[88762] in tlhIngan-Hol
Translating TEDTalks
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Felix Malmenbeck)
Sun Feb 6 21:34:30 2011
From: Felix Malmenbeck <felixm@kth.se>
To: "tlhIngan-Hol@KLI.org" <tlhIngan-Hol@KLI.org>
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2011 02:17:59 +0000
Errors-to: tlhingan-hol-bounce@kli.org
Reply-to: tlhingan-hol@kli.org
If you're like me, you just can't get enough of TEDTalks: You give them a few minutes of your time, and you get knowledge and inspiration in return.
TED.com also has interactive transcripts, and a system for translating them. Among the languages you can translate into are Esperanto, Lojban and - You guessed it! - Klingon. However, thus far nobody has actually done a translation into Klingon, which I feel is a shame. Of course, it's natural in a way that nobody's done so yet: The subject matter of a TEDTalk is usually quite esoteric, the talks themselves are filled with jokes and figures of speech, and TED's translation guidelines makes it rather difficult to translate between two languages with completely different speech patterns (as does the very nature of subtitles).
In other words: A fun challenge! I decided to give Stephen Hawking's TEDTalk ( http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/stephen_hawking_asks_big_questions_about_the_universe.html ) a go, in part because it seemed doable and in part because I liked the idea of translating a speech concerning - among other things - the existence of alien lifeforms into an alien language.
You can check out my translation by going here and selecting "Klingon [100%]" from the drop-down menu on the video player: http://dotsub.com/view/b27cafe0-10b1-4160-8f56-59f630033228
Now, in order to be fully accepted and show up on TED.com, I need another jatlhwI' to sign up as a translator on TED.com and review my translation; hail me if you're interested and want instructions on how to do so!
However, even if you don't feel like becoming a TED translator, I'd very much appreciate any input you might have on my translation, and it wasn't an easy one.
Video title:
Stephen Hawking asks big questions about the universe
'u' lubopbogh potlh'a'mey nuD Stephen Hawking
"Stephen Hawking inspects great important things which are all about the universe"
Video description:
In keeping with the theme of TED2008, professor Stephen Hawking asks some Big Questions about our universe -- How did the universe begin? How did life begin? Are we alone? -- and discusses how we might go about answering them.
potlh'a'mey bop TED2008. vaj 'u'maj lubopbogh potlh'a'mey nuD Stephen Hawking. ghel ghaH: chay' chenpu' 'u'? chay' chenpu' yIn? mamob'a'? janglaHmeH mIw Del ghaH.
"TED2008 is all about great important things. So Stephen Hawking inspects great important things which are all about our universe. He asks: How did the universe form? How did life form? Are we alone? He describes a process for being able to answer.
There is nothing bigger or older than the universe.
'u' tIn law' Hoch tIn puS. 'u' qan law' Hoch qan puS.
"Universe big many all big few. Universe old many all old few."
Your questions I would like to talk about are:
jIghel vIneH,
"I want to ask:"
One, where did we come from?
nuqDaq 'oH mungmaj'e'?
"Our origin is where?"
How did the universe come into being?
chay' chenpu' 'u'?
"How did the universe form?"
[Perhaps qatlh would be more appropriate?]
Are we alone in the universe?
'u'Daq mamob'a'?
"In universe we are alone?"
Is there alien life out there?
latlh yuQmeyDaq yaghmey tu'lu''a'?
"On other planets one finds organisms?"
What is the future of the human race?
nuq 'oH Human Segh San'e'?
"What is Human race destiny?"
Up until the 1920s,
qaSpa' tera' maH DIS poH 1920
"Before Terra decade 1920"
[Should this be tmDp 1920 or tmDp 192?]
everyone thought the universe was essentially static
Harpu' Hoch,
"Thought all:"
and unchanging in time.
choHbe' 'u'.
"Universe doesn't change."
Then it was discovered that the universe was expanding.
ghIq tu'lu', SachtaH 'u'.
"Then one discovers, universe is expanding."
Distant galaxies were moving away from us.
cholHa'taH qIbmey Hop.
"Distant galaxies are un-closing in."
This meant they must have been closer together in the past.
vaj 'op poH ret wa' DaqDaq Sumbej.
"Thus, some time ago they are definitely close to one place."
If we extrapolate back,
mIwvam wInuDchugh, vaj wItlhoj,
"If we inspect this process, then we realize,"
we find we must have all been on top of each other
15 000 000 000 ben
"15 000 000 000 years ago"
about 15 billion years ago.
wa' DaqDaq Hoch qIbmey tu'lu'.
"In one place all galaxies are found."
This was the Big Bang, the beginning of the universe.
ngugh qaS SachchoHghach'a', 'u' chenchoHghach.
"At this time happened the great begin-expand:ation, the universe's begin-forming:ation."
But was there anything before the Big Bang?
vay' tu'lu''a' qaSpa' SachchoHghach'a'?
"Before the great begin-expand:ation, one found something?"
If not, what created the universe?
pagh tu'lu'pu'chugh, 'u' chenmoHpu' nuq?
"If one found nothing, what caused the universe to form?"
Why did the universe emerge from the Big Bang the way it did?
qatlh 'u' chenmoHpu' SachchoHghach'a', 'ej qatlh jaS chenbe'pu' 'u'.
"Why the great expand-begin:ation created the universe, and why the universe didn't form differently?"
We used to think that the theory of the universe
maHarpu', cha' 'ay'mey'e'
"We thought, two parts"
could be divided into two parts.
ghaj 'u' nger naQ.
"were had by complete universe theory."
First, there were the laws
chutmey'e' pabbogh 'u' tu'lu'.
"There are the laws which the universe obeys."
like Maxwell's equations and general relativity
Maxwell 'ul peQ je nger. Einstein tlham nger. latlh chutmey je.
"Maxwell's electricity and magnetism theory. Einstein's gravity theory. And other laws."
[Can one say "A B je C" to mean "The C of A an B"?]
that determined the evolution of the universe,
chutmeyvam pablu'chu'taH
"These laws are obeyed perfectly"
given its state over all of space at one time.
choHtaHvIS 'u' Dotlh.
"while the universe's status changes."
And second, there was no question
chutmeyvam 'oH 'u' nger naQ 'ay' wa''e'.
"The first part of the complete theory of the universe is these laws."
[The English transcript is wrong here; should be "there was the question".]
of the initial state of the universe.
'u' Dotlh wa'DIch 'oH 'ay' cha''e'.
"Part two is the universe's first status."
We have made good progress on the first part,
'ay' wa' wIyajchoHchu'lI'.
"We are beginning to understand part one perfectly."
and now have the knowledge of the laws of evolution
ghu'mey le' wIyajchu'be'bogh tu'lu'
"There are special situations which we do not understand perfectly"
in all but the most extreme conditions.
'ach tlhoS choHtaHghach chutmey DIyaj.
"but we almost understand the laws of change."
But until recently, we have had little idea
'a qen 'u' Dotlh wa'DIch vISovbe'chu'.
"But recently we completely don't know the universe's first status."
about the initial conditions for the universe.
pImchugh chuqmey poHmey je,
"If distances and time periods are different,"
[Not entirely sure about the syntax of pIm, but I'm guessing it's the same as rap. http://klingonska.org/canon/search/?file98-12-holqed-07-4.txt&get=source]
However, this division into laws of evolution and initial conditions
vaj pIm nger 'ay'mey.
"then the theory's parts are different."
depends on time and space being separate and distinct.
'a chuqmey Da poHmey.
"But time periods act like distances."
Under extreme conditions, general relativity and quantum theory
'e' luchaw' ngermey chu' taHtaHvIS ghu'mey le'.
"New theories allow that while special situations last."
allow time to behave like another dimension of space.
vaj pImbe' poHmey chuqmey je.
"Thus, time periods and distances aren't different."
This removes the distinction between time and space
vaj chutmey DIyajchu'DI', 'u' Dotlh wa'DIch wISovlaH.
"In that case, when we understand the laws perfectly, we can know the first status of the universe."
and means the laws of evolution can also determine the initial state.
chen'eghmoHlaH 'u'.
"The universe can create itself."
The universe can spontaneously create itself out of nothing.
nuq 'oHpu' 'u' Dotlh wa'DIch'e'? DuH Dotlhmey law'.
"What is the first status of the universe? Many statuses are possible."
Moreover, we can calculate a probability that the universe
ghaytan qaSbogh DuHmey tu'lu' 'ej ghaytanHa' qaSbogh DuHmey tu'lu'.
"There are possibilities that probably happen and there are possibilities that probably don't happen."
[I just couldn't think of a good way to translate this. Any suggestions?]
was created in different states.
wISImlaH.
"We can calculate it."
These predictions are in excellent agreement
chenpu'DI' 'u' woj law' tlhuDlu'.
"When the universe formed much radiation is emitted."
with observations by the WMAP satellite
'u' Qup cha'bogh mIllogh'e' luchenmoHmeH tejpu'
"In order for scientists to create a picture which shows young universe,"
of the cosmic microwave background,
WMAP SIbDoH woj noch patmey lo'ta' chaH.
"they used WMAP satellite's radiation sensor patmey."
We think we have solved the mystery of creation.
chen'eghmoHghach Qatlh wIyajlaw'.
"We apparently understand complicated self-creation."
Maybe we should patent the universe
mamaqlaH, 'u' wI'oghta'!
"We can proclaim, we have invented the universe!"
[Anybody got a good way to talk about patents in Klingon?]
and charge everyone royalties for their existence.
maHvaD DIlnIS 'u' luDalbogh Hoch'e'!
"Everybody who lives in the universe must pay to us!"
I now turn to the second big question:
DaH potlh'a' cha' vIqel:
"Now I consider great important thing #2:"
Are we alone, or is there other life in the universe?
mamob'a'? pagh latlh yuQmeyDaq yaghmey tu'lu''a'?
"Are we alone? Or are there organisms on other planets?"
[Can also be interpreted as "Are there organisms on no other planets?", which also works.]
We believe that life arose spontaneously on the Earth,
tera'Daq chenpu' yaghmey. chenmoHta' pagh. 'e' wIHar.
"Organisms formed on Earth. Nobody created it intentionally. This we believe."
so it must be possible for life to appear on other suitable planets,
vaj chaq latlh yuQmeyDaq chenpu' yaghmey.
"Thus perhaps life can form on other planets."
of which there seem to be a large number in the galaxy.
'ej qIbmajDaq law'law' yuQmey'e' DablaHbogh yaghmey.
"And planets that organisms can live on appear to be many in our universe."
But we don't know how life first appeared.
chay' chenpu' yaghmey wa'DIch? maSovbe'.
"How did the first organisms form. We don't know."
We have two pieces of observational evidence
chenmeH yaghmey 'eb bopbogh De' law''e'
"Much information that's all about the opportunity for organisms to form"
on the probability of life appearing.
'ang cha' Dochmey:
"is revealed by two things:"
The first is that we have fossils of algae
wutlhDaq yaghmey Hegh DItu'pu'.
"We have found dead organisms underground."
[Oh my... How to describe fossils without it taking up half a page? I'd like to put something like "traces of dead organisms" or "signs of dead organisms", but just can't think of a way.]
from 3.5 billion years ago.
3 500 000 000 ben Hegh yaghmeyvam.
"These organisms die 3.5 billion years ago."
The earth was formed 4.6 billion years ago
4 600 000 000 ben chen tera'.
"The Earth forms 4.6 billion years ago."
and was probably too hot for about the first half billion years.
qaStaHvIS 500 000 000 DIS, ghaytan tera' luDablaHbe' yaghmey 'Iqmo' tuj.
"While 500 million years happen, organisms probably couldn't inhabit the Earth because the heat is too much."
So life appeared on earth
vaj DuHpu'DI' yIn,
"Thus when life became possible,"
within half a billion years of it being possible,
qaSpa' 500 000 000 DIS chenpu' yaghmey.
"organisms form before 500 million years happen."
which is short compared to the ten billion-year lifetime
qaStaHvIS 10 000 000 000 DIS taHlaH tera' lururbogh yuQmey'e'
"Planets which resemble Earth endure while 10 billion years happen"
of a planet of Earth-type.
vaj nom chenpu' yaghmey.
"so organisms formed quickly."
This suggests that a probability of life appearing is reasonably high.
vaj qubbe'law' chenmeH yaghmey 'ebmey.
"Thus opportunities for organisms to form apparently aren't rare."
If it was very low, one would have expected it
qubchugh bIH, ghaytanHa' chen yaghmey
"If there are rare, improbably organisms form"
to take most of the ten billion years available.
QuptaHvIS tera'.
"while the Earth is young."
On the other hand, we don't seem to have been visited by aliens.
'a nuSuchbe'law'pu' latlh yuQmey nganpu'.
"But other planets' citizens apparently haven't visited us."
I am discounting the reports of UFOs.
UFOmeyqoq vIqelbe'taH.
"I'm not taking into account so-called UFO:s."
[Here I use UFO rather than, say, Dujmey DIngu'be'pu'bogh, as I feel "UFO" has become a word in its own right (it's even used in languages where the abbreviation doesn't make any sense). Qoch'a' vay'?]
Why would they appear only to cranks and weirdos?
qatlh Dujmeyvam tu' taQwI'pu' neH?
"Why do only weird ones observe these ships?"
If there is a government conspiracy to suppress the reports
novpu' Sov peghtaH'a' qum?
"Is the government keeping aliens' knowledge secret?"
and keep for itself the scientific knowledge the aliens bring,
nIDtaHchugh chaH,
"If they are trying,"
it seems to have been a singularly ineffective policy so far.
Qapbe'law'taH.
"apparently they aren't succeeding."
Furthermore, despite an extensive search by the SETI project,
novpu' nejtaH SETI jInmol, 'ej vumqu'taH tejpu',
"The SETI project searches for aliens, and the scientists are really toiling,"
[Can a project search?]
we haven't heard any alien television quiz shows.
'a pagh nov ghe'naQ jabbI'IDmey Qoypu'.
"but they have heard no alien opera."
This probably indicates that there are no alien civilizations
ghu'vammo' maloylaH,
"Because of this situation we can guess,"
at our stage of development
'op vatlh loghqam juchbogh moQ'e' qoDDaq
"On the inside of a sphere which has a width of some hundred loghqams"
within a radius of a few hundred light years.
tayqeqmaj lururbogh tayqeqmey'e' tu'lu'be'.
"there are no civilizations which resemble our civilization."
Issuing an insurance policy
nov quchwI'pu'mo' DuQanmeH
"In order that they protect you because of alien kidnappers"
[Fossils and patents and insurance policies; OH MY!]
against abduction by aliens seems a pretty safe bet.
negh yIDIlQo'! ghaytan 'utbe'chu'.
"don't pay for soldiers! It's likely completely non-necessary."
This brings me to the last of the big questions:
DaH potlh'a' natlIS vIqel:
"Now I consider the last great important thing:"
The future of the human race.
nuq 'oH Human Segh San'e'?
"What is the Human race's destiny?"
If we are the only intelligent beings in the galaxy,
qIbvamDaq QublaHbogh latlh yaghmey tu'lu'be'chugh,
"If there aren't other organisms in this galaxy that can think,"
we should make sure we survive and continue.
mataHnISqu'!
"we NEED to endure."
But we are entering an increasingly dangerous period of our history.
'a QobtaH ghu'maj.
"But our situation is dangerous."
Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth
tlhoy law'choHtaH roghvaHmaj 'ej tlhoy tera' jo wInatlhtaH,
"Our population is becoming many excessively and we are consuming Earth resources excessively,"
are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability
'ej chammaj 'Itlhmo' yuQmaj wISIghlaHqu'.
"and because of our advanced technology we can really affect our planet."
to change the environment for good or ill.
wIDublaH 'ej wIQaw'laH.
"We can improve it and we can destroy it."
But our genetic code
'a 'IwmajDaq
"But in our blood"
still carries the selfish and aggressive instincts
numutmoHbogh nuvaQmoHbogh je Duj tu'lu'taH,
"one also finds the instincts which cause us to be selfish and aggressive,"
[The "Qbogh Pbogh je A" construction is extrapolated from The Warrior's Anthem; not entirely kosher, I know.]
that were of survival advantage in the past.
poH nI' ret mataHmeH 'utmo' Dujvam.
"because a long time ago these instincts are necessary for us to survive."
It will be difficult enough to avoid disaster
qaStaHvIS vatlh DIS poH veb
"While the next century happens"
in the next hundred years,
Qugh'a' wIbotlaH'a'? Qatlh.
"can we prevent great disaster? It'll be difficult."
let alone the next thousand or million.
qaStaHvIS 'uy' DIS poH veb... Qatlhqu'!
"while the next million year period happens... It'll be VERY difficult!"
Our only chance of long-term survival
poH nI' qaStaHvIS mataHtaHmeH
"In order for us to survive while a long time period happens"
is not to remain lurking on planet Earth,
latlh qo'mey DIjaHnISqu'.
"latlh qo'mey DIjaHnISqu'."
but to spread out into space.
reH tera'Daq maratlhlaHbe'.
"We cannot remain on Earth forever."
The answers to these big questions
potlh'a'meyvam DInuDchugh, vaj matlhoj:
"If we inspect these great important things, then we realize:"
show that we have made remarkable progress in the last hundred years.
qaStaHvIS vatlh DIS poH vebHa', Ser law' wIta'ta'.
"While the un-next century happens, we have accomplished much progress."
[Using vebHa' to mean "previous". Is that acceptable?]
But if we want to continue beyond the next hundred years,
'a qaSpu'DI' vatlh DIS poH veb mataH wIneHchugh,
"But if we want to survive when the next century has happened,"
our future is in space.
loghDaq Sanmaj 'oH.
"our destiny is in space."
[Too direct a translation, perhaps? Would something like "loghDaq malengnIS" be better?]
That is why I am in favor of manned --
loghDaq lujaH nuvpu' vIneH
"I want that people go into space"
[I'm not even going to try to translate this joke.]
or should I say, personed space flight.
ngoDvammo'.
"because of this fact."
All of my life I have sought to understand the universe
'u' vIyaj reH 'e' vInID 'ej potlh'a'meyvam vIHaD
"I always try to understand the universe and study these great important things"
and find answers to these questions.
qaStaHvIS yInwIj.
"while my life happens."
I have been very lucky
Do' 'e' botqu'be' ropwIj.
"Fortunately my disease does not greatly prevent this."
[Translating "disability" with the same word we use to translate "disease" may raise some eyebrows. However, one can always look at this sentence as referring to the cause of Professor Hawking's disability, and the cause in question is very much a disease (and Hawking himself refers to it as motor neurone disease).]
that my disability has not been a serious handicap;
chaq nuQaH ropwIj.
"Perhaps my disease helps me."
indeed, it has probably given me more time than most people
ropvammo' qaStaHvIS poHmey nI' 'ej law'
"Because of this disease, while time periods many and long happen"
to pursue the quest for knowledge.
potlh'a'meyvam vIbuSlaH.
"I can concentrate entirely on these great important things."
The ultimate goal is a complete theory of the universe,
'u' nger naQ 'oH ngoQ'a''e',
"The great goal is a complete theory of the universe,"
and we are making good progress.
'ej Ser law' wIta'lI'.
"and we are accomplishing much progress (towards a known goal)."
Thank you for listening.
Su'Ijpu'mo' jItlho'.
"I am grateful because you listened."
Chris Anderson: Professor, if you had to guess either way,
Chris Anderson: ghojmoHwI''a' bIloynISchugh:
"Chris Anderson: Great teacher, if you must guess:"
do you now believe that it is more likely than not
ghaytan qIbmajDaq mamob'a'?
"Are we probably alone in our galaxy?"
that we are alone in the Milky Way,
tayqeqmaj 'Itlh law' Hoch 'Itlh puS. DuH'a'?
"We are the most advanced civilization. Is it possible?"
as a civilization of our level of intelligence or higher?
nuq DaHar?
"What do you believe?"
This answer took seven minutes, and really gave me an insight
jangmeH vumta' ghaH qaStaHvIS Soch tupmey.
"In order to answer he toiled while seven minutes happen."
into the incredible act of generosity this whole talk was for TED.
quvba' ghojmoHwI''a', TEDvam SoQvam nI' ghItlhta'mo'.
"The great teacher is definitely honorable, because he has written this long lecture for TED."
Stephen Hawking: I think it quite likely that we are the only civilization
Stephen Hawking: ghaytan 'op vatlh loghqam juchbogh moQ'e' qoDDaq
"Stephen Hawking: Probably on the inside of a sphere which is some hundreds of loghqams wide"
otherwise we would have heard radio waves.
nov jabbI'IDmey DItu'be'pu'mo'.
"because we have not observed alien data transmissions."
The alternative is that civilizations don't last very long,
pagh chaq ngaj tayqeq yInmey
"Or perhaps civilization lives are short"
but destroy themselves.
Qaw''eghmo' bIH.
"because the destroy themselves."
CA: Professor Hawking, thank you for that answer.
CA: Hawking ghojmoHwI''a', bIjangta'mo' matlho'.
"Great teacher Hawking, because you have answered we are greatful."
We will take it as a salutary warning, I think,
ghuHvammo'
"Because of this alert"
for the rest of our conference this week.
qaStaHvIS qepmaj mayep.
"we are careful while our meeting happens."
Professor, we really thank you for the extraordinary effort you made
ghojmoHwI''a', De'vam DaghermeH bIvumqu'ta'mo'
"Great teacher, because you have toiled greatly in order to compile this lecture"
to share your questions with us today.
SoHvaD matlho'.
"we are grateful to you."
Thank you very much indeed.
pItlho'qu'bej.
"We are definitely very grateful to you."
(Applause)
(quvmoHmeH wabmey)
"(Sounds for honoring)"
...aaaaand DONE! Huzzah!
//loghaD
