tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Apr 22 08:37:42 1998

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Excess (was KLBC: nobmey)



From: William H. Martin <[email protected]>


>According to David Trimboli:
>>
>> From: Qov <[email protected]>
>>
>> >vay' vIta'DI' vIta'qu' je.
>> >"If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing to ridiculous excess."

>
>> Marc Okrand has told us that {-qu'} can be used for the idea of "very
much"
>> or "a lot," but he also said that it does not contain the notion of
>> "excessively" or "too much."
>
>Well, he has actually used it that way himself. tujqu'choH QuQ
>= The engines are OVERheating (my emphasis). Still, in his
>example, he was describing how being "too late" was not
>conveyed with {paSqu'} and instead went for the {nargh 'eb}
>idiom.

Yes, I haven't forgotten the example.  In fact, I have less trouble seeing
"the engine is getting very hot" as discussing an excess than I do "when I
do something I really do it."  The engine is a mechanical device, and most
people will know that getting very hot tends to be bad for engines.  Such an
interpretation is not really to be gained from {vay' vIta'DI' vIta'qu'},
especially since you're talking about generalities.

This *is* somewhat of a justification, but the example seems contrary to
Okrand's later, and more explicit, words.

>vay' vIta'chu'ta'DI' vIta'qu'taHqu'.
>
>I think one could glean this meaning of excess from this
>casting, qar'a'?

"As soon as I have fully accomplished something, I
m --ONGOININGLY--  --DOING-- it."

I don't think you want the {-ta'} in the first word.  Or do you mean that
once you've finished doing it, you continue to do it?

Other than that, yes, you might see this as excess.  Actually I think it
might also be interpreted as spelling something out very carefully.  "Now
I'm going to tell you this --ONE-- --MORE-- --TIME-- . . . !"

>Or:
>
>vay' vIta'chu'ta'DI' jImevQo'.

"As soon as I have fully accomplished something, I won't stop."

I like this one better, but still not enough.  Let's play with it a bit.

First, I'd like to change the basic format of the sentence, to conform a
little better with the original.

potlhchugh vay' vIta'nISbogh, vIta'taH 'e' vImevQo'.
If something which I need to accomplish is important, I won't stop
accomplishing it.

Better, I think, but it still sounds like I might stop once it's
accomplished.

potlhchugh vay' vIta'nISbogh, vIta'taH, vIta'taH, vIta'taH!
If something which I need to accomplish is important, I am accomplishing it,
I am accomplishing it, I am accomplishing it!

The repeitition seems to give a sense of excess, or at least a heck of a
lot.  What do you think?

SuStel
Stardate 98305.7





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