tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Jan 08 10:30:04 1995

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Re: nuqneH



>Date: Fri, 6 Jan 1995 09:42:30 -0500
>Originator: [email protected]
>From: "ADM::RSORENSEN"@tiny.computing.csbsju.edu

>William H. Martin 

>> > SoneSHa'wI' jatlh
>> 
>> nuqjatlh? //SoneSHa'wI'// vIyajbe'.

>I was trying for "A lurker speaks" with this - lurker being 'one who
>hides dishonorably'.  It's a stretch.

Pretty much.  And hard to understand.  And not quite grammatical, for that
matter.

A few neat points that may not be obvious:

First, -neS.  It's a strange suffix, the only type-8, never required.  But
it doesn't act the way you intend.  From the evidence we have, "-neS"
indicates respect towards the person(s) *to whom it is addressed*,
regardless of the subject or object of the verb.  The evidence isn't 100%
necessarily, but I think it's pretty convincing.  Canon sentences:

DojneS mIplIj (your wealth is impressive, your honor)
po'neS baHwI'lI' (your gunners are skillful, y.h. [erg, I don't recall this
		sentence perfectly])
cha'pujqut vIngevmeH chaw' HInobneS (give me a permit to sell dilithium
			crystals, y.h.)

I wouldn't be surprised if you could say "puqchaj SopneS jaghmaj" (Our
!!#%^* enemies eat their children, your honor -- note derogatory -maj
possessive).

Next, the -Ha'.  For all that -Ha' is a rover, it doesn't rove.  It always
comes right after the verb.  So you can't use it to modify -neS by
following it.  And near as I can tell, if you can modify -neS, the best
you could do would be to make sure that your audience knew it was being
insulted... (or extremely honored, with -qu').

~mark


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