tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jan 05 04:24:56 2004

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Re: pajamas

Lieven Litaer ([email protected])

• From: "Lieven Litaer" <[email protected]>
• Subject: Re: pajamas
• Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2004 11:30:26 +0100 (MET)
• References: <[email protected]>

> I don't know about tlhIngan-Hol, but many Terran languages have a dual
> case 
> which is reserved for use when referring to items that only come in pairs 
> (eyes, ears, pants, pajamas, etc)

Sorry, but you are quoting only one Terran language, english.

And "eyes" is just a plural form of "eye", just like "ears".

In english, the words are plural, because they are made to parts, like
scissors (two edges), binoculars (two oculars), pajamas (two pieces), pants,
trousers (two pipes)
You can't say them in singular:

In German these are all singular: 1 Schere, 1 Fernglas, 1 Schlafanzug, 1
Hose.

Quvar




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