[tlhIngan Hol] expressing "relationship" and "relation/related"

Steven Boozer sboozer at uchicago.edu
Thu Nov 14 10:47:23 PST 2019


Over seven and a half years ago (!) Felix made the same point:

(Felix Malmenbeck, 3/20/2012):  {ruS} is actually known from paq'batlh; one speaks of both the bond which Kahless and Lukara founded ({cher}) in blood, and of the {qorDu' ruS} between Kahless and Morath, which were stronger than death.

jIDoghqu'
    vIghIjlu'mo' 'ej bortaS vIneHmo'
    jIleghlaHbe' 'ach chovuvtaH
vaj 
    qorDu' ruS HoS law'
    Hegh HoS puS
loDnI' DaHjaj
    batlh jIvang 'e' vI'Ip
    molor vISuvtaHvIS jIHegh

What a fool I have been,
    Blinded by fear and spite,
    And still you find me worthy.
This can only mean
    Our family bonds are stronger
    Than even death itself.
Brother, on this day I swear
    To be honorable and die
    In battle, fighting against Molor.

(Morath to Kahless, paq’batlh, {qeHHa' loDnI'} "A Brother’s Forgiveness" , pp. 100-101)

Other uses of {ruS} in paq'batlh:

vaj ruS cher 'Iw
    rap cha' ghot HoS rap cha' ghot vuD
    chen yIn ruS
So the bond was sealed in blood
    Of two equal in body and thought,
    The bond of life.

and...

uS cherDI' 'Iw
    SIqral bIQtIq lughoS cha' parmaqqay'
    pa' ghomta' SuvwI' 'ej pa' loS chaH
After having sealed this bond in blood,
    The two lovers left for the river Skral,
    Where the assembled warriors awaited them.


Voragh

---------------------------------------------Original Message---------------------------------------------
From: Felix Malmenbeck

Although I'm not certain it's the best choice here, you may want to consider the word «ruS» ("bond").
In paq'batlh, the bond of family is described as «qorDu' ruS».

//loghaD
________________________________________
From: Steven Boozer <sboozer at uchicago.edu>

(Lieven, 11/07/2016):  There is an idiomatic expression:  {lInchuq} "share each other".  This is not a euphemism, but Maltz admitted it's a little risqué.  {lInchuq} ("they share each other") means that they (whoever is being talked about) have a physical relationship of some sort.  The phrase is general — it doesn't imply anything about exactly what they do physically. It also doesn't necessarily mean that they are doing something right now (at the time of speaking).  The relationship could be relatively light (a little nibbling) or heavier (really biting) or beyond (Maltz thought that Terrans might find that part a bit risqué).  As with other verbs with {-chuq}, the prefix has to indicate a plural subject and no object:  {malInchuq, SulInchuq}.

(MO to Lieven, 11/15/2010):  There was another question about whether {loDnI'nal} and {be'nI'nal} could be brother-in-law and sister-in-law.  Maltz said he didn't think there were specific words for these concepts.  He said to just describe the relationship:  {loDnI' loDnal} and {be'nI' loDnal} for brother-in-law and {loDnI' be'nal} and {be'nI' be'nal} for sister-in-law.  He said you could even say things like {be'nal loDnI' be'nal} "wife's brother's wife".

N.B.:  "just describe the relationship."

TREK TRIVIA:

  WORF:   "Klingons do not pursue 'relationships';  we conquer that which we desire." (TNG "In Theory")

After he was stationed on DS9 Worf changed his opinion:

  JADZIA:  “Not every relationship has to end like a Klingon opera.”
  WORF:    “No. Just the ones that are important.” (DS9 “Let He Who is Without Sin…”)

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons

---------------------------------------------Original Message---------------------------------------------
From: Luciano Montanaro

Given the militaristic nature of the Klingon society, your choice of word seems good.
At least for the business case. I am not sure about the romantic/sexual relationship, a Klingon would not dance around with words.
parmaq 'ohchugh, parmaq yija',

On Thu, Nov 14, 2019 at 12:46 PM mayqel qunen'oS:
> For quite some time now, I've been wondering how to say "relationship", as in "I'm in a relationship with that woman", or "we've a business relationship".
>
> Finally, lacking a better alternative, I decided to be using the noun {boq} "alliance, bloc, coalition".
>
> .. Which of course, isn't ideal, but I can't find anything better.
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