tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Apr 18 08:05:24 1998

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Re: -be'taH & -taHbe'

ghItlh qe'San:

>Whether the "not continuously being noisy" means "discontinuously being
noisy" or "not
>continuously-being-noisy" is the big question.

You're referring to <jIchuStaHbe'>. My interpretation has always been that
this sentence implies that I am not continuously being noisy - I am not in
the process of being noisy. <jIchuSbe'taH> means that I am in a process, I
am continuing something: not being noisy.

The first one might mean that I was noisy, I reserve the right to be noisy
later, but right now I am not being noisy. The second one might mean that I
am purposely being not noisy, and am in the process of not being noisy.
(Notice there are no pesky hyphens in this description. Avoid them, they
only lead to trouble.)

Considering <batlh bIHeghbe'>
>WHY!
>When the time comes, every Klingon wants to 'die-with-honour' so to be
>told 'not-die-with-honour' (as you put it) would be a great threat
>indeed and means the same as, 'die without honour'. Unless that is
>you mean we should take the words not-die, take that meaning (live)
>out of context and place it back into the sentence.. I can find no
>evidence that MO does this except when it has the same meaning.

This example presupposes that <batlh>'s modification of the verb is affected
by a verb suffix. Apparently it can be done. The sentence <bIHeghbe'>
translates "You won't die" or "You don't die." From every example I've seen
of an adverbial, they should describe the way the verb is acted. But it
seems it, here at least, modifies the verb BEFORE considering suffixes.
Perhaps <not vIchenmoH> means "I have not yet created it." Perhaps it means
"I have caused it to not yet take form." The <batlh bIHeghbe'> example would
seem to support the second interpretation. But it flies in the face of what
I expect.

<chIch yuD> = He is purposefully dishonest. He is devious. <chIch yuDHa'> =
He is purposefully honest? Or, He is no longer, or poorly, devious? Two
separate meanings. Which?

<pIj jIyajchoH> - I suddenly come to understand? Or I begin to understand in
a sudden fashion (as opposed to taking a while to get it like I used to)?

Perhaps time stamps work this way too! Oh no...

<po jIDoy'be'> - I get tired in the morning, or I'm beginning to be tired
each morning?

I hoipe hope hope this <batlh bIHeghbe'> example is a boo-boo or a special
case. I'd hate to think this is the nightmare we face.

Qermaq

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