Ok, let's do this properly:
Klingon translation
I have studied, been exposed to and employed the Klingon language for years, and I am now proficient enough to carry on not-too-complex conversations without the use of a (The) dictionary -- even orally, in the few instances that such opportunities have presented themselves.
Due to a relatively small vocabulary, rigid grammatical and syntactical rules, and a general distinctiveness from anything inherently Terran, rendering longer texts -- and especially intricate dialogue -- in Klingon is not at all easy. Straightforward translations are seldom possible, so one often has to come up with alternative ways of saying something, and which will preferably also fit into the mythological context of the language (such as the honor system, warrior mentality, etc.). It is therefore a huge intellectual challenge, which I thoroughly enjoy.
As a consequence, though, there should be a couple of weeks before I will have a finished product. I'm doing this by myself, but I have a few fellow Klingonists with whom I speak daily, and I run all questionable cases by them.
Due to the abovementioned issues, some liberties will be taken with the source material, and certain puns and jokes may prove to be beyond the scope of the task (whereas others may fit perfectly). Therefore, I will produce an annotated translation of my own, containing back translations of all Klingon phrases together with explanations, where required, of why a particular choice was made.
Now, I must readdress a request I made in another thread, but which has not been answered: is there a list somewhere with all
names and terms analyzed, or could one be produced? The downloadable .pdf unfortunately contains almost no such explanations, and quite frankly I can't understand why.
Let me give a few examples (Finnish insights courtesy of one of the aforementioned Klingonists, who is a native):
- Potkustart Kickstart
Is this a valid Finnish word (i.e. why not "Potkustartti")? Does it refer to the old Amiga bootloader, to motorcycles, or both? Why is the ship named thus in the first place? I have my theories, but I don't know. - Ivanovitsa Ivanovitsa
The ending "vitsa" may or may not refer to a Finnish word meaning something like "twig of a tree used for spanking", or the act thereof -- so, does it? And, if so, why? - kimmotinlaatat deflector plates
The Swedish subs on the DVD has "studsplattor", which I would translate as "bounce-boards", which in turn has a decidedly more silly ring to it in this context than the given English version has. The original word would come out as something like "ricocheting plates", which gives a better idea of what it's really about.
...etc., etc. I hope this clarifies why I don't just consider such a list
useful, but actually
necessary. "Twinkler" was explored in detail in another thread a year or two ago, and I believe I have a good grasp of "twist", but there are many more.
If I seem meticulous and serious, it's because I
am in fact meticulous and serious -- I don't want to cut any corners here.
it's a long story, but believe me, this SW joke will be much more appreciated this way.
