Klingon "Geek"

[Damel]

I was wondering if there is a word for "geek" or "nerd" or some equivalent in Klingon.

If possible I'd like the anglicized spelling as well as the tlhIngan Hol transliteration. Also, please, the pronunciation.

A friend of mine, a tattoo artist, makes fun of me because I like Star Trek, in partiular Klingons.

So I am going to make him tattoo "geek" in Klingon on me above a trefoil. I will make him taste the irony!

[ngabwI]

I was wondering if there is a word for "geek" or "nerd" or some equivalent in Klingon.

If possible I'd like the anglicized spelling as well as the tlhIngan Hol transliteration. Also, please, the pronunciation.

A friend of mine, a tattoo artist, makes fun of me because I like Star Trek, in partiular Klingons.

So I am going to make him tattoo "geek" in Klingon on me above a trefoil. I will make him taste the irony!

It depends on what type of geek you are.

Star Trek geek would be {Hov leng parHa'wI'} "One who likes Star Trek"

I'm afraid because it is not invented by Paramount, it has no Anglicized spelling.


HovpoH 701880.1

[Damel]

Star Trek geek would be {Hov leng parHa'wI'} "One who likes Star Trek"

So, if I understand correctly, would a Klingon geek be {tlhIngan parHa'wI'} "One who likes Klingons"?

[ngabwI]

So, if I understand correctly, would a Klingon geek be {tlhIngan parHa'wI'} "One who likes Klingons"?

Sorry this took so long. I was at the qep'a', had a great time.

Anyway...

Yes, {tlhIngan parHa'wI'} is indeed "one who likes Klingons".

Please bear in mind that no one who reads Klingon will look at {tlhIngan parHa'wI'} and arrive at "Klingon Geek". They will think "one who likes Klingons" or, possibly, "Klingon Fan". "Geek" is one of those terms that can be sort of "translated", but does not encode exactly.

Example:
The Japanese word "otaku" describes someone who is REALLY, REALLY, into something. A fair translation of "geek", but it lacks the idea of "social outcast" that the word has for non-geeks, and a Japanese person would not even guess at the "geek pride movement", if all her information comes from someone telling her that "geek" means "otaku".

If you don't like {tlhIngan parHa'wI'}, choose the aspect of your geekhood that you wish to emphasize, and pick a translation based on that. I'll, of course, be here to help along the way, esp. with this being a tat, you'll want to make sure that the grammar is correct, as far as we know.

HovpoH 701906.0

[Damel]

I think {tlhIngan parHa'wI'} works perfectly. Thank you very much for your assistance.

One last thing, though. I thought it might look good in pIqaD for a tat. But again here I want to make sure it is accurate before I permanently ink it onto my skin.

The site Klingonska Akademien has as phrase translator that it says is based off of KLI approved pIqaD. Do you know if this translator is accurate, or is there another source to make sure my pIqaD is correct?

Thanks again for all your help.

[ngabwI]

I think {tlhIngan parHa'wI'} works perfectly. Thank you very much for your assistance.

{qay'be'} "No problem!"

One last thing, though. I thought it might look good in pIqaD for a tat. But again here I want to make sure it is accurate before I permanently ink it onto my skin.

::clears throat, gets on soapbox conveniently located at feet::
OK, I want to make sure that you're very clear on this before proceeding: the pIqaD that is used on the web is not, and probably never will be, canon. Okuda has already said he doesn't want to share a writing system with fans. The mapping of the sounds to the glyphs is unofficial, it having been faxed to the KLI's office "by someone who worked at Paramount".

What this means to you is that you have a decision to make: Do you use pIqaD on a tattoo, gambling that it won't suddenly be rendered "incorrect" with a flourish of a writer's pen? Or use the "romanization" that is the only "official" Klingon writing we have?

Just as an aside, my next ink will be the "Four thousand throats..." proverb in the {Hol}, using the pIqaD system in popular use today. I don't think we'll ever see "official" pIqaD. Since they're never going to say what's right, I can never be told it's wrong, qar'a'? }}: )

But this is your skin, your decision.

The site Klingonska Akademien has as phrase translator that it says is based off of KLI approved pIqaD. Do you know if this translator is accurate, or is there another source to make sure my pIqaD is correct?

I went here:

http://klingonska.org/piqad/play.cgi

I explicitly tested {tlhIngan parHa'wI'}, and the pIqaD presented was "accurate". (see above)

But I thought this was fun, too, so I also tried

{vavoylI' 'Iv?} "Who's your daddy?",
{nIpar yabwIj luDabbogh ghogh'e'} "The voices in my head don't like you." and
{jatlh Huch, 'ach bom yuch} "Money talks, but chocolate sings",

and they came up accurate each time. }}: )

HovpoH 701912.5

[qoSagh]

Just a thought, but if the best translation of "geek" ends up being closer to fan than keek, would not adding the augmentive of 'a' bring fan more into geek? I'm not sure however that fan needs augmentation since it is short for fanatic.

I think using the 'a' would render a term somewhat like ubberfan and much more akin to that Japanese concept of being REALLY REALLY into something.

[ngabwI]

I think using the 'a' would render a term somewhat like ubberfan and much more akin to that Japanese concept of being REALLY REALLY into something.

It's not a bad idea, but when I hear {tlhIngan parHa'wI''a'}, I picture someone in charge of a huge fan organization. There was actually an experiment done by Dr Schoen (Director of the KLI) at the last qep'a' in which three experienced speakers were given some words with {-'a'} and {-Hom} attached, and only a few generated consensus.

Some {Hol} speakers hear {parHa'wI''a'} and picture a very large "liker", if you will.

It seems we need more canon examples fo {-'a') before I could definitively say I agree or disagree.

Bottom line, it's a different angle from mine, and gives our soon-to-be-inked friend another viewpoint. }}: )

HovpoH 701918.3

[qoSagh]

OK, this veres slightly to the ridiculous but, given the idea of Klingon fandom and a very large "liker" I wonder if the {-a'} in that case might not be better placed after the {tlhIngan} and not after the {parHawI'}

I have met many people who could be considered both BIG KLINGONS and BIG KLINGON LIKERS as would be translated I guess as:

{tlhIngan'a parHa'wI'}

Of course that provides little help with the tatoo, but who's counting.

[Kesvirit]

Sometimes it is easier to point to an example instead of trying to articulate a definition or translate a concept. If anyone is unclear as to what a "Klingon 'Geek' " is, simply direct them to this thread. And Damel, I hope you have a large body surface...

:rolleyes: Oh, swallow the challenges of honor and put down the betleHmey. I am laughing with you, not at you.  A true Klingeek is truly a glorious thing.

Kai Klingeeks! }}:-D

-=- Kesvirit

[ngabwI]

:rolleyes: Oh, swallow the challenges of honor and put down the betleHmey. I am laughing with you, not at you.  A true Klingeek is truly a glorious thing.

Kai Klingeeks! }}:-D

-=- Kesvirit

::mnarphl::
::nerghhhh::
::snark!::

Sorry, just woke up...

::someone whispers into ear::
"Wha? I was insulted?"
::whisper::
"Really?"
::very short whisper::
"Oh."

OK, but just a few more hours of sleep, then she's gonna get it, I'm tellin' you, won't she be sorry when I...I'm... gonna...... go..... over.........there............and..............(zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz)

::begins to drool out of side of mouth::

No offense taken. At all. }}: )

Kai Klingeeks!

HovpoH 701930.8

[Damel]

I'm not sure I grasp the whole {-'a'} thread. To even call me a {tlhIngan Hol} novice would be a bit of an understatement, I'm afraid. But what can I expect, I even failed French class.

Now, the more thought I give this, especially the whole thing about it being on my body forever, the more I'm thinking {tlhIngan parHa'wI'} doesn't quite encapsulate the feeling of geekdom that I'm trying to translate.

Maybe the problem is, as was pointed out in an earlier reply:

"Geek" is one of those terms that can be sort of "translated", but does not encode exactly.

Maybe I want to think more along the lines of a different statement to make about my Klingeekiness. Maybe even something more (appropriately) forceful, like, "Yes, I like Klingons, !@#&% you!" }};-P

Or how about, "Mock me and I will kill you."

I'm open for suggestions.

[Kesvirit]

Maybe I want to think more along the lines of a different statement to make about my Klingeekiness. Maybe even something more (appropriately) forceful, like, "Yes, I like Klingons, !@#&% you!" }};-P

Or how about, "Mock me and I will kill you."

I'm open for suggestions.

You may end up regretting that  }}: P, for here is one of those pointing-to-examples I spoke of earlier.

Upon reading the above, the image that comes to mind -- and refuses to leave -- is a little cartoon figure of a stereotypically "geeky" Klingon holding a tricorder in one hand pointing a Daqtagh at the reader with the other, saying something like, "Yes, I am a Klingeek. Want to make something of it?"  He is generally dishevelled and wearing civvies (the military is not a welcoming place for geeks).  His expression is both sour with annoyed, and suggests that he will kill you if he must, but would just as soon get back to whatever project you just interrupted in your feeble atempt to insult him.

Damel, is your friend with the needle skilled enough to draw you in caricature as a geeky Klingon?

ngabwI', if as you said earlier,

"Geek" is one of those terms that can be sort of "translated", but does not encode exactly.

is the translation of "Klingeek" an unwinnable battle?

-=- Kesvirit

[ngabwI]

Or how about, "Mock me and I will kill you."

This is totally doable:

{chovaqchugh, qaHoHbej}
"If you mock me, I will definitely kill you."

I tested the pIqaD here:

http://klingonska.org/piqad/play.cgi

and it checks out.

Strictly speaking, the {-bej} is not necessary, but using any of the type six verb suffixes demonstrates the "warrior virtues" of accuracy, straightforwardness, aggressiveness and strength, which we are told are good things to express. }}: )

Another advantage this has is that, because these ideas encode so well from English to the Hol, anyone reading your tattoo with enough knowledge of {pIqaD} and {tlhIngan Hol} will arrive in exactly the same place: "If you mock me, I will definitely kill you."

Finally, adding the {-bej} gives you the same number of glyphs in both words of the statement, which could lend itself to a wrapping-type effect, and has a certain symmetricality.

is the translation of "Klingeek" an unwinnable battle?

I'm inclined to think so. Everything I can come up with has very negative connotations, and are most unflattering.

Sorry. {{: (

HovpoH 701935.7