[79] in tlhIngan-Hol
Rhetorical and serious questions
dcctdw@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (dcctdw@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Sun Feb 16 15:21:49 1992
Errors-To: tlhIngan-Hol-request@village.boston.ma.us
From: gt5878b@cad.gatech.edu (Charles Edward Maise)
To: "Klingon Language List" <tlhIngan-Hol@village.boston.ma.us>
Date: Tue, 31 Dec 91 3:20:47 EST
Dave Cho asks:
> "Why don't they get diplomats to teach them?" jatlhlu'?
>Now, the above can both be a serious question, and a rhetorical question --
>i don't know if that affects the translation, but how would it be
>translated, in either case, and how would reflect rhetoricalness?
In English, the difference between rhetoric and actual questions is largely
determined by contextual clues, including the speaker's tone of voice and
the circumstances surrounding the question. The difference is such that it
often eludes some listeners (Data springs to mind... ).
I would imagine that in Klingon, where things such as gender, number, and
topic are often determined by context, things are much the same.
Note that you could phrase the question a few different ways, to better
get across how you intended it. Note also that often you might want
to play a rhetorical question "straight," so that it can act as
an inside joke (only certain people would "read it" correctly) or as a
"polite insult" ("Is your crew capable of such a complex task?" the
Admiral asked the Captain innocently.).
Some examples:
Duj DapuvlaH'a'? Can you fly a ship?
A straightforward question, but it could be rhetoric
in the right circumstances.
Duj DapuvlaH qar'a'? You can fly a ship, can't you?
More likely to be rhetorical, as it implies the
speaker knows the answer already.
Duj DapuvlaHqu''a'? CAN you fly a ship?
Duj Dapuvlahqu' qar'a'? You CAN fly a ship, can't you?
These both call into doubt the ability of the
subject to fly a ship. Not necessarily rhetorical,
though. The speaker may be expecting a no, but
wanting to know for sure.
Duj DapuvlaHbe''a'? You can't fly a ship? or Can't you fly a ship?
Duj Dapuvlahbe''a' jay'? Can't you fly the $@*&@ ship?!?
Good candidates for rhetoric here. No answer
is likely expected, unless your commander
likes seeing his subordinates squirm.
Translating "Why don't they get diplomats to teach them?" directly gives
qatlh chaHvaD ghojmoHmeH gharwI' Suqbe' chaH?
[Why do they not obtain diplomats for the purpose of teaching to them?]
Whether this is an honest question or a joke/insult should be clear from
the context of the discussion.
If you are disgusted and want to make no secret that you are insulting
them, you can use
qatlh chaHvaD ghojmoHmeH gharwI' Suqbe' chaH jay'?
Standard disclaimer: I am not a grammarian, so this is not official.
Eddie Maise gt5878b@cad.gatech.edu Daw'vaD qIb Qobbe'lu'taH
