tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Oct 11 21:24:22 1996
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Re: -qa', multiple meanings
> Actually, I've mentioned this problem once before: could it possibly mean
> that the Fek'lhr has "resumed" attacking again? It's possible. Otherwise, I
> can see two possibilities here: (1) Okrand, using his dictionary or his notes
> (you *know* he does this), sees that {-qa'} means "again," and makes the same
> mistake that everyone else has; or (2) Okrand really intended the "do again"
> meaning. (I guess I just don't want to give up on this. :)
I put my two cents worth in on this before, and I feel an urge to do it
again. (The little voice in my head is getting loud again.) I don't believe
that -qa' has two meanings. -qa' does not mean "resume" and also "do again."
It *only means "resume"*. You all need to stop thinking like tera'nganmey!
In the Klingon mind, if you are performing the same action as you were before,
it is effectively part of the same act, therefore where a human would say that
the Fek'lhr had attacked again, as if it were a separate event, a Klingon says
that he has resumed attacking. This might mean that if you use -qa' to refer
to a particular action, you may not want to use -pu' or -ta' to refer to the
earlier action.
All this is just IMHO. I think a more probable theory is theory one,
that Dr. O. forgot. But I like my theory because it makes the canon
consistent, and makes the language "a little more alien." :)
taDI'oS vIq, law'wI'pu'vaD Holtej jIH
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