[353] in tlhIngan-Hol
Meta-discussions in Klingon! + comment on Metallica
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Wed May 27 17:31:15 1992
Errors-To: tlhIngan-Hol-request@village.boston.ma.us
Reply-To: "Klingon Language List" <tlhIngan-Hol@village.boston.ma.us>
From: Mark E. Shoulson <shoulson@ctr.columbia.edu>
To: "Klingon Language List" <tlhIngan-Hol@village.boston.ma.us>
Date: Wed, 27 May 92 15:00:09 -0400
In-Reply-To: Mark E. Shoulson's message of Tue, 26 May 92 16:22:04 -0400 <92052
jIQaghpu'. "He chenmoH yItwI''e'" ghitlhta' Rick Miller vIja'pu', 'ach 'oH
ghitlhta' Richard Kennaway. Qaghvetlhmo' jItuH.
OBTW, something I've been meaning to mention about the Metallica
translation. The translations translated "Hell" as "ghe''or". This is. I
suppose, as accurate as anyone could wish. However, note that "Hell" is a
very culturally-dependent concept. Klingon "ghe''or" might have very
little to do with the concept of suffering, that we associate with "Hell."
It's the place where dishonored souls go; maybe the suffering there is some
kind of eternal shame, demons jeering at you, something like that. We
don't know. I'd think pain is too honorable to be such a major part of
"ghe''or", though perhaps it does make sense--pain so great you can't bear
it honorably, thus increasing your shame, etc, etc. Who knows?
In any case, while I'd certainly agree with the translation of "Hell" ->
"ghe''or", I imagine that in the Anthology of Terran Poetry in which it
appeared (as taught to High School Klingons everywhere...), there'd be a
little footnote, noting that "ghe''or" implies pain/suffereing/whatever in
the particular Terran culture in question.
Such things abound when translating poetry! :-)
~mark
