[tlhIngan Hol] Dop Hurgh lo'laHghach

[mayqel qunenoS]

mIp'av:
> Dochmey mI' sounds like a direct translation of "number of things." Perhaps Klingons use such a phrase, perhaps not.

I used the {Dochmey mI'} in order to say "a number of things", because
I read somewhere at the klingon wiki, that we can use the {mI'} this
way. In fact here is the direct copy-paste from my notes:

----- quote start -----
mI' number (of), quantity tlhInganpu' Hem mI' nIb an equal number of
proud Klingons.
----- quote end -----

Unfortunately I didn't specify in my notes the exact source of this example.

mIp'av:
> mI' is presumably singular, in which case you'd use luyajHa' with the plural 3rd person subject

You're right. I was mistaken.

mIp'av:
> {'op Dochmey} conveys this idea without inventing a phrase.

I like the {'op Dochmey}. I like it a lot ! and because of this reason
I'll add it in my notes, as an alternate way to say "a number of
things".

mIp'av:
> You don't need to translate literally the words

I'm having trouble freeing my mind from the greek/english "prototype"
passage; unfortunately I have a long way ahead, before I manage to
actually "think" in klingon.

mIp'av:
> You also switch from using -lu' to definite 3rd person singular.

You're right. In fact, I remember some time ago, Qov pointing this out
too. It seems that -for whatever reason- I keep doing this
unconsciously. I'll try to keep this in mind next time.

Anyway, thank you very much for your suggestions mIp'av !

qunnoH jan puqloD

On Tue, Nov 8, 2016 at 7:28 AM, Ed Bailey <bellerophon.modeler at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dochmey mI' sounds like a direct translation of "number of things." Perhaps
> Klingons use such a phrase, perhaps not. {'op Dochmey} conveys this idea
> without inventing a phrase. mI' is presumably singular, in which case you'd
> use luyajHa' with the plural 3rd person subject, though this is apparently
> the grammatical rule most often violated by Klingons.
>
> You don't need to translate literally the words, "When you say the words
> 'Dark Side'." In Klingon, one of the worst crimes is to be verbose. Just say
> bIjatlhDI' Dop Hurgh (or put the "reported speech" first; it makes no
> difference. Also, even if the words have not been spoken, you can treat them
> as reported speech when using endings like -DI').
> You also switch from using -lu' to definite 3rd person singular. If you're
> going to use -lu' because the subject is unimportant, then stick with it.
> Using -lu' eliminates the subject, although there is usually an agent, but
> the former is grammatical, while the latter is semantic. It's important to
> differentiate between grammar and semantics, because the latter is what
> you'd like to say (or understand) and the former is how you need to say it.
>
> I stopped reading because I don't take Star Wars seriously. It's fun when
> it's not awful, but talking about Star Wars in Klingon is kind of like
> bringing bacon bits to a bar mitzvah.
>
> ~mIp'av
>
>
>
>
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