tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Sep 09 07:14:40 2013

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[Tlhingan-hol] Story: ghuv = The Recruit - 22

Robyn Stewart ([email protected]) [KLI Member] [Hol po'wI']

Torg is about to put on his gas mask for a secret mission.
---
jatlh bIp, "torgh, DatuQmoHpa' HIghoS." 'orwI' yaH jaHDI' torgh, torgh woS
Hab yach 'orwI' 'ej torgh wuS chop. "Qapla'!" jatlh, ghIq SeHlawDaj buSqa'.
qaj torgh qa'.
jolpa' 'eltaHvIS torgh SIp botwI' tuQmoH 'ej lIS. nuj, ghIch, mInDu' je qat.
tlhuHlaH 'ej leghlaH 'ach 'ellaHbe' SIp SuQ. 'ol 'eng ghIq SIp botwI' mey
tuQmoH maQ, 'eng je. torgh luch qoghvo' SIp 'aplo' teq maQ. "tutlhej'a'?"
jatlh torgh.
---

jatlh bIp, "torgh, DatuQmoHpa' HIghoS."

The name torgh is in the object position of the verb, but I hope the comma
and context leads you to understand that it is vocative, not part of the
sentence.
ghos = proceed, go, come - takes the destination as object
HI- imperative, when the object is "me"

Bip says, "Torg, before you put it on come to me."

'orwI' yaH jaHDI' torgh, torgh woS Hab yach 'orwI' 'ej torgh wuS chop.

'orwI' yaH - noun-noun construction
jaH - like ghoS can take the destination as its object
woS Hab - adjectival verb - remember torgh woSDaq wej chen rol - he's a
babyface.

"When Torg goes to the pilot's duty station (=cockpit?), the pilot strokes
Torg's smooth chin and bites his lip."

Notice that I didn't use -Daj here, although in English I could have said
"his" and "his" in Klingon it wouldn't have been clear whose chin or lip was
the object.

"Qapla'!" jatlh, ghIq SeHlawDaj buSqa'.

-qa' is resume, as well as do again.

She says, "Success!" and then returns to focusing on her instrument panel.

qaj torgh qa'.

torgh qa' = noun-noun construction. The noun qa' is unrelated to the suffix
-qa'.

"Torgh's spirit soars."

jolpa' 'eltaHvIS torgh SIp botwI' tuQmoH 'ej lIS.

"As Torg enters the transporter room he puts on the gas mask and adjusts
it."

lIS could be simply "and he adjusts" but what would that mean? Adjusts what?
It makes more sense here if you interpret the null prefix as he-it than
he-no object.

nuj, ghIch, mInDu' je qat. tlhuHlaH 'ej leghlaH 'ach 'ellaHbe' SIp SuQ.

qat = wrap, encase

This is a pretty common way in Klingon to specify something for which there
is no exact Klingon word.  Create a two or three word phrase that sort of
names it, then describe it in some detail in conjunction with that name, so
the reader understands what it is, but you don't need to give the
description every time. Here I asked the reader to hold the idea of SIp
botwI' for a while before describing it. Now it should be clear that a SIp
botwI' is a gas mask.

"It covers the mouth, nose and eyes. He can breathe and see but toxic gas
cannot enter."

'ol 'eng ghIq SIp botwI' mey tuQmoH maQ, 'eng je.

"Cloud verifies it and then he and maQ put on gas masks."

torgh luch qoghvo' SIp 'aplo' teq maQ. 

"maQ takes a gas cannister from Torg's equipment belt."

If it's not now clear what a SIp 'aplo' is, it will be shortly.

"tutlhej'a'?" jatlh torgh.

tlhej = accompany

"Are you coming with me?" said Torg.

I realize with excitement that I might not just be teaching you how to read
a story, but how to write one too. Then I'll have stories to read that I
didn't write. ghunchu'wI' writes beautiful clear, evocative stories, well
worth reading. They are all true and the most memorable are very sad. I
write cliched action movies and awkward porn. What will you write?

- Qov




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