tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Oct 06 19:21:30 1998

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Re: BG: a question with -moH



ja' Lawrence:
>My first attempt was: chojatlhqa'moH
>[...]
>I guess my question is, is my first statement above ambiguous, containing
>*both* meanings?

Yes, it is ambiguous.  PK gave us {jIbwIj vISay'nISmoH}, with the literal
meaning "I must wash my hair."

>If so, which parsing would you come up with at first
>glance, that you're making me do the action (which I've done before), or
>that you're making me do the action (which you've made me do before)?

I see both meanings immediately.  Without further context, the first one
comes through a little more strongly, though I would interpret {jatlhqa'}
preferentially as "resume speaking" instead of "speak again".  Again, it
depends on context.  It's not so much a matter of which idea comes through
first; it's more of which one comes through strongest.

-- ghunchu'wI'




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