tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Feb 24 04:05:43 1994

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This'n'that

Here's quick replies to several things:

Without quoting it all back, marqem continues the discussion about
using qImHa' to mean "pay attention to the wrong thing".  While I
think this could be used that way, it is probably out at the edge of
the limb of its possible meanings.  In particular, it should be
pointed out that there is a specific dictionary entry for qImHa',
which is "to disregard".  Even Picard knows this word (used it when
announcing Gowron's successful accension to head of the council.  Of
course, he pronounced it with an English 'h').


Paulvo':

>For anyone poetically inclined, I'd venture to say there are a couple of
>overlapping meanings (or at least, overlapping expressions) here.  If
>you don't want someone moving something, you can use vIHQo'; but might
>I suggest vIHbe' (when given as a command) as a suitable replacement?  I'm
>not sure I can come for a reason why:
>
>yIvIHbe' isn't any different than yIvIHQo'.

Actually, the two are VERY different.  The difference is:  yIvIHQo'
is grammatically correct, while yIvIHbe' is not.  You can't use -be'
on imperative verbs.  (check out the top of p. 47).


>I'd love to see the results, but I'll probably stick to my old stand-by,
>"boch ghichraj".  I just love walking around, going up to various people,
>and saying "boch ghichraj" and watch their faces.  :)

Just be careful.  "boch ghIchraj" is an *erroneous* entry in the
cheat-sheet sentences in the back of the dictionary.  It is
translated as "Your nose is shiny".  This is incorrect 99 44/100% of
the time.  Usually the translation is "Your noses are shiny".  This
is because of the suffix -raj, which means "your", but for you
*plural*.  Now, it is true that ghIchraj could mean one nose owned
by several people (say, a bunch of scientists working on a robot).
But normally we'd assume what is meant is "your (plural) noses".
(remember that the lack of an explicit plural suffix does not
necessarily mean that a noun is singular).  So, in summary, if you
wanted to tell a bunch of folk their noses are shiny, boch ghIchraj
is fine.  But if you are just talking to one person, it wants to be:
boch ghIchlIj.


Finally, Robvo':

>(OK, from now on I'm bringing my dictionary in to work!)

Or do what I do:  have two copies, one at work, one at home.  {{;-)

                    --Krankor


(Ok, I lied. I actually have 6 copies, if you include 3 of the old
edition)

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