tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Dec 08 16:27:09 1996

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RE: KLBC: latlh vImugh

December 08, 1996 5:46 PM, jatlh HurghwI':

> wovmoHwI' SuDchoH 'e' DaloStaHvIS bIjaHchugh, jIH DumevmoH yaS.
> "If you go while waiting for the light to turn green, an officer will stop 
you."

Actually, what you have is more like "If you go while waiting for it to begin 
being blue/green/yellow the brightness-causer, the officer makes you me stop."

Here's the problem with using {SuD} for a traffic light: it covers both yellow 
and green.  (Then again, yellow usually means "speed up" anyway . . .)

You've got the wrong pronoun before the {mev} verb.  Actually, {mev} is one of 
those verbs which can be used transitively without {-moH} (e.g. {bIjatlh 'e' 
yImev}).  You don't need to worry about using the {-moH} suffix.  (Of course, 
it may not be wrong, either.  PK says that you can make your pet stop by 
saying {mev!}.  This certainly seems to be intransitive.)

I'm also not happy with the use of {wovmoHwI'} for "light."  It literally 
means "thing which causes (something) to be bright."  I'd accept (grudgingly) 
{wovwI'} for "light."

One more thing: how can one go while waiting to go?  They can't happen 
simultaneously.  I'm going to suggest a new structure for this sentence.

SuDchoHpa' wovwI' bIjaHchugh, Dumev yaS.

Or better yet,

SuDchoHpa' wovwI' bIjaHchugh, Duqop yaS.

> DaqI'chugh, SoHvaD Huch law' vInob.
> "If you sign it, I will give you lots of money."

Other than the fact you'd have to be signing a *treaty*, this is fine.

> len wItaghnISbej qeltaHvIS noHwI' ruv nobmeH.
> "We must certainly have recess while the judge deliberates in order to
> dispense justice."

Ick.  This is a bit complicated, and the best thing to do would be to break it 
into several sentences.

Remember, {-meH} clauses must come before the rest of the phrase.  Also, I'm 
not sure if one "gives" justice.  Just in case you don't . . .

ruv qelnIS noHwI' 'ej wuqnIS.  len wItagh.
The judge needs to consider justice and decide.  We will begin recess.

This is just one way to say this.  There are lots of others.

> yIghoS, jupwI'! SoHvaD HIq vIje', 'ej majawlaH.
> "Come, my friend! I will buy you a drink, and we can talk."

Almost perfect!  {-laH} indicates that one is *able* to do something.  Unless 
you've got a very strange set of circumstances, the person is always able to 
chat, so you don't need the {-laH}.

SoHvaD HIq vIje', 'ej majaw.
I will buy you a drink, and we will talk.

> chab ngevbogh loD qIH "Simon" nap.
> "Simple Simon met a pieman."

majQa'!

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 96939.1

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