[217] in tlhIngan-Hol
RE: Telling time
dcctdw@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (dcctdw@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Sun Feb 16 19:21:03 1992
Errors-To: tlhIngan-Hol-request@village.boston.ma.us
Reply-To: "Klingon Language List" <tlhIngan-Hol@village.boston.ma.us>
From: "MAPLE::BANG" <BANG%MAPLE.decnet@pine.circa.ufl.edu>
To: "Klingon Language List" <tlhIngan-Hol@village.boston.ma.us>
Date: 15 Feb 92 20:58:00 EST
Not to put a monkey wrench into the works, but wouldn't a
language as militarized as tlhIngan tell time in a 24 (or whatever)
hour format? This would seem to be the only appropriate way to convey
time information... when those little details count (i.e. when one is
responsible for the material condition of a starship, etc..) one wants
absolutely NO possibility of misunderstanding....
Captain: We were to meet the K'Adillak here at 2:00 AM, not
PM, you idiot!
Helmsman: Oops. Er, just a misunderstanding?
Captain: Not on your life, scumbag... my reputaion has suffered
because of you. Guards, execute him.
Guard's Disruptor: HUMMMMMMMMM!
Navigator: ooooooze.
Lets face it.. 2:00 can be am or pm, but 1400 is 1400; hardly confusable
with 0200, and more concise, therefore more secure.
Added note: notice the lack of "hours" after the above...
Starships are an outgrowth of the "wet" navy, and the Navy doesn't
say "hours" after the time number (and with great restraint, this
ex-squid will refrain from insulting those OTHER services which
do)...
Anyway, as a cultural point, it seems to fit in with the established "genre"
of the language, and it shouldn't make the time program any more difficult.
One just has to determine how many hours are in a day on the tlhIngan home
planet... ships will most likely use this as a standard.
Pretty long for just my 2 cents worth, so I'll cut it here.
Questions? Answers? Breath mints?
