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1. Getting a Room
Read the dialogue even though you do not understand why some things translate as they do; then study the grammar notes; then review the vocabulary list; then re-read the notes as necessary. Now, practice the drills, all of which
are accurate Klingon. Next, do the translation exercises from English into Klingon. Go back and read the dialogue again, this time comprehending everything. Finally, there are role-playing exercises.
jatlh tera'ngan: Qapla'. |
An Earthling says, "Success!" |
jatlh tlhIngan: nuqneH! nuq DaneH? |
The Klingon says, "Hello! What do you want?" |
jatlh tera'ngan: pa' vIneHbej. |
The Earthling says, "I definitely want a room." |
jatlh tlhIngan: pa' vIghaj. DaH yIDIl! |
The Klingon says, "I have a room. Pay for it now!" |
pa' DIl tera'ngan. |
The Earthling pays for the room. |
jatlh tlhIngan: HItlhej! |
The Klingon says, "Accompany me!" |
tlhIngan tlhej tera'ngan. |
The Earthling goes along with the Klingon. |
jatlh tlhIngan: Qapla'? |
The Klingon says, "Success!" |
jatlh tera'ngan: Qapla'! |
The Earthling says, "Good-bye!" |
The emphasis in this lesson is greetings and verb prefixes indicating who is doing the action to whom/to what. You will get more practice on "definite-ness" and adverbials later.
Notes: Klingon sentences have the word order Object +Verb +Subject. Example: pa' neH tera'ngan Means The Terran wants a room. Klingon does not have articles: a,
an, the. Klingons do not discriminate the genders.
Klingon verbs take prefixes which indicate who is doing the action of the verb to whom.
tlhIngan vItlhej |
I accompany the Klingon. |
tlhIngan Datlhej |
You (sing) accompany the Klingon. |
tlhIngan tlhej tera'ngan |
A Terran accompanies a Klingon. |
tlhIngan yItlhej |
Accompany the Klingon. |
HItlhej |
Accompany me! |
Adverbials precede the entire basic sentence. Time words are adverbials. Examples: DaH pa' neH tlhIngan means The Klingon wants the room now; DaH tlhIngan
tlhej tera'ngan means The Earthling accompanies the Klingon now.
Verbs may take nine distinct types of suffixes, attached in numerical order, with holes in the order being allowed. These suffixes modify the meaning of the verb. The type 6 suffix indicates degree of certainty.
Cultural Note: Klingons are often "definite." Therefore, the verb suffix -bej definitely is commom, especially in the first person. Example: pa' vIneHbej
I definitely want a room.
Vocabulary:
-bej |
definitely (verb suffix, type 6) |
Da- |
you (singular) => him, her, it, them |
DaH |
now (adverbial) |
DIl |
pays for (verb) |
ghaj |
has, owns, possesses (verb) |
HI- |
do it to me! |
jatlh |
speaks, says (verb) |
neH |
wants (verb) |
nuq |
what? (question word) |
nuqneH |
Hello, Whaddya want? (exclamation) |
pa' |
room (noun) |
Qapla' |
success, hello, goodbye (exclamation) |
tera'ngan |
Earthling, Terran (noun) |
tlhIngan |
Klingon (noun) |
vI- |
I => him, her, it, them |
Drill: pa' vIneH. pa' DaneH. pa' neH tera'ngan. pa' neH tlhIngan. nuq vIghaj? nuq Daghaj? nuq ghaj tera'ngan? nuq
ghaj tlhIngan? DaH pa' vIDIl. DaH pa' DaDIl. DaH pa' DIl tera'ngan. DaH pa' DIl tlhIngan. tlhIngan vItlhejbej. tlhIngan Datlhejbej. tlhIngan tlhejbej
tera'ngan. DaH tera'ngan tlhejbej tlhIngan.
Translate into Klingon, using only the grammer and vocabulary introduced so far: I have a room. You have a room. The Earthling has a room. The Klingon has a
room. What am I paying for? What are you paying for? For what is the Earthling paying? For what is the Klingon paying? I definitely want a room. You definitely want a
room. The Earthling definitely wants a room. The Klingon definitely wants a room. The Earthling says, "Success!" The Klingon says, "Whaddaya want?" Accompany me!
Answer in Klingon: nuq neH tera'ngan? nuq DIl tera'ngan? nuq ghaj tlhIngan? nuq jatlh tera'ngan? nuq jatlh tlhIngan?
Role play: Practice greeting each other! Have one person pretend to order and pay for a room!
INTRODUCTION | peHruS Lesson 2
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