tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Mar 04 04:49:23 1994

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more on them screwy adjectivals



While actively thinking about Klingon adjectivals and passively reading some
English text, I came across the word "learned," in the usage "learned men."
This sparked a chain reaction of neuronic impulses in my brain and I received
a grammatical revelation.

I immediately thought of myself as a Klingon studying English that had just
come across "learned" used as an adjective. And I thought, {Hu'tegh!- qaS nuq
jay'?!} because "learned" looks very much like a passive participle, and if
that's the case, then "learned men" are men whom someone learns, the subject
of some indefinite person's study. But the actual meaning is "well-taught
men."

Then my mind ripped back across to the other side of the Language Barrier
(HolveH) and I remembered that canonical {De' pegh} construction that was
posted a number of days ago on the list. So, it seems that languages, both
Terran and otherwise, are not always completely logical. Now I know this must
come as a great shock to you all  {{:-), but it's something we have to deal
with. I would venture to assume that these irregular adjectivals are *very*
common in Hol and we simply must make do with our good judgment where we lack
canonical evidence.


Guido#1, Leader of All Guidos



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