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