[640] in tlhIngan-Hol
Klingon Sociolinguistics #1: Greetings and Partings
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Thu Apr 22 01:21:32 1993
Errors-To: tlhIngan-Hol-request@village.boston.ma.us
Errors-To: tlhIngan-Hol-request@village.boston.ma.us
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Reply-To: "Klingon Language List" <tlhIngan-Hol@village.boston.ma.us>
From: erich@bush.cs.tamu.edu (Erich Schneider)
To: "Klingon Language List" <tlhIngan-Hol@village.boston.ma.us>
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 22:29:56 CDT
Msg origin: SFC/GALEXCOM/USS Intrepid/NCC1708
Msg sender: LCDR Erich R. Schneider/Head, CMPSCI
Msg date: SD 9304.21
I've been having problems with the statement that tlhIngan Hol has
only one "greeting" word, nuqneH. My problem is that this sounds
appropriate only as a response to a conversation opener. I.e., one
initiates conversation with a word like "Hello", to which "What do you
want" is a good reply. If I were to go up to someone and say "what do
you want", the response would likely be confusion; the other person
doesn't _want_ anything at this point, _I_ want something. tlhIngan
Hol currently lacks a conversation opener.
I propose the following one-word "sentences", in increasing order of
politeness. (I believe a warrior culture where family lines spend a great
deal of time jockeying for position would have plenty of "polite language",
cf. Terran Japanese, 16th cent. old Earth calendar.)
[yI]jatlh You, speak!
majatlh We will speak.
[bI]jatlhqang'a' [Do you] wish to speak? [bI] optional in following.
[bI]jatlhneS Please speak [to me].
[bi]jatlhqangneS'a' [Do you] want to do the honor of speaking [to me]?
The last is probably appropriate when addressing, say, the Emperor,
but is overkill for most situations (and makes the speaker look
toadying). These phrases can be replied to by "HIja'", "HISlaH", or
"nuqneH" appropriately (or a curt "ghobe'" if no conversation is
desired.)
Another appropriate conversation opener is to state the title of the
other party; if no such title is obvious, a general description will suffice.
'anDorngan you, Andorian!
loD qan you, old man!
joHwI' my lord!
la'Hom lieutenant commander! (lit. "small commander")
Conversation closers in Terran languages tend to wish the listener
good health, to bless the listener in some way, or to express a desire
to see the listener again. As might be guessed, tlhIngan Hol conversation
closers take a different tack.
Qapla' success!
wamghach QaQ good hunting!
batlh qorDu'lijDaq honor to your family!
[Comments? Oh, and please forgive some of my errors in previous messages.]
----
Erich Schneider erich@bush.cs.tamu.edu
"The Hierophant is Disguised and Confused."
