October 2021 - tlhIngan-Hol

New words from Hamletmachine
by Lieven L. Litaer 28 Dec '23

28 Dec '23

For the creation of the play {mu' mu' mu'} by the Dutch theatre company URLAND that premiered on 4th of March 2020, I was asked to translate a German play into Klingon, which was partially used in their play. The play "Die Hamletmaschine" by German author Heiner Müller was written in 1977, is internationally known and has been translated into several languages. During translation work, I got help from Marc Okrand who could discuss some useful information with Maltz. Due to some copyright situations, I cannot publish the translation right now, but I do not want to keep those words hidden until publication until then, so here we go. For a clearer and more "colorful" overview, see the page at the Klingon Language wiki: http://klingon.wiki/En/Hamletmachine Body parts: == Okrand quote == {nev'ob} refers to both the "thigh" and the "upper arm" (above the elbow). Similarly, {reStav} refers to both the "shin" and the "forearm." If it's necessary to make a distinction, precede these words with {'uS} or {DeS}. {cha'neH}, when used alone, means "forearm." But when preceded by {'uS}, it means "lower part of the leg." You could also say {DeS cha'neH} for "forearm," but this would probably be used only in a context where you were talking about both the forearm and the lower leg and wanted to clarify which was which. {reStav} is "shin," meaning the front of the lower leg. (I assume "Schienbein" is "shin bone." {reStav} is more than just the bone. The only way Maltz was aware of for referring to the bone is {reStav Hom}.) {Do'ghI'} is "calf," meaning the back of the lower leg ("Wade," presumably). == Okrand quote end == Clarifying "hang": == Okrand quote == {HuS} takes an object. If your shoes are hanging on a wall it's because somebody hung them there. {HuS} is not used to mean "lynch" or "execute by hanging." That's a different word: {jIb}. (Maltz thought maybe an early form of torture or execution was hanging people by their hair, but he wasn't totally sure about this and may have just been reacting to the homophony.) And there's another word: {tlhep} "be suspended, be dangling." Use {HuS} if, for example, you hang your coat on a hook on the wall or hang sheets on a clothesline to dry. But if, say, you see a spider dangling at the bottom of one of those silk threads that spiders extrude, use {tlhep}. Or if you see a pair of shoes tied together by the laces and, for whatever reason, they're hanging by the tied-together laces from an overhead power wire, use {tlhep}. == Okrand quote end == Okrand agreed that {jIb'egh} is "suicide by hanging". Next, there was a question about a "concubine": == Okrand quote == Maltz thought the best word for this might be {lIwnal}, though maybe not: the cultural connotations are a bit different since, in Klingon culture, everything associated with a {lIwnal} lacks honor, and this is not necessarily the case for a (Terran) king's concubines or courtesans. Note that only married people could have a partner who could be considered a {lIwnal}. Also, {lIwnal} could be male or female, so if it's necessary to distinguish, say {loD lIwnal} or {be' lIwnal}. == Okrand quote end == More words: {ghenlan} - Greenland (country) {qaw'} - flip over {qaw'moH} - flip over (i.e. "make something flip over") {rIv} - split {vIrgh} - rip (up), slash, tear (up), gash {'o'nI'} - foam, froth Not new words, but combined translations: {DeSwar bIr} - refrigerator {jorchan velqa'} - stage decoration {much jech} - costume {much yaH} - stage {qab jech} - mask Transliterations: {qo'qa' qo'la'} - Coca Cola {lIyenIn} - Lenin {maw} - Mao The question for a "stage" was answered with a general statement: == Okrand quote == Any place specifically designated for the performance of a specific task (or tasks) is a {yaH}. A stage is the {yaH} for the performance of plays or, perhaps, music. A football field is the {yaH} for a football game. A laboratory is a scientist's {yaH}. And, of course, on a ship, a {yaH} is a duty station. If context isn't enough to clarify what sort of {yaH} it is, you can say things like {much yaH}, {QoQ yaH}, {tamlerQeD yaH}, etc. == Okrand quote end == There's an idiom for "kill time": {'ebmey jonHa'} Talking about a "virgin", Okrand suggested saying it literally what a virgin is: {pagh ngaghpu'bogh be'} or {not vay' ngaghpu'bogh be'} Doing so, he answered the question if {ngagh} can be used with people. And in case anyone wondered, {jach} is a good verb to describe what a {jajlo' Qa'} does. -- Lieven L. Litaer aka the "Klingon Teacher from Germany" http://www.klingonisch.de http://klingon.wiki/En/Hamletmachine

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Maus-words: News from Okrand
by Lieven L. Litaer 13 Mar '23

13 Mar '23

TL;DR: one new word {valqe'} "bat (animal)" Hello my friends, today is the 50-anniversary of a German children sho named "Die Sendung mit der Maus" (i.e. "the show with the mouse"). The topic of this episode was a view into the future, so it was obvious to make a Klingon introduction, of which I am very proud to provide it to them. You can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRgryUjxWes --------------------------------------------- Not only the TV show, also the podcast version of the entire week needed Klingon introductions, and those caused some problems which were answered by Maltz as follows: Quoted lines are my questions, lines starting with >>> are Okrand's words. --------------------------------------------- > leap year > - A year in which February has 29 days. 2020 was a "leap year". >>> Make use of the phrase {bur DIS}, as in, for example {qatlh bur 'op DISmey?} > bat > - small animal that can fly but is not a bird, looks quite creepy and > can see in the dark due to his sonar voice; sleeps hanging upside down, usually found in caves. >>> The closest Qo'noS equivalent is a flying beast called a {valqe'}. You can decide whether you want to say {tera' valqe'} for purposes of the TV show. > hibernate, overwinter > - what many animals do during the winter; a bear can hibernate. Also > the bats we talk above. They hide in caves and sleep there for a very > long time. [Added information: with bats, and where they overwinter, > (so the word is more about "winter" than "sleep")] >>> Maltz didn't know of any special way to say "overwinter." He said to just say something like {qaStaHvIS qImroq bIrqu', nuqDaq Qong valqe'mey?} if that covers what they're driving at. > material > - There is the word {Hap} "matter" that appears in many materials > (e.g. {Sor Hap} "wood"), but can it be used as "material"? Can I say > {Hapmey} for "several materials"? >>> {Hap} (without {-mey}) should work. > the future > - When I say a phrase like "In the future, nobody will be poor", may I > add {-Daq} to {tuch}? {tuchDaq mamIp}?? Or must it be something like > {qaSDI' tuch}? >>> {qaSDI' tuch} should work. > Can I say {to'waQ wIyIv} for "chewing gum"? >>> There is an idiomatic expression {to'waQ yIv} that means to take some time to consider a matter, but its meaning comes from the fact that {to'waQ} takes a relatively long time to chew (before swallowing), compared to other things you might be chewing, like muscle. It does not follow from this that Klingons chew {to'waQ} for pleasure, just because the flavor lingers longer or because it works off nervous energy. Maybe {req} would be better than {to'waQ} since, if you were to chew {req}, you'd probably be doing it just for the purpose of chewing (and whatever pleasure or benefit that may bring in and of itself), unlike {to'waQ}, which you'd be chewing for the purpose of grinding it up so you could finally swallow it. ------------------------------------- This will be archived at https://qephom.de/e/message_from_maltz.html -- Lieven L. Litaer aka the "Klingon Teacher from Germany" http://www.tlhInganHol.com http://klingon.wiki/En/DieSendungMitDerMaus

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pseudo-Klingon words from the paq'batlh
by De'vID 27 May '22

27 May '22

What do people think about the following Klingon "words" from paq'batlh? They don't appear in the main (Klingon-language) text, but are used in otherwise English sentences in the introduction or footnotes. xxii. {Huy'reH} "aria style" xxii, 62, 87. {cha'ang} "chorus style" xvii, xxii, xxxv. {Qich'lut} "narrator style" xix. {paq'jachchu} "Book of the Perfect Scream" {Huy'reH} and {cha'ang}, at least, seem to follow proper modern {tlhIngan Hol} phonology. {Qich'lut} has a lower-cased "i" and an out-of-place {qaghwI'}. {paq'jachchu} has that apostrophe after {paq} and a missing {qaghwI'} at the end (if the {jachchu} part is indeed the verb {jachchu'}, as the English translation seems to indicate). On p.xxx, it is explicitly stated that the name {paq'batlh} is in {no' Hol} and that the apostrophe may be a clue to some missing grammatical element. Of course, the book also has sections named {paq'yav}, {paq'raD}, and {paq'QIH}. So {paq'jachchu} is probably just spelled weirdly for the same reason. Should {Huy'reH} and {cha'ang} be accepted as canon Klingon words as-is? In other words, would you expect them in a new words list? (In particular, I am asking if they should be listed in {boQwI'}.) The word {Qich'lut} is spelled that way all three times it appears in the book. I notice that in previous discussions on this mailing list, 'IQqu' and Voragh have both spelled it as {QIch lut} (capital-I, no apostrophe, space between the two words). Should {QIch lut} be accepted as the "modern" spelling for the purpose of look-up in word lists? -- De'vID

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'op after the noun
by mayqel qunen'oS 04 Apr '22

04 Apr '22

The {'op} is defined as "some, an unknown or unspecified quantity", and in the Ca'Non example of Skybox 7 it is used as {'op SuvwI'} i.e in front of a countable noun which doesn't have the plural suffix. The relevant part of that sentence is: {DujvamDaq 'op SuvwI' tu'lu'bogh po' law' tlhIngan yo' SuvwI' law' po' puS} Suppose we say {'op na'ran Soppu' qeSHoS}. Then this could mean either "the fox ate some/an unspecified quantity of an orange", or "the fox ate some/an unspecified quantity of oranges". Perhaps one could argue that based on the Ca'Non example of the Skybox 7, "the 'op before a singular noun is to be interpreted as referring to a plural number of that noun". But I don't know if one could argue that, since in this Ca'Non example, interpreting the {SuvwI'} as being singular is impossible. Because, if interpreting the {SuvwI'} as being singular was possible, then that would mean that "the klingon vessel pagh has some/an unspecified quantity of a warrior", i.e. on the pagh happen to serve some of the most skilled legs/arms/DaynguHDu'/whatever of a warrior in the klingon fleet. Of course in star trek everything is possible, on the other hand though, I think that one could come to the following conclusion with regards to the {'op}: Placing the {'op} before a countable noun which has no plural suffix, could mean either "some, an unknown or unspecified quantity of that noun (singular)" or "some, an unknown or unspecified quantity of a number of that noun". While placing the {'op} before an uncountable noun can only mean ""some/an unspecified quantity of that noun (singular)". Of course, I don't know for sure if this conclusion would be correct.. But now let's get back to the fox.. If I write {'op na'ranmey Soppu' qeSHoS}, then this obviously means ""the fox ate some/an unspecified quantity of oranges". But my problem is that this is ambiguous in the following way: Did the fox walk in the house, find an unspecified quantity of oranges and ate them all ? Or did the fox walk into the house, found 40 oranges and ate some of them ? And if the fox indeed ate only some of the oranges, then why not write {na'ranmey 'op Soppu' qeSHoS} ? After all, we *can* write {pItSa' HochHom Soppu' vIghro' tIQ} for "the ancient cat ate almost all of the pizza". ~ Qa'yIn

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Noun-noun constructions with relative clauses
by luis.chaparro＠web.de 11 Nov '21

11 Nov '21

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Klingon Word of the Day: 'Inyam
by Klingon Word of the Day 03 Nov '21

03 Nov '21

Klingon Word of the Day for Friday, October 08, 2021 Klingon word: 'Inyam Part of speech: noun Definition: ego, the self Source: qep'a' 28 This Klingon Word of the Day is brought to you by qurgh (qurgh(a)kli.org)

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Re: [tlhIngan Hol] {ghIq} {ngugh} and time adverbs with time stamps
by DloraH 02 Nov '21

02 Nov '21

On Sat, 2021-10-30 at 22:59 +0300, mayqel qunen'oS wrote: > jIH: > > adverb - verbbogh 'ej verbbogh noun - > > verb - meH'ed noun > ghunchu'wI': > > First: this is not valid grammar. Purpose > > clauses with {-meH} go *before* the noun > > or verb they are modifying. They can't > > come at the end of a sentence. > > I don't think your point is correct. > > {roD romuluSngan Sambogh 'ej HoHbogh nejwI''e' luQaw'laH tlharghmeH > Duj} > > "Regularly scouting ships are able to destroy the romulan > hunter-killer probe". > > Constructions as {qeqmeH taj}, {QongmeH Duj}, {narghmeH nab}, etc, are > obviously able to come at the end of the sentence, and it is these > kind of constructions which I was describing by saying {meH'ed noun}. The tlharghmeH is coming before Duj, the noun which it is modifying. - DloraH

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bom tIQ vItu'
by Will Martin 01 Nov '21

01 Nov '21

I haven’t been writing much in Klingon for a long time. My problem is that when I think in Klingon, I don’t tend to say anything if I don’t have anything important to say. Of course, all who know me know that in English, I face no such barrier. Anyway, I thought I’d try to write a song in Klingon, but I realized that I’m just not familiar enough with what is appropriate for a Klingon song, so I did some research. As it happens, I have stumbled across what appears to be an ancient Klingon song’s original lyrics. Apparently, more recently, alternative lyrics were applied to this song. I’ve seen references to it, though I haven’t tracked it down yet, though I think I’ve heard Krankor do an English version of the newer lyrics. My attempts to track down the tune have been thwarted by an apparent ban on the melody at all leSpal ngevmeH malja’ qachmey. Anyway, for what it’s worth, here’s what I found: ‘ej muSIvmoHbejtaH qol’om ‘oH gho-onbo-ogh Hoch’e’ ‘e’ Harchu’ ja-aw ghaHbogh be’’e’ ‘ej QI’tu’ letlh je-e’taH. pawDI’ jaw’vam ngaQchu-u’-chugh ma-alja’ qa-ach, ngoQDaj’a’ SuqlaHbe-ej ‘e’ So-ovbej. ‘u’ ‘u’ ‘u’, ‘u’, ‘u’ ‘u’ ‘u’ ‘u’ ‘ej QI’tu’ ghoSbogh le-etlh je’law’taH. reDDaq vepHey tu-u’lu’, ‘ach vo-oqchu’ ne-eH rut cha’ qech chuplaHmo-o’ wa’ mu-u’. bIQtIqHom retlhDaq SorDaq bomtaH qa-anra-aD. rut Hoch buSHachmaj no-obHa’lu-u’. [This last verb was apparently mistranslated into English.] bISov. tIng ’ev vIghantaHDI-I’ jItIwchoH net ghu-ur ‘ej jItlheD neHmo’ qa’wIj nongchoHbej. Sormey Hay tlhIch rutlhme-ey vIlegh ‘e’ vI-Ija-al bejbogh nu-uvpu’ QI-Ichmey je-e. qajal. tlhuplu’. <<tugh bom wIwIvchugh mameqmeH nu-uDe-ev Dov’agh. taHwI’pu’vaD choH jaj chu-u’ ‘ej Haghqu’ta-aHmo-o’ nuvlaw’pu-u-u’ la-aw’ nge-em’a’ Hoch lute-ebchu’ ya-a’rIS>> Haghlu’ghach Daqaw’a’? toH, HIja’, HISlaH, lu’. ‘ej muSIvmoHbejtaH. tIlIjDaq chuSlu’chugh, yIjot. yIghumbe’lu-u’. maqtagh ta’vaD Say’moHlu’ neH. cha’vo’ wa’ He DawIvnISbej ‘e’ So-ov Ho-och. HelIj DachoHmeH ratlh poH yap. tlhon’a’meyvo’ Huyqu’lu’ta-aH ‘ej mevlu’Qo-o’. <<HImuv!>> jatlh Dov’agh chu’wI’’a’. jaw’oy, SuSbogh SuS DaQoylaH’a’? ‘ej DaSov’a’? tlhuptaHbogh SuSDaq letlhlIj ‘oH[taH]. ‘ej HemajDaq malengtaHvIS. QIbmaj woch law’ qa’maj woch puS. pa’ yIt jaw’e’ wISovchu’bogh. tamghay chIS chu’ ‘ej ‘aghchu’ neH. qol’om mojmeH Hoch Ho’DoS ‘agh. ‘ej bI’Ijchu’chugh vaj DaQoy. bom’a’ Dagho-ovchoHlaHchu’. wa’ mojDI’ Hoch, Hoch mojDI’ wa-a’ nagh’a’ Damoj ‘ach not bIron. toH. HIja’. ‘ej QI’tu-u’ ghoSbogh le-e-etlh je’law’taH. pItlh charghwI’ ‘utlh (ghaH, ghaH, -Daj)

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Don't be alarmed, now.
by Will Martin 01 Nov '21

01 Nov '21

In translating Stairway to Heaven, I hit a snag on the line, “Don’t be alarmed, now.” If we had a verb for “be alarmed”, you could say, {yI-[be alarmed]Qo’}, but the verb is {ghum} — “alarm, sound an alarm”. In a Statement, we could build “be alarmed” out of {glumlu’}, but when you put the {yI-} on it, the subject is expected to be the First Person. Well, the statement “I am alarmed,” would be {vIghumlu’} or “-indefinite subject- alarms me." Does the imperative prefix do the same {-lu’} trick pointing to the object instead of the subject? Is {yIghumlu’} valid for “Be alarmed!”? If so, {yIghumlu’Qo’} is perfectly meaningful and grammatical. But Okrand doesn’t tell us about {-lu’} with the Imperative. So, in translation, I just took the leap of faith, figuring this must be the case, or else there can be no use of {-lu’} with the Imperative. But then, how would I say, “Don’t alarm the others!”? {latlhpu’vaD yIghumQo’!}? And “Don’t be alarmed, for the others,” as in, “For the sake of not alarming the others, show no fear.”… {latlhpu’vaD yIghumlu’Qo’}? Then again, did I derail myself from the very beginning assuming that {ghum} can take an object other than the alarm being sounded? vISIvmoHlu’bejtaH. pItlh charghwI’ ‘utlh (ghaH, ghaH, -Daj)

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Klingon Word of the Day: tlham
by Klingon Word of the Day 01 Nov '21

01 Nov '21

Klingon Word of the Day for Saturday, October 30, 2021 Klingon word: tlham Part of speech: noun Definition: order, structure (societal) (slang) Source: TKD-A (185 KE, 188 EK) This Klingon Word of the Day is brought to you by qurgh (qurgh(a)kli.org)

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