tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Mar 29 08:10:56 1997

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RE: KLBC: Let's

jatlh peHruS:

> << >	Let's do something ?
>  >as Let's drink
>  
>  I'd say simply "matlhutlh!"  "We drink!"  I think we may have something
>  like canon for that, but I'm not sure.
>  
>  I've sometimes seen "matlhutlhjaj", but I don't like it at all.  "-jaj" >>
> 
> DaH jItlhobnIS: mu'tlheghmey {Ha'     matlhutlh} vo' DIvI' Hol {let's}
> wIqelmeH mu' {Ha'} wIlo'laH'a'

I must say, peHruS, that your constant apposition is difficult to read.  Also, 
what's that {vo'} doing there?

I believe you're asking if we can use {Ha'} to indicate "let's."  The answer 
is not really.  {Ha'} means "come on!" or "let's go!" but if you're not going 
somewhere, you cannot use it.  Suppose you are already at the bar, and you 
want to say "Let's drink."  You cannot use {Ha'}, because you are already 
there.  But if you just say {matlhutlh}, the meaning is quite clear.

The bottom line is that English "let's" is a construction which is there for 
form only.  "Let us drink."  Who is letting us drink?  "May we drink."  Of 
course we will drink!  However, simply "We drink" in English to be missing 
something, and so people are worried that it doesn't work right in Klingon.  
It's just fine for Klingon.

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97242.0

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