tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Jan 29 09:13:32 2010

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RE: choH vs. choHmoH

Steven Boozer ([email protected]) 

Andre:
>I have a problem with the verb {choH}, which is translated as "alter,
>change" in the dictionary. As far as I know there are no canon sentences
>with this verb, so we don't know if it's transitive or intransitive.


Actually, we do have two examples:

  DaH Heraj yIchoH 
  Alter your course now. (ST5 notes) 

  ghopDu' choHpu' Qe' 
  The restaurant has altered hands. (KGT)

KGT 106-7:  By the same token, literally translating a sentence such as "The restaurant changed hands" into Klingon, presumably as {ghopDu' choHpu' Qe'} ("The restaurant has altered hands") or perhaps {ghopDu' tampu' Qe'} ("The restaurant has exchanged hands"), does not tell the Klingon that the restaurant is now under new ownership, which is what the Federation Standard phrase really means.


>But according to some posting from [Voragh], there was a sentence used
>in Star Trek V, which was: {HIvHe yIchoHmoH!} ("Alter the attack course!").
>
>Here, the verb is combined with the causative suffix {-moH}, so obviously
>{choHmoH} is transitive and means "to alter/change something". Thus I
>conclude that {choH} must be intransitive, meaning "to become different".
>
>Is my assumption correct?
>I'm a bit unsure, because I always thought of {choH} as a transitive verb
>and am not sure about the canon-ness (canonicity?) of the above sentence.


I've always been bothered by that line myself.  Could listen to that line again and see if Klaa actually says {yIchoHmoH} in ST5?  Here's the scene as I have it in my transcript:

VIXIS: chorghSaD qelI'qam HIvchuq'e' vInoH.
      (Estimating attack range in 8,000 kellicams.)
KLAA:  ghoSmeH yIpegh.  cha'maH vagh 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.)

If that is the actual line, maybe Klaa got caught up in the excitement of the chase.  

FYI the suffix pair {-choHmoH} - yes, I know that Andre is talking about the verb {choH} - does show up twice in the vocabulary as {lamHa'choHmoH} "get something cleaned":

  nuqDaq waqwIj vIlamHa'choHmoH 
  Where can I get my shoes cleaned? {TKD)

and {'IHchoHmoH} "suit":

  Du'IHchoHmoH mIvvam 
  This helmet suits you. (TKD)

Finally for the sake of completeness, here's what I have on the noun {choH} "change":

  choH lISbogh Hap'e': cha'pujqut 
  Reaction Moderating Element - Crystalline Dilithium. (KBOP)

and the derived nomen agentis {choHwI'} "thing which alters":

  HoS choHwI' 
  transtator  (HQ 1.3:9)

  woj choHwI' 
  reactor (HQ 1.3:9, "thing which alters radiation")
 


-- 
Voragh                          
Canon Master of the Klingons

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