tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Jun 05 05:56:08 1994

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Re: typical constructs




>When you learn to talk and think in a language, you learn to
>instinctively express your thoughts in a way typical of the language,
>which is different from the way you'd say the same thing in another
>language. I'm really not that experienced in talking Klingon, so I'd
>appreciate your help.
>
>Thanx,
>	Katrin


Myself, when I go into what I think of as my 'Klingon mode,'... well, here are 
the net results:


1:  I tend to start thinking object-first.  Occassionally, I will remember to 
put any adverbials first.  By this, I do not mean that I say to myself 'Oh, 
the object has to come first in Klingon', and reverseing my sentence; I am 
actually *thinking* of the *object* first... rather than the subject being 
paramount in my mind, the object now is.

2:  Any subordinate clause is thought of first.  Usually.  I tend to grab my 
objects, then think 'ah, but I need a sumbordinate clause!', and then have to 
re-do what I am thinking.

3:  Active verbs are chosen over desciptive ones (this is compliments to 
charghwI'; it has been an *excellent* way to get around the "to be" 
contruction!)

4:  Superlatives and compartives tend to be changed, or re-worded, simply 
because of the difficulty I have making them fit into the law'/puS 
construction.  (personal quirk)

5:  Certain suffix-words tend to come up MUCH more often:  seemingly, 
obviously, willingly, prepared, need, etc.  Mostly type 2's and 6's for verbs, 
an occasional type 3 for nouns.


There are a few other ways I alter my thinking, but those are some of the mail 
ones.  Hope they help...


--HoD trI'Qal
  tlhwD lIy So'





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