tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jul 05 03:54:00 1994
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Re: DaqDaq?
- From: d'Armond Speers <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: DaqDaq?
- Date: Tue, 05 Jul 1994 15:50:17 -0400 (EDT)
> >Well, I caution against using a verb-noun construction such as
> >{*Qongnagh}, even if {Qong} has been used in a compound by Okrand
> Thanks for the comment. Our rationale was that *many* words in the
> disctionary are used as both nouns and verbs with no apparrent
> rhyme or reason. (i.e. *we* couldn't figure out oif there was a pattern
> to this usage or not).
>
> Just because it isn't stated in the dictionary that a given word *isn't*
> used as both noun and verb, is it the general consensus of this group
> that you *can't* do that?
I believe you will find that most folks on the list follow the stated
policy of the KLI, that is, the most conservative interpretation. If
it isn't in there, then you're on shaky ground.
For another view, see Glen Proechel's article "Forming nouns from
verbs" in 2:4 of HolQeD. His position is that, since there is no
canonical evidence of a verb+ghach (with no intervening suffix), that
it's ungrammatical. He concludes that the proper method is to use any
verb root you please as a noun, since that's the way Okrand does it.
If you're too sqweamish, then stick a suffix in there, such as {-taH},
in order to conform to his interpretation of the {-ghach} part of the
addendum.
This article created quite a stir on this list, and I don't believe
anything was ever resolved. I'm sure if Glen were on this list, he'd
be submitting messages with verb-noun compounds all the time. Most of
us don't. In fact, every time someone does (usually by mistake), it's
pointed out that it's not quite correct.
For an excellent response to Glen's article, see Captain Krankor's
article "The continuing _-ghach_ controversy" in HolQeD 3:1. He
states his arguments better than I ever could.
> On another note, I've been planning on transcribing the Okrand Tapes (tm)
> and wondered if anyone else had done it (just so I can save myself a WHOLE]
> lot of work. (I'll admit it. I'm basically lazy.)
Sure, I have. Not too long ago, as a matter of fact. I highly
recommend that you plod your way through the tapes anyway, because
it's a great learning experience. The best way to learn the language
is to get into it, and the tapes offer an unprecedented opportunity to
do this.
> Susan
--Holtej