tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jun 23 06:24:39 2014
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Re: [Tlhingan-hol] Long and short sentences in English and Klingon
On Mon, Jun 23, 2014 at 7:12 AM, lojmIt tI'wI' nuv 'utlh
<[email protected]> wrote:
> ...remarkably long sentence...
Doj.
> Basically, you have the beginning of a sentence where time stamps always go, adverbials always go, locatives always go, and phrases constructed around Type 9-suffixed verbs usually go (with a couple of exceptions),...
While this is a great summary of a Klingon sentence, I think the
description has the "exception direction" pointing the wrong way. I
can interpret it generously and nod without complaint, but it has
great potential to confuse someone who takes it prescriptively instead
of descriptively.
I do agree with the idea that, in most cases, putting subordinate
clauses (those with type-9-suffixed verbs) first is good style.
However, phrases containing verbs with a Type 9 suffix usually can
either precede or follow the main clause. The exceptions are those
which *must* precede the main verb (e.g. purpose clauses with {-meH})
and nominalizers (i.e. {-wI'} and {-ghach}).
-- ghunchu'wI'
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