tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jan 03 07:50:53 2006
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Re: non-speaking things, scattered all about
naHQun wrote:
>So I know that if I use {-mey} on a body part or a person,
>it means "scattered all about".
>But how do I say that a thing not capable of using language (which would
>normally take {-mey}) is scattered all about?
Another place where using {-mey} adds the idea of "scattered all about" is
on inherently singular nouns (i.e. those nouns which have a completely
different plural):
"[{-mey}] is used to mark the plural of any noun: {mIDmey} "colonies",
{yuQmey} "planets". It can also be used with nouns referring to beings
capable of using language (those nouns which take {-pu'}). When it is so
used, it adds a notion of "scattered all about" to the meaning. Compare:
{puq} "child", {puqpu'} "children", {puqmey} "children all over the place".
The suffix {-mey} cannot be used with body parts. It should be noted,
however, that Klingon poets often violate this grammatical rule in order to
evoke particular moods in their poetry. Thus, forms such as {tlhonmey}
"nostrils scattered all about" do occur. Until the subtle nuances of such
constructions are firmly grasped, however, it is suggested that students of
Klingon stick to the rules.
"Finally, some nouns in Klingons are inherently or always plural in
meaning, and therefore never take plural suffixes: {ray'} "targets", {cha}
"torpedoes", {chuyDaH} "thrusters". The singular counterparts of such words
are utterly distinct: {DoS} "target", {peng} "torpedo", {vIj} "thruster".
The singular forms may take the -mey suffix, but that would carry the
"scattered all about" connotation: {DoSmey} "targets scattered all about",
{pengmey} "torpedoes all over the place"." [TKD 23f]
"Another grammatical feature of Klingon about which children frequently
become confused involves nouns that are inherently plural, such as {cha}
("torpedoes") and {ngop} ("plates [for eating]"), as opposed to their
singular counterparts {peng} ("torpedo") and {jengva'} ("plate"). Instead
of using the special plural forms, children tend forms plurals of these
words by simply adding the plural suffix {-mey} to the singular forms
({pengmey}, {jengva'mey}), as would be done with most other nouns (except
for those referring to body parts or to beings capable of language, for
which {-Du'} and {-pu'}, respectively, would be used), such as {yuQmey}
("planets"). Adults also add {?mey} to these nouns, but they do so to
indicate that the items are scattered about ({jengva'mey}, "plates
scattered all over the place"). For children who say {jengva'mey}, it
apparently means simply {plates}; that is, it is nothing more than the
plural form of {jengva'}. Children seem to be aware of the existence of the
inherently plural forms, however, for they use them as well, though usually
with the suffix {-mey} superfluously appended: {chamey} ("torpedoeses"),
{ngopmey} ("plateses"). Inherently plural nouns are considered singular as
far as how they fit into the overall grammatical structure." (KGT 33)
And note this series of variations from TKD:
wa' DoS wIqIp
We hit one target (idiom: We agree.) TKD
DoS wIqIp
We hit a target (idiom: We agree.) TKD
cha' DoSmey DIqIp
We hit two targets (idiom: We disagree.) TKD
DoSmey DIqIp
We hit targets (idiom. We disagree; lit. "We hit scattered targets.") KGT
If your noun isn't one of these inherently singular nouns, though, I don't
know how you'd add the idea of "scattered all about" to it.
>and just to toss it out there, I was watching ST: VI the other day,
>during the dinner scene with the Klingons, they toast Gorkon
>and everyone raises a glass and says "Chancellor", except for his
>daughter, who can be heard saying "vavoy".
That's what I heard, though some people insist she said {vavwI'}. I think
Okrand had Azetbur say {vavoy} because he thought "Daddy" sounded "cute" -
typical of a spoiled, rich, upper-class Klingon Princess! Dramatically it
works too, because this apparently spoiled girl later turns out to have the
{qajunpaQ} to defy the generals and sign a treaty with the enemy Humans.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons