tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Feb 03 03:17:45 2010

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Aspects in Klingon

Andrà MÃller ([email protected]) 

Hi there,
I have problems determining what aspect suffixes I am to use when
translating something into Klingon or when writing something original in
Klingon. I have a problem understanding aspects in general (also in Russian
and Chinese). I've read Bernard Comrie's book on aspect and I've read
everything that Okrand wrote about aspect in Klingon (I think), yet I don't
have a "feeling" for it.
I understand the system in this way:

{-taH} = imperfective/progressive (an ongoing action)
{-lI'} = telic perfective (ongoing towards a known goal)
{-pu'} = perfective (completed action)
{-ta'} = volitional perfective (completed action which was intented)
{-ø} = ??? (what aspect do we have when nothing is indicated)

So I can quite easily determin which of these aspects I have to use by
asking myself if the action is still ongoing in the frame of the sentence.
If yes, I ask myself if the action is running towards some goal, so I can
decide between {-lI'} and {-taH}. If the action is not ongoing but already
finished in the frame of the sentence, I ask myself if the action was
intented by the agent (then I'd chose {-ta'}), or if it was unintented and
happened without someone's will (then I go for {-pu'}). So far, so good...
is my way of thought correct so far?

Here come the problems:

a) Does {-pu'} mean explicitly that the completed action was unintentional
or is it simply unmarked for volition? Can I use {-pu'} for all completed
actions and need {-ta'} only when I want to specify that the action was also
intented, or do I really *have* to decide each time? I'm feeling that I'm
overusing {-pu'}. The same question goes for the distincion between {-taH}
and {-lI'}: do I use the latter only when I want to specify or do I have to
choose?

b) What aspect do verb forms without a type 7 suffix have? Can it be somehow
unmarked?

c) As many learners, I think I might be overusing the {-pu'} (and {-ta'})
suffixes. My most important question is: Are there any test questions I
could ask myself each time to determine if I have to use an aspect suffix or
a perfective suffix in particular? Or some English adverb like "already"
that I can put into the sentence in my mind to check if it makes sense that
way. I really need something like a test question or a test adverb to be
inserted.

For instance: "Person X became the friend of person Y." (a phrase often
found on Facebook). When this sentence is displayed, the action lies already
in the past (i.e., he already became Y's friend), so I'd use {-ta'} because
on Facebook friendships are always volitionally induced, they don't just
simply happen, as in reality. But do I really need a perfective aspect
suffix here?

And what's with pronominal verbs (copulae?) like {'oH} or {SoH} or {ghaH}?
When I say "I was in Hungary this summer.", do I need a perfective aspect
suffix?
I know that when telling a story, I don't always need {-pu'} and {-ta'}
because then the story itself is the frame and I only need to ask myself, if
the action has already finished at the point of time that I am currently
telling.

Phew. Many questions... sorry for that. You see, I'm really trying to
improve my understanding of the language.

Greetings,
- André

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