tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Apr 15 13:43:34 2002

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re: ba'



ghItlh SuStel:

>Personally, I don't think /ba'/ necessarily means continuous occupation of a 
chair,
>couch, etc.  I think it means occupation of a chair, etc., for anunspecified 
amount
>of time, maybe an instant, maybe a day, whatever.

I agree. Aspect markers like -taH and -lI' -- and I would argue this is 
generally true of all suffixes in Klingon -- are generally only used when the 
detail they add to the action is specifically desired or in need of emphasis.

Of course, suffix use has its own allure, particularly for beginners. They're 
so much fun to play with and to string together, that's it's understandable 
if at times we lose sight of the traditionally abrupt and brusque nature of 
the language. Doubtless a more conservative approach would have us question 
ourselves for each and every suffix we think to use.

It also makes me wonder if, among Klingon school children, we wouldn't see an 
inverted U function of grammatical expression as they first begin speaking 
using few suffixes at all, just bare nouns and verbs (much like English 
toddlers' use of two and three word utterance, e.g., "want doggie" or "ball 
give"), proceed to an awareness and use of a plethora of suffixes far beyond 
the needs of context, and then finally lapsing back into the tight-lipped 
understatement of adult tlhIngan Hol where suffixes only rear their heads 
when they're actively needed for complete communication. Hmm. Just a thought.

Lawrence


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