tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Jan 09 15:39:00 1997

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ja'chuq



Y'know, I just noticed something in TKD (I just love it when that happens).

We have often wondered whether {ja'chuq} is the verb {ja'} plus the suffix 
{-chuq}, or if it's a single root verb, {ja'chuq}.  Well, Okrand tells us!  On 
TKD p. 65, he says, "The verb is made up of {ja'} 'tell,' {-chuq} 'each 
other'; thus, 'confer' is 'tell each other'."

This seems pretty explicit to me.  Am I missing any possible interpretations 
of this?

The implication would be that {ja'chuq} cannot take an object.  When using 
{-chuq}, you must use the prefix meaning "no object,"  and the subject must be 
plural.  Thus, you cannot say things like {Dup wIja'chuq} for "We discuss 
strategy."  You'd have to say {maja'chuqtaHvIS Duq wIqel}.

Finally, this would lend support to the idea that entries in the dictionary 
which appear to be verbs plus suffixes actually are (and not special 
multisyllabic verbs).  I wouldn't go so far as to do anything with the verb 
{tuQ} and its weirdness (there is canon somewhere supporting the fact that 
{tuQmoH} is a different verb than {tuQ} + {-moH}), I noticed it recently 
somewhere).

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97026.6


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