tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Feb 07 12:03:09 1998
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Re: KLBC: Asterix
>On Wed, 4 Feb 1998 01:06:05 -0800 (PST) Qov <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>> At 06:43 98-02-02 -0800, edy wrote:
>> }mughuHmoH Qov
>>
>> }>Note that it takes this order ONLY as a toast. As a general statement the
>> }>subject {chaj} would follow the verb.
>> }
>> } And about this construction:
>> }
>> }reH qa'pu' QaQ lItlhejjaj
>> }(May the good spirits accompany you (all) always)
>>
>> In a toast only. And only assuming that the concept "good spirits"
>> translates into Klingon.
ja' charghwI':
>I don't believe that this works "in a toast only". I think it
>works only in a classic toast written in earlier times... In
>other words, Okrand can do it and we can't unless we are quoting
>him. He obviously made a mistake with {'IwlIj jachjaj} and
>Krankor caught him and Okrand covered his butt, humorously. All
>modern toasts must be written with modern grammar. This has to
>be: {reH lItlhejjaj qa'pu' QaQ}
KGT page 25 doesn't say anything about "classic" toasts.
If either of these sentiments is given as a toast, however, a special
rule--applicable to toast only, and therefore better described as
socially motivated than as grammatically motivated--must be followed.
In a toast, the last word is always the verb (ending in {-jaj} ["may"]),
even if that means the subject precedes the verb.
Toasts are only given in modern grammar in the Sakrej and No'hvadut
dialects. Krankor makes no effort to hide his Sakrejian upbringing. :-)
-- ghunchu'wI'