tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Apr 12 12:40:18 2004

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

RE: Klingon WOTD: nobHa' (v)

Steven Boozer ([email protected]) [KLI Member] 

>ghItlh voragh:
> >Don't confuse {nobHa'} "return, give back" with {tatlh} "return
> >(something)" or {chegh} "return (to a place)":
> >
> >   A different verb, {tatlh}, is used for "return" in the sense of
> >   returning a library book or returning a weapon to the weapons
> >   rack. If someone were to say something like "I return the plate
> >   to the table," the appropriate verb would be {tatlh: raSDaq
> >   jengva' vItatlh} "I return the plate to the table." Though not
> >   common, it is also possible to use {tatlh} with the reflexive
> >   suffix {-'egh} ("do something to oneself") to convey a meaning
> >   similar to that of {chegh}:  {pa'Daq jItatlh'egh} "I return to
> >   the room" ... The {tatlh'egh} form seems to suggest that the
> >   doer of the action is forcing himself/herself to do something,
> >   perhaps because it is difficult or not desirable."
> >   [st.klingon July 1999]

quljIb:
>Do we have any other examples of {tatlh'egh} used in this fashion?

No.  This st.k post is our only information WRT {tatlh} and {tatlh'egh}.

>And are there other verbs that have idiosyncratic meanings when {-'egh} =
is=20
>appended?

"There are some special uses of the reflexive forms of the finger verbs.=20
For example, while {ghIchwIjDaq vISIq} means 'I touch my nose with my ind=
ex=20
finger' and {ghIchwIjDaq jISIq} means 'I point at my nose with my index=20
finger', the phrase {ghIchwIjDaq jISIq'egh} (with {-'egh} 'oneself'),=20
literally 'I use at myself my index finger at my nose', is used for 'I pi=
ck=20
my nose with my index finger'. Similarly, {nujDajDaq rIl'egh ghu},=20
literally 'at his/her mouth, the baby uses at him/herself his/her thumb',=
=20
is used for 'the baby sucks its thumb'. [...] {nujDajDaq mar'egh ghu} 'th=
e=20
baby sucks its big toe'. (HQ 10.2:8-9)

Since idiosyncratism (?) is in the eye of the beholder, here are a few=20
specialized uses of {-'egh} I could find quickly for you:

   {boq'egh}  "ally with oneself"

Used in math for multiplication: e.g. 2 =D7 3 =3D 6  {cha'logh boq'egh we=
j;=20
chen jav} "twice, three allies with itself, six forms"; the multiplier an=
d=20
multiplicand may be reversed: 3 =D7 2 {wejlogh boq'egh cha'},"three times=
,=20
two allies with itself" (HQ 9.3)

   {boqHa''egh}  "dis-ally from oneself, dissociate from oneself"

Used in math for division: e.g. 6 =F7 3 =3D 2  {wejlogh boqHa''egh jav; c=
hen=20
cha'} three times, six dissociates from itself, two forms. "Reversing the=
=20
dividend and the divisor changes the equation. {javlogh boqHa''egh wej}=20
would be 3 =F7 6 and the answer would be a fraction" (HQ 9.3)

   {HaH'egh}  "soak oneself" (slang)

"in reference to such activities as drinking a great deal, which has=20
positive connotations, and bathing, an occasional undertaking with negati=
ve=20
connotations." (KGT 91)

   {pe''egh}  "keep score" KGT (lit. "cut oneself")

"It comes from an old Klingon habit of keeping track of accomplishments b=
y=20
making small cuts on one's skin, usually on the face, as a tally." (TKW 1=
35)

   qIp'egh nachDu'chaj tlhIngan SuvwI'pu'
   Klingon warriors are butting heads.   CK

"This sentence really doesn't make much sense to me. I think it's suppose=
d=20
to be {qIp'egh tlhIngan SuvwI'pu' nachDu'}. However, perhaps Okrand has=20
some weird sort of grammar in mind..." (SuStel)

   {yItaD!} or {petaD!} ("Be frozen!")

"These are idiomatic ways to give the command 'Don't move!' The word=20
{yItaD} is used when speaking to an individual; {petaD} is used when givi=
ng=20
the command to a group. The verb {taD} means 'be frozen,' and it is used=20
here in a peculiar, though not really ungrammatical, way. Generally, when=
 a=20
verb describing a state of being (for example, {tuj} ['be hot']) is used =
in=20
the imperative form, the suffixes {-'egh} (reflexive suffix) and {-moH}=20
('cause') are used as well: {yItuj'eghmoH} ('Heat yourself!'--that is,=20
'Cause yourself to be hot!'), {yItaD'eghmoH!} ('Freeze yourself!'--that i=
s,=20
'Cause yourself to be frozen!'). When {taD} is used in the idiomatic sens=
e=20
of 'not move,' however, it is treated as if a verb describing an activity=
,=20
such as {yIt} ('walk'): {yIyIt!} ('Walk!')."




--=20
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons=20

Back to archive top level