tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Apr 23 10:17:58 1998
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Re: KLBC: ghojtaH nIDegh
- From: Qov <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: KLBC: ghojtaH nIDegh
- Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 10:15:04 -0700
At 03:45 98-04-22 -0700, Michael Miocevich wrote:
}Well here is my attempt once again at tlhIngan-Hol. I intended my
}subject to mean "My attempt at learning". I hope it is correct.
Klingon has a number of affixes and grammatical structures that are
different than English, but they do follow quite strict rules. For example,
the {-'egh} suffix is only used to show that the action of the verb is being
done to oneself, and it has to be accompanied by the correct prefix. See
section 4.2.1. (Note that it's {-'egh} not *{egh}, there is a typo on one
page of the book.)
I'm afraid that without context, my best interpretation of
}ghojtaH nIDegh
would be "he/she/it/they go on learning ... they steer?[archaic?] you? |
they-you medal/helm/symbol."
Something like {jIghojchoH 'e' vInID} is what you need. "I attempt to start
learning."
Have a look at the prefixes in section 4.1.1 and the sentence as object
structure in section 6.2.5 to see how it works.
}On to my attempt;
}
}*bonsai* vIje rIntaH.
}
}I purchased a Bonsai.
The {rIntaH} construction is really for emphasis and dramatic effect. It
sounds odd to use it to describe the purchase of a small tree, without
context indicating that this is an irreversable act. I imagine you did this
because your purchase is in the past. Don't worry about trying to convey
tense in Klingon: there is no tense in Klingon. {*Bonsai* vIje'} is perfect
for "I bought a Bonsai," and if you want to be really explicit that the
action took place in the past, say when it happpened. {wa'Hu' *Bonsai*
vIje'} "yesterday I bought a Bonsai." (Note that {je'} is a three letter
word. You can't leave off the {'} any more than you can leave off the {j}).
}Sor 'oH *juniper*Hey.
}It appears to be a Juniper tree.
}Should "Sor 'oH *juniper*Hey" be better written as "*juniper*Hey 'oh
}Sor"? As in the method of syntax Object - Verb - Subject?
}Or have I got this wrong?
The description of the pronoun as to be construction in section 6.3 shows
that you need the {-'e'} suffix on the subject of the sentence, and yes, the
subject does go last, as in any other Klingon sentence.
There are two ways to express uncertainty with suffixes in Klingon: the verb
suffix {-law'} and the noun suffix {-Hey}. There isn't a huge difference
here, because the verb is a copula, just equating the subject and object.
*juniper* 'oHlaw' Sor'e' - "The tree is, I think, a juniper."
*juniper* Sor 'oHlaw' - "It is, I think, a juniper tree (a tree of juniper)."
*juniper*Hey 'oH Sor'e' - "The tree is an apparent juniper." "Indications
are, the tree is a juniper."
The difference here may be whether the uncertainty is yours (use -law') or
whether at this point it is simply difficult to identify the species.
Neither is wrong.
}Is there a way I can express the word "today"
}so I can make the phrase "Today I purchased a Bonsai"?
}Or should I enter in the word "jaj" as meaning today, or not concern
}myself with it at all?
Use the word for "today" {DaHjaj} (p. 191 of 2nd edition TKD). :-) If you
only have first edition, don't worry. You can learn Klingon quite well with
1st edition and pick up the extra vocabulary later.
}jItul DuyIntaH.
}I hope it continues to live.
Careful, the OVS order you recognized above applies at all stages. In "I
hope it continues to live" you are hoping something, the object of the verb
hope. So the object, the thing you are hoping, goes before the verb.
Because the object is a sentence and not a noun, you need to use the special
construction for sentence-as-object. That means inserting the word {'e'} in
the object position of the second verb.
The thing you hope is "it continues to live." You need to choose the
correct prefix for "it-no object." See p. 33. The correct prefix is "0" -
no prefix.
Thus: {yIntaH 'e' vItul}.
}betleH: nuHvam lIngta'?
}
}The betleh: Has this weapon been produced?
An interesting sentence. In Klingon when the subject is indeterminate, as
here, we use a special verb suffix, {-lu'}. Marc Okrand's explanation is in
section 4.2.5. Here's mine. The suffix {-lu'} means that no particular
subject is implied. Therefore put nothing in the subject position. Use a
prefix out of the third person singular *object* column, but use the prefix
that would be appropriate if the object of the verb ith {-lu'} were the
subject of a normal verb. Twisted? Yeah. Here it means no object, from
the 0 right in the middle of the table.
And in Klingon when you ask a yes/no question you can't use inversion or
inflection as in English. You have to use the verb suffix {-'a'}.
{nuHvam lInglu'ta''a'?}
"Has this weapon been produced?"
HIja'. lInglu'ta'.
I'll let someone who has the details follow up either to the list, if they
use Klingon, or in private e-mail if they use English only.
}jIneH Daqtagh.
}I want a Daqtagh.
Remember, OVS, and chose the right prefix.
{Daqtagh vIneH} {vI-} represents I-third person singular object. You want
something, an "it" right?
}Your time is appreciated.
qay'be'. DaHjaj jIropmo' QIt jIvang. lI' mu'meywIj 'e' vItul.
Qov [email protected]
Beginners' Grammarian