[2639] in tlhIngan-Hol
Re: SaQumqa'
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Wed Jan 19 11:00:08 1994
Reply-To: "Klingon Language List" <tlhIngan-Hol@klingon.East.Sun.COM>
From: Will Martin <whm2m@uva.pcmail.virginia.edu>
To: "Klingon Language List" <tlhIngan-Hol@klingon.East.Sun.COM>
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 94 10:41:45 EST
On Jan 18, 6:41pm, dls9@aol.com wrote:
> Subject: Re: SaQumqa'
>
> {mulIjneSQo' 'IwbIQtIq Dop latlhDaq bIpawDI'}
> I thought this quote was very good. But I've dented the wall in multiple
> places with my head over the ridiculously obvious error I made...
Yes, but don't the ridge marks look beautiful?
...
> Now, just 'cos I know it'll bug you, here's a second quoteable piece of
> material one might say after slamming a irritating Romulan by the wrist
> onto the ground.
>
> ghol vIchargh rIntaHDI' DungDajDaq jIQam 'ej jachqu'
> {nIjeytaHjaj jaghlI' HoSHa''e' je}
> Guido#1, Leader of All Guidos
Nice quote. Two comments, though. First, while {rIntaH} is fully legal,
it happens exactly once in cannon. It is one of those solutions to the
problem created when a line was filmed in English and redubbed into Klingon,
and there were too many lip movements for the NORMAL Klingon way to say what
the subtitle suggests (which happens to also be what the actress was saying
when filmed). He needed more syllables, so he came up with the {rIntaH}
construction for valQIS in ST3.
The meaning is pretty much the same as {ghol vIcharghpu'DI'...}.
Meanwhile, this would be an excellent time to choose {ghol vIcharghta'DI'
...} instead. I think it would better suit the level of intent implied in
your message.
The second comment is that you lost me with the word {HoSHa''e'}. Did
you mean {HoSHa'ghach'e'}? Just because {HoS} can be either a noun or a verb,
that doesn't give you license to use both verb and noun suffixes on it at the
same time without a nominalizing suffix between the two. You might also
consider {pujtaHghach}. This is one of those places where the {-taH} does
more than allow you to use {-ghach}. It adds sting to the accusation.
So, after I'm done messing with your statement, you get:
ghol vIcharghta'DI' DungDajDaq jIQam 'ej jachqu'
{nIjeytaHjaj jaghlI' pujtaHghach'e' je}
Also, if we consider the Krankor Toast Theory, the last sentence might
be cast:
{jaghlI' pujtaHghach'e' je nIjeytaHjaj}
Are any of these considered to be improvements? If so, then please
consider banging your head against the FLOOR instead of the wall. I find the
pain there is much more satisfying. Walls can be so SOFT! A good, sturdy
desktop can be equally satisfying, but do take care to avoid your keyboard.
Many of them are so flimsey these days.
-- charghwI'
