tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Oct 28 15:00:46 1996

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RE: The FAQ section 3.5 -- charghwI' !?!

jatlh ghunchu'wI':

<<< A
different problem occurs with words like {tlhuH} -- though we sort of
managed to rationalize it in a game of Scrabble, {HItlhuH} is not the
kind of thing one would normally say, because the object of "breathe"
is not normally a person. :) >>>

It took me a while to find my photo of that game (love those Krankor 
pictures!), but I was finally successful.  The word was {chetlhuH}.  Many 
people objected that the word was semantically nonsensical (hey, that's a cool 
phrase!).  However, in this case, the problem is just one of situation.

With {vIQuch}, the problem is of trying to use a stative verb with an object.  
It doesn't work.  But {tlhuH} isn't stative.  So, the only thing we had to do 
was come up with a situation in which someone might want to say {chetlhuH}.  
Our answer was, before the speaker is cremated along with his friends, he is 
explaining about the ceremony.  Once someone is turned to dust, "you will 
breathe us" makes perfect sense.  One might argue that it's not "us" that is 
being breathed but rather the ashes, but we have become the ashes.  Take a 
look at my last phrase.  "We have become the ashes" identifies "ashes" with 
"us."

SuStel
Stardate 96826.6

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