone know how to read lips in Klingon? :) )
"I wonder who supplied the subtitles. Was Okrand, or someone from KLI, involved in this? The subtitles are much better than the usual Paramount attempts at Klingon done without Okrand's help, and the little joke using yay to translate wow is quite characteristics of Okrand." (De'vID jonwI' [5/2003])
The stranger lowers the breathing device from her face and is revealed to be a young woman. A Romulan. Her name is CAITHLIN DAR, and she stands on the threshold of the room, trying to adjust her eyes to the murky surroundings. She's a little nervous and a long way from home.
The back room is a storage area for unwanted odds and ends. A ceiling fan swishes overhead pushing hot air around. TWO MEN are sprawled in chairs at opposite ends of a table. They're too busy drinking to notice Caithlin's entrance.
CAITHLIN: Gentleman, I'm Caithlin Dar.
The man seated closest to Caithlin slowly swivels his head in her direction. He wearily extracts himself from his chair and comes forward. He's a Terran (specifically, an Englishman) named ST. JOHN TALBOT. Thin and dissipated, alcoholic, Talbot is a veteran of the diplomatic corps. He pats down his unruly hair and straighten his soiled suit. He gives Caithlin a tired smile and extends a limp hand.
TALBOT: Ah, yes. Our new Romulan representative. Welcome to Paradise City, Miss Dar, capital of the so-called "Planet of Galactic Peace." I'm St. John Talbot, the Federation representative here on Nimbus Three and my charming companion is the Klingon consul, Korrd.
Caithlin regards the hulking figure at the other end of the table. KORRD is an old, overweight Klingon, a once great warrior now past his prime. He doesn't rise to greet Caithlin. Instead, he takes a swig from a flagon and emits an earth-shaking belch.
CAITHLIN: I expect that's Klingon for hello.
Reacting to Korrd's stench, Caithlin holds her breathing device in front of her mouth.
TALBOT: He doesn't speak English.
CAITHLIN: And I don't speak Klingon.
TALBOT: I'm relieved to hear that. Please sit down, Miss Dar. Can I offer you a drink?
Caithlin brushes the dust from a chair at the opposite end of the table from Korrd.
CAITHLIN (boldly): I must say I'm shocked at what I've seen. Hunger. Poverty. No law enforcement. And here the two of you sit drinking...
Without warning, Korrd drunkenly lets loose with a barrage in his native tongue. (It is subtitled in English for those who don't speak Klingon.
KORRD: (Romulan women belong on their backs!)
CAITHLIN: What did he say?
TALBOT: He says he hopes you'll enjoy your tour of duty here. Might I ask, Miss Dar, what terrible thing you did to get yourself banished to this armpit of the galaxy?
CAITHLIN: I volunteered.
TALBOT (spewing grog): Volunteered?
Talbot turns to Korrd and translates her answer into Klingon. Korrd chortles derisively.
CAITHLIN: Nimbus Three is a great experiment. Twenty years ago, when our three governments agreed to develop this planet together, a new age was born.
TALBOT: Your new age died a quick death. The great drought put an end to it. And the settlers we conned into coming here - the dregs of the galaxy. They immediately took to fighting amongst themselves. We forbade them weapons - they fashioned their own.
CAITHLIN: Then it appears I've arrived just in time. The policies the three of us agree on will have far-reaching results...
TALBOT: My dear girl, we're not here to agree. We're here to disagree. This "great experiment" as you call it was instigated to satisfy a bunch of bleeding hearts whining for "galactic peace". It was intended to fail.
CAITHLIN: I'm afraid I don't share that view.
TALBOT (pleased): There, you see? We're disagreeing already.
CAITHLIN: I'm here to open discussions for a solution to these problems.
Korrd comes to life. He roars with laughter and spits back a disgusting mouthful of Klingon. Talbot winces.
CAITHLIN (losing patience): What did he say? I want his exact words.
TALBOT: He said the only thing he'd like you to open is your blouse. He's heard Romulan women are different.
Caithlin's embarrassment turns to anger.
CAITHLIN: You tell Consul Korrd - never mind. I'll tell him myself in the only Klingon I know.
Caithlin lets loose with a Klingon epithet. No translation necessary. Sputtering with rage, Korrd hurls his flagon aside and clambers to his feet.
KORRD (in perfect English) Screw you, too!
CAITHLIN: He does speak English!
TALBOT (surprised) Sly old bugger!
Further argument is interrupted by shouts from outside and the whine of a warning klaxon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[De'vID's transcription:]
CAITHLIN: There's hunger, poverty, no law enforcement. Yet the two of you...sit drinking.
KOORD: QotnIStaH romuluSngan be'pu'. Hmph.
(He definitely does *not* say <DungDaq legh 'ej>.)
CAITHLIN: What did he say?
TALBOT: He says he hopes you enjoy yourself while you're here. Uh. May I ask you, Ms. Dar, what terrible mistake you made to get yourself banished to this place, the armpit of the universe?
CAITHLIN: I volunteered.
TALBOT: Volunteered? (turns to Koord) Sap (t)uu ee kwee(j)
(He translates what she said for Koord. The first word is definitely Sap. I can't make out the rest. It *might* be Sappu' 'e' QIj.)
KOORD: (bursts out in a big laugh)
CAITHLIN: (nervous/embarrassed laugh, then serious)
Nimbus III is a great experiment. The policies that the three of us agree on here will have far-reaching results.
TALBOT: My dear child, we're not here to agree, we're here to disagree.
CAITHLIN: But I'm here to open discussions -- to find solutions to these problems.
KOORD: yIvbeHlIj neH DapoSmoH. (laughs) pImlaw' romuluSngan be' porgh. (laughs some more)
(There's no vIneH at the end of the first sentence. And he turns to the human at the neH, which is too early. Also, his second sentence is accompanied by a hand gesture which leaves little doubt that he was saying something inappropriate.)
CAITHLIN: (angry) *What* did he say? I want his exact words.
TALBOT: (sighing) He said the only thing he wants you to open is your blouse. He's heard that Romulan women are different.
CAITHLIN: (furious) Well you tell Consul Koord that I... never mind. I'll tell him myself (starts walking over to Koord), in the only Klingon I know. (in Koord's face) Qu'vatlh!
KOORD: (slowly gets up; growls, in Klingon) Quu(gh)uuuuuuuuvat(lh) (tlh)lap! (pause, then in English) Screw you too!
CAITHLIN: (surprised) He does speak English!
TALBOT: (laughs)
(A panel beeps. End of scene.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
When she enters the room, Koord says to St. John Talbot (the human):
[Koord: DungDaq legh 'ej QotnIStaH romuluSngan be'pu'!
Romulan women belong on their backs!]
This is subtitled. The human does not translate for her, and after they talk for a bit, Dar says something about "opening negotiations."
[Koord: yIvbeHlIj neH DapoSmoH vIneH.
The only thing I want you to open is your blouse.]
pImlaw' romuluSngan be' porgh,
I've heard Romulan women are different.]
Of course, she gets mad and walks up to Koord, and says that while she doesn't know Klingon, she knows this much, and spits:
Dar: Qu'vatlh!
He responds with what are presumably Klingon swear words, followed by (in English) "and screw you too!"
Koord: < ... > and screw you too!
_____________________
Vixis: tlha'a HoD, DoS wIpuStaH. nejwI' tIQ 'oH.
(Captain Klaa, we have a target in sight. A probe of ancient origin.)
Klaa: qIpmeH Qatlh'a'
[wIqIpmeH Qatlh'a']
(Difficult to hit?)
Vixis Qatlhqu'
(Most difficult.)
Klaa: maj. vISeHmeH Hoch nuHmey Qay!
(Good. All weapons to my control. Scope!)
Klaa: vaj toDuj Daj ngeHbej DI vI'
[Klaa: logh veQDaq bachchugh, yoH 'e' toblaHbe' SuvwI'. ]
(Shooting space garbage is no test of a warrior's mettle.)
[lit. "Sharpshooting of the cosmos' litter inconclusively tests a warrior's courage."
N.B. This is a notorious back-fit of a dittography in the shooting script!
Klaa: muSuvbogh DoS vIpoQ. (?)
(I need a target that fights back.)
Vixis: HoD, yo' SeHyaH nIvvo' potlh De' wIHevtaH (?)
(Captain, new data, hostages on Nimbus III.) [sic]
{Captain, we are receiving a priority message from Operations Command.}
[Clearly, this is NOT the line she is saying!]}
[Krell: tlh'a' HoD, nImbuS wej yIghoS. vubpu' jonta' HeSwI'. wa' vub ghaH tlhIngan gharwI''e'. wa' ghaH tera'ngan'e'. mImQo'. DaH Heraj yIchoH. batlh tlhIngan Segh yIHub. Qapla'!
Captain Klaa, proceed to Nimbus III. A criminal has succeeded in taking hostages. One hostage is a Klingon diplomat. One is a Terran. One is a Romulan. Do not delay. Alter your course now. Defend the Klingon race with honor. Success.]
Krell: ... tlhIngan'e', tera'ngan'e', romuluSngan'e'
[... a Klingon, a Terran, a Romulan] (untranslated)
Vixis: tlhIngan ghaH wa' vub'e'
(One of the hostages is a Klingon.)
Klaa: latlh?
(And the others?)
Vixis: wa' tera'ngan je wa' romuluSngan
(A Terran and a Romulan.)
Klaa: vaj toDDujDaj ngeHbej DIvI'.
(That means the Federation will be sending a rescue ship of its own.)
Klaa: nImbuS wej maghoS, He yInab.
(Plot course for Nimbus III.)
[lit. "We're going to Nimbus III,.plot a course!"]
Klaa: reH DIvI' Duj vISuv vIneH
(I've always wanted to engage a Federation ship.)
[Vixis: DIvI' Se' wI'IjtaHvIS DaH ngoqDe' wIHevta'.
We've just received an encoded message on the Federation frequency.]
Vixis: nImbuS wejDaq 'ejDo' 'entepray' ngeHlu'pu'
(The Starship Enterprise has been dispatched to Nimbus III.)
Klaa: 'entepray''a'. qIrq Duj 'oH
(Enterprise? That's Kirk's ship!)
[On the Bird of Prey, additional dialogue between Klaa and Vixis was scripted and deleted from the film. Once Klaa learns that the Enterprise is headed for Nimbus III, he comments about his admiration and hatred for Kirk. The entire dialog is subtitled as in the final film.]
VIXIS: ("There will be no peace as long as Kirk lives." Our Empire's highest bounty has been placed on his head.)
KLAA: (James T. Kirk - I've followed his career since I was a boy. A man to admire... and hate.)
[Vixis: yIntaHvIS qIrq DuHbe' roj. jonlu'meH wo'maj pop tIn law' Hoch tIn puS
"There will be no peace as long as Kirk lives." Our Empire's highest bounty has been placed on his head.]
[Klaa: jemS tIy qIrq. loDHom jIHDI' qIrq qun vIqImchoH. ghotvam Ho'lu'. 'ej muSlu'.
James T. Kirk. I've followed his history since I was a boy. A man to admire... and hate.]
Klaa: qIrq vIjeylaHchugh...
(If I could defeat Kirk...)
Vixis: qIbDaq SuvwI''e' SoH Dun law' Hoch Dun puS
(You would be the greatest warrior in the galaxy.)
Klaa: nom yIghoSqu'. Qapla'!
(Maximum speed. Success!)
[Once Klaa gives the order to intercept the Enterprise, Vixis salutes him. From this scene we can infer that Klaa and Vixis are more than just captain and first officer, that they are possibly involved romantically. From the shooting script:
Vixis passionately returns the gesture.]
[Vixis: Qapla', HoDwI'
Success, my captain.]
Vixis: chorghSaD qelI'qam HIvchuq'e' vInoH.
(Estimating attack range in 8,000 kellicams.)
Klaa: ghoSmeH yIpegh. cha'maHvagh vatlhvI' Hong; QIt yIghoS.
(Stealth approach. Slow to one-quarter impulse power.)
Klaa: yISo'rup. So'wI' yIchu'!
(Prepare to cloak. Engage cloaking device.)
Klaa: qIrq. DujHomDaq ghaHtaH!
(Kirk! He's on the shuttlecraft!)
Klaa: HIvHe yIchoHmoH!
(Alter the attack course!)
Klaa: yISo'Ha'rup, yIghuS.
(Stand by to de-cloak for firing.)
Klaa: 'entepray' yIghoS.
(Bear on Enterprise.)
Vixis: 'entepray' 'oH DoS'e'
(Enterprise targeted!)
Klaa: vIbaH!
(Firing!)
Klaa: HeDaj yIqIm!
(Track her course!)
Klaa: [ghuy'] po'qu'!
([Damn] He's good.)
[Klaa: He pagh-pagh-vagh-jav-pagh-jav yInab
(Plot course 0.0.5.6.0.6.)]
Klaa: He pagh-pagh-pagh-DoD-cha' yInab
(Plot course zero-zero-zero, mark two.)
Vixis: 'ach HoD, Hevetlh wIghoSchugh veH tIn wI'el maH'e'. [maHeghbejqu']
(But Captain, that course will take us into the Barrier as well. [It's certain death.])
Klaa: qIrq wItlha'taHqu'
(Where Kirk goes, we follow.)
[Vixis: 'entepray' Hub patmey luchu'be'lu'pu'. HoD, naDev maH 'e' luSovbe'
Enterprise defense systems are down. Captain, they don't know we're here.]
[Klaa: tugh luSovbej
They will in a moment.]
[As Kirk is transported aboard the Bird of Prey, two Klingon guards escort him to the bridge.]
Guard1: HIghoS!
Guard2: Ha'!
[grabbing Kirk in Okrona's transporter room] (untranslated)
[They reach the bridge, where Kirk is confronted by Korrd, now dressed to command the Bird of Prey. Klaa stands off to one side, humbled.]
[Koord: yIjonHa'!
Release him. (To the guards)]
KORRD: Kirk, my junior officer has something he would like to say to you. (orders in Klingon)
Koord: yIjatlh
[Tell him!] (untranslated)
KLAA: I... apologize.
[Kirk looks in wonder.]
KOORD: maj. 'ej...
(Good. [And...?]) (untranslated)
KLAA: The attack upon your vessel was not authorized by my government.
KORRD: Kirk, and now may I present our new gunner.
[Kirk looks at the gunner's chair as it turns to reveal Spock.]
KIRK: Spock!
[Spock arises from the gunner's chair.]
SPOCK: Welcome aboard, Captain.
KIRK: I... thought I was going to die.
SPOCK: Not possible. You were never alone.
[Kirk eyes Spock then approaches him as if to embrace him.]
SPOCK: Please, Captain, not in front of the Klingons.
[Kirk looks around and notices the Klingon crew, then he and Spock nod in acknowledgement to each other.]
[At the reception aboard the Enterprise. Koord speaks to a sullen Klaa and Vixis]
[Koord: petIv'egh. qara'qu'
Enjoy yourselves. That's an order.]
STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY (ST6)
The translations in parentheses are the (subtitles) as they appear in the movie followed by the [closed captions] in brackets, which was helpful in places where there were no subtitles. Angle brackets indicate <uncertainties> in the transcription due to muttered dialogue, background music or sound effects. I have added excerpts in {curly brackets} from J.M. Dillard's novelization which may reflect an earlier version of Nicholas Meyer & Denny Martin Flinn's screenplay (story by Leonard Nimoy, Nicholas Meyer and Denny Martin Flinn) used by the novelist in her adaptation. The tlhIngan Hol in the movies is actually pretty good; Marc Okrand himself coached many of the actors. Though this film had a lot of Klingon, much of it was untranslated in the background, muted and strangely distorted.
EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION FROM PRAXIS TO EXCELSIOR:
Ininis: ghoQaH... <...>
[Help us! <???>] (untranslated)
[SPEAKING KLINGON] (captions)
{"This is an emergency! We have suffered--"}
STATE DINNER ABOARD THE ENTERPRISE:
Chang: taH pagh taHbe'
("To be or not to be.")
[(IN KLINGON) TO BE OR NOT TO BE.] (captions)
[Originally: yIn pagh yInbe'. When filming the scene, actor
Actor Christopher Plummer didn't feel it sounded "Klingon
enough," so Okrand quickly changed it to taH.]
Azetbur: vavoy [toasting her father]
[My father!] (untranslated)
[VAVOY.] (captions)
IN THE ENTERPRISE TRANSPORTER ROOM, AFTER DINNER:
Chang: DaH machegh
[We're returning now.] (untranslated)
[DaH machegh.] (captions)
{He pulled his communicator from his belt, spoke a few words
into it, and nodded to Kirk.}
THE ATTACK ON KRONOS ONE (much untranslated shouting):
-----------------------------------------------unverified fragments----
Korrd: <numagh>
[They've betrayed us.] (untranslated)
{We're hit!"}
_____: <Qu'vatlh>
[$%##@!] (untranslated)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
_____: <... yItu'>
[Find ...!] (untranslated)
_____: tlham chu'Ha'lu' (?)
(We've lost gravity!)
{"Gravity generator!" someone called behind him.}
[some heard: tlham <chIl>lu'. Cf. sound file at
http://www.qepHom.de/tlham.mp3 (20 kB)]
_____: chay' jura'
[What are your orders?] (untranslated)
[chay' jura'] (captions)
_____: nuqDaq bIH
[Where are they?] (untranslated)
_____: chach
[Emergency!] (untranslated)
Korrd: nutojbej
(We've been betrayed!)
[lit. They've definitely tricked us!]
Guard1: yotwI'
[Intruder!] (untranslated)
[yotwI'!] (captions)
Gorkon: cheng'e' DaH yISam
(Find Chang.)
Korrd: SoH 'Iv jay'
[Who the hell are you?] (untranslated)
[SoH 'Iv jay'?] (captions)
Korrd: ghoQaH
[Help us!] (untranslated)
[ghoQaH] (captions)
_____: qaStaH nuq jay'
[What the hell is happening?] (untranslated)
[gaStaH nug jay'?] (captions)
_____: tlham chach chu'qa'
____ _ [Duj tlham chu'qa' (?)]
(Restoring auxiliary gravity...)
{Gravity generator!"}
_____: ropyaH yIghuHmoH
[Alert sick bay!] (untranslated)
[ropyaH yIghuHmoH!] (captions)
_____: yIwoH [lifting Gorkon onto table]
[Pick him up!] (untranslated)
_____: yI<Hot>be' (??)
[Don't touch him!] (untranslated)
Guard: HItlhej [escorting McCoy out of room]
[Come with me!] (untranslated)
WAR COUNCIL ON KRONOS ONE AFTER GORKON'S ASSASSINATION:
Kerla: DIHIvlaHtaHvIS DaH DIHIvnIS!
(Attack them now, while we still can!)
Khmarr: DIHIvbe'ch[ugh] qo'chajDaq toy'wI''a' DImoj. (?)
(Attack or be slaves in their world.)
Grokh: Qo'! pe'vIl DIHIvlaH, <QaplaH> tlhob <be---HaH > (??)
<QaplaH <pla'> pe'vIl <or: Qapla' ghobe' laH'a'> (??)
(We can take whole by force, what they propose to divide.)
Azetbur: ghu'maj Dayajbe'law', Sa'.
(untranslated)
{"You don't seem to grasp our situation, General.}
Azetbur: notlh veS... 'a tugh manotlhchoH je maH.
(War is obsolete, General...as we are in danger of becoming.)
{War is...obsolete. As we are in danger of becoming.}
Kerla: QamvIS Hegh qaq law' torvIS yIn qaq puS.
("Better to die on our feet than live on our knees.")
Azetbur: 'e' neHbe' vavwI'. [or vavoy]
(That wasn't what my father wanted.)
Chang: Your father was killed for what he wanted.
KIRK AND MCCOY'S SHOW TRIAL ON KRONOS:
Chang: ...taH pagh. Qo'noS wa'Daq baHta' <DaH wa'noS> ...
(... that Enterprise fired on Kronos One without provocation.)
[taH pagh. Qo'noS wa'Daq baHta'.] (captions)
[(TRANSLATOR) THE ENTERPRISE FIRED ON KRONOS ONE WITHOUT
PROVOCATION] (captions)
{"The state will show, that Enterprise fired on Kronos One
without provocation, the chancellor and his advisors... "}
_____: yI<tlha'> ... yI<tlha'> (?)
(Again... Again!)
ON RURA PENTHE (each repeated several times):
Guard: yIghoS
[Get moving!] (untranslated)
Guard: yIghoStaH
[Keep moving!] (untranslated)
[SHOUTING IN KLINGON] (captions)
[yIghoStaH!] (captions)
Guard: yIHu'
[Get up!] (untranslated)
Guard: tugh tugh
[Hurry up!] (untranslated)
[tugh! tugh!] (captions)
Guard: tugh yIyIt
[Walk faster!] (untranslated)
CROSSING THE KLINGON BORDER AT MORTAGH OUTPOST THREE:
[The officer at the Morska outpost is definitely speaking with an unusual accent, and might be using what the core of the empire would consider archaic speech. For example, when he was referring "that ship", he clearly said Dujvetz. There's no tz sound in "High Klingon" (as we study it on this list); it's apparently a dialectical variant of tlh. (ghunchu'wI')]
"The original script for Star Trek VI (well, the earliest version that I saw, anyway) had the English translations for the lines spoken by the Klingon at the Morska listening post in a peculiar kind of English to show that it was a different way of speaking. As the filming proceeded, the character changed somewhat so that he became an inattentive Klingon rather than merely a Klingon from some different region, but we kept the nonstandard dialect anyway. (So he became an inattentive Klingon from a part of the Empire we've not heard much about.)" [Mark Okrand, MSN 3-2-98; cf. KGT pp.22-3 for a full description of the Morskan dialect]
Kesla: <morska jIH> ("dialect" ??)
(This is listening post Morska.)
<morski ge> (what I heard)
Kesla: Dujvetlh 'oH nuq? rIn.
(What ship is that? ...over.)
<dujvetz oh nook? reen.> ("dialect" as heard)
[Dujvetlh 'oH nug? rIn.] (captions)
{"What ship is that? Identify yourselves."}
Uhura: tongDuj 'urISva' maH. jav Hogh maH Qo'noSvo'. rIn. [sic!]
(We am thy freighter...Ursva... Six weeks out of...Kronos.
[Over.])
{According to the novel, she was speaking in an "odd,
archaic dialect."}
Kesla: nuqDaq ghoS? rIn.
[nuq Daghoch? rIn. (ghunchu'wI': ghoch is "destination")]
(What is your destination? Over.)
<nookdak gros? reen.> ("dialect" as heard)
[nugDaq ghoS? rIn.] (captions)
{"Whither are you bound?" (responding in the same dialect)}
Uhura: rura' pente'Daq Soj Doch <yuS> vIqIch. rIn [sic!]
(Rura Penthe. We is condemning food...things and supplies.
Over.)
{We is condemning food...things and...supplies to Rura Penthe.
Over.}
[rura penteDag...] (captions)
(She meant vIHIj "I'm delivering.")
Kesla: ghewmey SuqQo' ("dialect")
(Don't catch any bugs!)
{i.e. "Good luck in avoiding border officials!" (smuggler's
code according to the novel)}
GENERAL CHANG LEARNS OF KIRK'S ESCAPE FROM RURA PENTHE:
Warden: ... Qollu'ta' (?)
(They were beamed aboard a Federation Starship.)
["They were beamed away."]
Warden: qaghochnISlaH (?)
(I could trace...)
[I could trace for you...]
(or) qaghochbe'laH (alternate version)
[I can't trace [them] for you...]
Chang: narghta'? narghta'.
([They have] Escaped.)
Grokh: qay'be'. Daq SovlaHbe'taH qIrq.
(Kirk cannot know the location of the peace conference.)
{It does not matter ... Kirk cannot know the location.}
Chang: DaSovbej'a'? bISuDrup'a'?
(Are you sure? Will you take that chance?)
{Are you sure [of that]? ... Are you willing to take that
chance?}
Grokh: DeghwI'. <He chu'>. So'wI' yIchu'.
(Helmsman, make course to intercept Enterprise.)
{Helmsman... New course! Engage cloaking device.}
Helm: qaH!
[Yes, sir!]
------------------------------unverified fragments---------------------
Grokh: chuyDaH yIchu' (?)
(Engage thrusters!)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DAKRONH IN COMBAT WITH ENTERPRISE AT KHITOMER:
Chang: taH pagh... taHbe'.
("To be or not to be." (untranslated)
[taH pagh... taHbe'] (captions)
Chang: qatlh pa' ghoS
(What's she doing?)
[lit. "Why is she [the ship] going there?"]
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF RA-GHORATREI AND AZETBUR AT KHITOMER:
Kerla: <ghowuv> (?)
[Rely on us!] (untranslated)
Guard: Qang yIQan
(Protect the Chancellor!)
STAR TREK: GENERATIONS
HoS qorDu "A great power"
Toh-pak-cha "Glorious!"
Bosh-ta-JaH Veridian "Set course for Veridian!"
Du'cha "On speakers!"
Lursa and B'Etor are each addressed as joHwI' ("Mistress") by their crew
--
Voragh
Canon Master of the Klingons