tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Aug 07 08:21:34 1996
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Re: petaQ
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>Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 14:50:11 -0700
>From: [email protected]
>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?"
OK, the error has been made, seconded, and thirded, and it's time to point
it out.
Re-read your TKDs. Page 23. Using -mey with sentient creatures does
=>NOT<= imply insult, stupidity, or anything like that. It is absolutely
fine to talk of an honored guest's "qorDu'lIj ghotmey" with NO implied
insult or offense. Using -mey with language-using creatures ONLY lends an
implication that they are scattered all over the place, rather than simply
plural. You are getting confused with the fact that *possessive* suffixes
imply insult when used the wrong way (non-sentient -wIj et al where
sentient-specific -wI' belongs).
So, yes, while I personally accept "petaQpu'" as the plural of "petaQ" for
sentient creatures, A.Appleyard is quite right that petaQmey is also
correct (and indeed, is more certainly correct than -pu', since -mey can be
used where -pu' belongs but not vice-versa), but NOT that it implies
contemptuousness.
~mark
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