tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Dec 30 16:05:37 1998
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RE: KLBC: mu'ghom
- From: "Andeen, Eric" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: KLBC: mu'ghom
- Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 17:02:13 -0700
lab netlh:
> Qapla'! tlhIngan Hol mu'ghom vIHevpu' qaSpu'vIS *Christmas*!
maj. mu'ghom DaHutlhchugh vaj not bIpo'choHlaH.
<qaSpu'vIS> just doesn't work, though. The dictionary you just received will
tell you that <-taH> must always go with <-vIS>, so you can't use another
aspcet suffix. It also doesn't make much sense - "while Christmas was having
happened".
If you want to say "I received a Klingon Dictionary on Christmas day", you
can just make "Christmas" a timestamp.
*Christmas* jaj, tlhIngan mu'ghom vIHev.
> QaH'a' munob!
This is OK, but sounds a bit weird. Instead of using <QaH> as a noun, use it
as a verb:
muQaHqu'.
> qepHomHeyDaq jIHta'.
> QaQpu' 'oH 'ach Qatlhpu' 'oH.
OK - time out. Way too many aspect suffixes. Klingon doesn't have tense, and
<-pu'> and <-ta'> don't mean past tense - they mean completion. What you are
saying here is "It completed the act of being good, but ..." Every time you
want to use <-pu'> or <-ta'>, think about it and see if that's what you
mean, and even if it is, decide if the suffix is necessary.
> tlhIngan pong vIwIvta'
maj.
> 'ach poH tlhIngan Hol mu' 'oH pongwIj'e'
> 'e' vIghojpu'.
Your new dictionary will also tell you that a type seven (aspect) suffix
cannot go on the verb after <'e'>. In any case, you don't really need it.
> *netlh* vIwIvta'.
maj.
> 'oH DaparHa''a'?
vIparHa' jIH'e'.
> Satlho' 'e' QaH'a'
> tunobta' 'ej QaH'a' tunobtaH.
See the comments above about <QaH> as a verb or a noun: <tuQaH> or
<tuQaHqu'> instead of <QaH'a' tunob>. Also, I'm really not sure what the
<'e'> is doing here. If you want to say "I thank you for helping me", you
need to figure out exactly what the "for" here means and reprase a little:
"I thank you because you help me."
I also don't think <-ta'> is the right aspect suffix here. <-ta'> puts a
great deal of emphasis on intention, and although many of us have
intentionally helped you, and are glad to continue to help, it's not our
primary goal, and much of the help you get is just a by-product of hagning
around. I think <-pu'> is much better for this.
tuQaHpu'mo' 'ej tuQaHtaHmo' Satlho'.
Good use of prefixes, though. English speakers often get lost in the
difference between you (singular) and you (plural).
> jIDubtaH'a'?
HIja'.
> - netlh
> Success! I received the Klingon Dictionary for Christmas
> (while Christmas occured)! It gives me great help! I was
> at the qepHomHey (Klingon meeting). It was good but difficult.
> I chose a Klingon name, but I later learned that it is a
> Klingon word. I chose "netlh". Do you like it? I thank you
> (all) that you (all) gave me great help, and continue to give
> me great help.
> Am I improving?
pagh
Beginners' Grammarian