Shi’lo’uk-oren-tor na’kla-hilanik t’gen-lis Vulkhansu

Let’s take a look at our header: Shi’lo’uk-oren-tor na’kla-hilanik t’gen-lis Vulkhansu

Literally, it reads: Place’(of) great’learning for’ (the) researching of’ (the) language (of) Vulcans

(Quick note: I am going to get into a bit of esoteric grammar here, so you may want to read this through, then go do some research on your own and come back.)

Let’s break it down all the way. This is the vocabulary:

shi’               place. 
lo’uk             great or superior
oren-tor        to learn, verb (also the gerund form, Learning)
na’                for, for the purpose of...
kla-hil           to research, verb (the present participle form is kla-hilanik)
t’                  of, belonging to
gen-lis          language
Vulkhansu     Vulcans (the Vulcan people)

In any Vulcan phrase, there is one simple rule for structure: Verb, Subject, Object, and Everything else that logically follows. In this case, we have two verbs, “oren-tor” (to learn) and “kla-hil,” (to research). One verb exists in its gerund form, which is identical to its verb form: Oren-tor. But, as a gerund, it is technically a noun. On the other hand, kla-hil exists in its present participle form “researching,” which remains a verb. So, grammatically, kla-hilan should, logically, come first. And here’s where context overrules grammar. To say, “Kla-hilan shi’lo’uk-oren-tor...” you are saying, “Researching a place of great learning...” That doesn’t actually convey our meaning; it sounds more like you are looking for a good college. Part of the problem is that, in this structure, the subject of our sentence, a place of great learning, is following the object, researching. There are two ways to fix this. The first is to put a n’ in front of the object, “N’kla-hilan shi’lo’uk-oren-tor...” Now you have just admitted you are preceding the subject with the object and telling people to rearrange the sentence in their heads such that the subject is understood to be primary, even though it comes second. That’s awkward. So it is better to just bite the bullet and let the weaker verb lead, Oren-tor.

After that, we need to look at modifiers. The only thing that can precede the leading verb are modifiers that directly apply to that verb. In this case, Shi’ and lo’uk, place and great. So we have Shi’lo’uk-oren-tor, “a place of great learning,” an institute or university.

Oh, and why not “oren” rather than “oren-tor?” Oren is the noun form of the weak verb Oren-tor, to learn. Or it would be if the verb “to learn” had a noun form. But it doesn’t. It only has a gerund form, “learnING,” as in: “This is a center of Vulcan language learning.” And the gerund form of a weak verb is identical to the verb form: “Oren-tor.”

And speaking of verb forms, let’s address “kla-hil.” Obviously, this is an irregular strong verb since it does not follow the “verb-tor” form of weak verbs or the “verb-au” form of regular strong verbs. It can become a present participle in two ways, both as verbal adjectives, “kla-hilan~,” or “kla-hilanik.” The usage depends on whether the adjective is directly attached to the noun. A research(ing) associate would be “kla-hilan-katravahsu,” while the second form would be used to say, “It is a web site for researching the Vulcan language,” (Nam-tor ish-veh vis-shi na’kla-hilanik t’gen-lis Vulkhansu”).

So: Shi’lo’uk-oren-tor na’kla-hilanik t’gen-lis Vulkhansu. The Vulcan Language Research Institute.

Easy peasy... Hmmm, I don’t think easy peasy translates (hag-sazh’g?).

Dif-tor heh smusma

-- T'Lara

P.S. What about Trahokna? Trahokna means “institute” according to the VLD! Yeah, but it’s one of those words that just seems dropped into the VLD with no discernible relationship to anything. When people talk about the Vulcan language they describe it as a compound language, built of ancient parts and pieces. Therefore, old words, original words, ought to be stand-alone; words like plant and rock (kastik, kov) – nice, clean, simple words. Then come the early words like robe and book (pelal, dunap), which describe slightly more complex things. After that, there ought to be a few unique neologisms, but most advanced words should be compounded from earlier, simpler words and ideas. Thus, shi’lo’uk-oren-tor just makes more sense than trahokna. And, frankly, it just sounds more Vulcan.

Besides, tra’hoknau means “to there-gather.” It sounds more like a meeting hall or town square than a school. It doesn’t even mention study or education. Institute should, therefore, be something more like Na’oren-tor tra’hoknau, “to gather there for learning,” which sounds more like a small, even ad-hoc rural school. An established, permanent school is Shi’oren. Modify tra’hoknau again and you can make it a public meeting area, Na’variben-tra’hoknau, “to gather there for talking.” Heck, that might even be a corporate conference room. See how Vulcan builds and grows? That’s why trahokna falls so flat.

-- T'Lara