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

[Robyn Stewart]

I might say vI' po'wI' or vI' HoHwI' or chuq'a' vI' HoHwI', depending on what I meant. When trying to translate a word from another language I have to stop and think of all the concepts the word embodies in that language and then decide which ones I want in this particular Klingon sentence. 

sniper ... I think of long-range killing with a rifle, lying in wait, concealment, accuracy ... which is important for my sentence?

No one Klingon word is going oh evoke the ghillie-suited individual lying on his belly with a rifle, just below the ridgeline that the word sniper brings up for you. Or maybe your stereotype of a sniper is on a rooftop in a ruined city?  Set the scene however you need to and then you don't need a specific word. 

tawmeyDaq lultaHvIS QaS, chaH Dungvo' HoH wa' mang tuv.  pIghDaq reD yorDaq QottaH, beH 'uchtaHvIS, 'ej chu'wI' ngaHDI' pum jagh. pup vI'Daj. not neghma' QIH.  

> On Feb 29, 2016, at 6:13, Steven Boozer <sboozer at uchicago.edu> wrote:
> 
> I’ve seen *{puSwI'} used on the List for “sniper, marksman, sharpshooter” – derived from {puS) “sight (with a gunsight):
>  
>   tlha'a HoD, DoS wIpuStaH
>   Captain Klaa, we have a target in sight. ST5
>  
> We also have the verb {Qeq} “aim (a weapon), target”:
>  
>   'otlh peng Qeqchu'
>   He aims the photon torpedo perfectly. PK
> 
> yIQeqQo' neH. DoS yIqIp
>   Don't just aim; hit the target! TKW
> 
> 'oy'naQ DaQeqDI' mIw wa'DIch Data', 'ach 'oy'naQ Dachu'DI'
>     mIw paghDIch Data'
>   When you aim the painstik, you accomplish the first step, but
>  when you turn the painstik on, you accomplish the zeroth step. KGT
> 
>  'ay'vamDaq nuHmey tIQeq
>   Target weapons on this location. (ENT "Affliction")
>  
> and the noun {vI'} "sharpshooting, marksmanship, aim":
>  
>  vaj toDuj Daj ngeHbej DI vI'
>   Shooting space garbage is no test of a warrior's mettle.
>  ["Sharpshooting of the cosmos' litter inconclusively tests
>     a warrior's courage.”] ST5/TKW
> 
>  SuvwI' vI' Dub naQvam 'ej ray' HopDaq bachlu'meH chuqna'
>    ghurmoH naQvam
>   This [i.e. (rifle) stock] serves to steady the aim of a warrior
>    and increase the effective range for distance targeting. S14
>  
> From: qurgh lungqIj [mailto:qurgh at wizage.net] 
> Sent: Friday, February 26, 2016 1:39 PM
> 
> On Fri, Feb 26, 2016 at 2:33 PM, lojmIttI'wI'nuv <lojmitti7wi7nuv at gmail.com> wrote:
> We do need a Klingon word for “sniper”, unless they simply think it dishonorable to kill without being seen. They do use cloaking devices, after all.
>  
>  
> quv Hutlh HoHbogh tlhIngan 'ach qabDaj 'angbe'bogh.
> The Klingon who kills without showing his face has no honor.
>  
> Cloaking devices have to be deactivated before they can attack (unless you are Chang).
>  
> qurgh
>  
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