[Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: vem

[Steven Boozer]

schrieb mayql qunenoS:
> > Last but not least. The english translation goes "24th century".
> > According to TKD, we have {wa'DIch} "first" {cha'DIch} "second"
> > {HutDIch} "ninth"; So for "24th" we should have {cha'maH loSDIch}. If
> > we indeed had this, I would be ok with {vatlh DIS poH cha'maH
> > loSDIch}. But now we have {vatlh DIS poH cha'maH loS} which according
> > to TKD translates to "century number 24".

Lieven: 
> Well, yeah - why not? It's the same, and again, it'S just a rough
> translation. Maybe we should compare with other examples if klingons
> prefer to say "century x" instead of "Xth century" in general, or if 
> this is just identical.

Unlike English, Klingons don't use ordinal numbers in dates:
 
... qItI'nga' Duj.  tera' vatlh DIS poH cha'maH wej HochHom lo'lu'taH 
the K'Tinga-class remained in use for most of the 23rd century. S15

tera' vatlh DIS poH cha'maH loS bong QongmeH qItI'nga' Duj tI'ang ghompu'
  DIvI' 'ejDo' 'entepray' 
A sleeper ship of this [K'Tinga] class, the T'Ong, was encountered in the
  24th century by the USS Enterprise. S15

tera' vatlh DIS poH cha'maH loS bIyIn jeSlaHpa' Hoch 
Be the first to journey to the 24th century. STX

Note:  tera' vatlh DIS poH cha'maH wej/los
       Terran century (number) 23/24

poH tuj bI'reS nungbogh wa' jaj qeylIS DIS chorghvatlh loSmaH jav
  qaStaHvIS. [sic]
In the days that follow the summer solstice in the Year of Kahless
  846. ('u'-MTK)

Note:  qeylIS DIS chorghvatlh loSmaH jav qaStaHvIS. 
       during the Year of Kahless eight hundred forty six

or with ruler's names:

KGT 126:  In Shakespeare's original Klingon version of {HenrI' vagh}, known in Federation Standard as Henry V, {HenrI'}, the Supreme Commander, gets into an argument with one of his troops the night before a great battle.

An English speaker would pronounce Henry V as "Henry the Fifth" but Klingons just say "Henry (number) Five".  Compare with the TKD examples:  {wa' DuS} "one torpedo tube" vs. {DuS wa'} "torpedo tube (number) 1" (the name of a specific tube).


Don't get confused.  It's the difference between a overly literal, word-for-word translation - one that you would use in a classroom or on a learner's mailing list - versus an authentic colloquial translation.  


--
Voragh
tlhIngan ghantoH pIn'a'
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons