tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Aug 06 14:18:46 1996
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Re: petaQ
qaSDI' 96-08-06 07:50:26 EDT, jatlh A.Appleyard:
> -mey plural of persons is allowed but implies "scattered". Perhaps
{petaQmey}
> rather than {petaQpu'} used of people adds to the contemptuousness.
I used to think this, but I eventually decided against it. If the person you
are insulting is so low that you don't consider him capable of using
language, then there is no honor or point to insulting him. If there's no
honor, then you should acknowledge the cleverness of the person with {-pu'},
and if there's no point, then why bother using a semi-poetic form of insult?
I think the point is, if you misuse the plural suffixes accidentally, you
will probably offend someone. If you do it intentionally, people will
probably think, "Is that the best comeback he could think of?"
SuStel
Stardate 96599.2