tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Mar 06 21:42:13 1994
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Re: Noun-Noun Construction
- From: Will Martin <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: Noun-Noun Construction
- Date: Mon, 7 Mar 94 10:40:12 EST
On Mar 4, 8:39pm, "d'Armond Speers" wrote:
...
> Regarding the noun-noun construction:
...
> The example given in TKD is "nuH pegh," which is translated as
> "the weapon's secret," or "the secret of the weapon." Hmm. This
> certainly can not be interpreted as "the secret weapon," which
> is what my first impression told me (you know, the impression you
> get before you *think*).
...
> Holtej
Good point. Here is a case to show that in general, if a word serves as
both a noun and a verb and the verb is of the type that can be used
adjectivally, then without a suffix to reveal whether it is being used as a
noun or verb, the phrase is quite ambiguous.
As for {pegh} as verb, I see it as the most confusing of the verbs I've
noticed yet. "secret, keep a secret" could easily be interpreted either as
the "keyword, phrase" type of entry or the "adjective, verb" type of entry
because of the adjective/noun nature of the English word "secret". This
pushes me to avoid the use of {pegh} as adjective until greater clarity is
offered from some as-yet-unrevealed canon. It is probably the "keyword,
phrase" type entry.
In rereading TKD on this and other topics, it also struck me that unless
a type 5 noun suffix is appied to an adjectival verb, there is no apparent
limit on verbal suffixes applied to adjectival verbs [TKD 4.4]. It says that
{-qu'} MAY be used and describes what it means WHEN it is used, and it goes
on to say that IF A TYPE 5 NOUN SUFFIX IS USED, then ONLY {-qu'} can be used,
but it never says you can't use other suffixes if a type 5 noun suffix is NOT
used..., so the example Guido brought up in self confessed sarcasm is
actually less controversial than I thought. Now, if I could only remember
what it was...
Certainly, verbs like {QuchHa'}, {lo'laH}, {lo'laHbe'}, {jubbe'}, and I
FOUND IT {HeghmoH} should all be acceptable in use as adjectives, so long as
there is no Type 5 noun suffix involved. Do I hear the whistle of incoming
missiles? {{:)>
charghwI'