tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Sep 27 16:42:20 1994

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Re: KLBC: adjectives



Good question from yoDtargh:

> Can I add any other verb suffixes to verbs used as adjectives 
> besides {-qu'}?  From reading the last paragraph of Sec. 4.4, it seems to 
> imply that I can, as long as I'm not also using a Type 5 noun suffix.  
> 
> For example, is it legal to say: 
> ghu' Do'Ha' 	an unfortunate situation
> qama' ralbe'	a non-violent prisoner
> 
> yoDtargh

This is somewhat debatable, though a respectable number have
taken this reading of 4.4 in TKD. If you look a little closer,
you'll note that Okrand does not give you explicit license to
use ANY verb suffixes except {-qu'} on a verb used
adjectivally. The paragraph you focus on says, "If a Type 5
noun suffix is used (section 3.3.5), it follows the verb,
which when used to modify the noun in this way, can have no
other suffix except the rover {-qu'} EMPHATIC. The Type 5 noun
suffix follows {-qu'}."

Notice that he does not say "can have no other verb suffix...".
He says "can have no other suffix...". For all we know, he was
warning us that it can have no other NOUN suffix. The OTHER
noun suffixes stay back on the noun while the Type 5 noun
suffix slides over to the verb. Meanwhile, the verb can still
have the {-qu'} suffix, which is the ONLY verb suffix he has
mentioned that can be used with a verb used adjectivally.

In the previous paragraph, he makes special note that you CAN
use the {-qu'} rover on verbs used adjectivally. If all verb
suffixes were okay on verbs used adjectivally, then why would
he go to the trouble of specially noting {-qu'}? It would be
just another allowable suffix, just like everything else.

My own interpretation of this is the most conservative one. I
think Okrand wants to only allow {-qu'} until HE needs another
suffix, at which point THAT suffix will become another
exception, just like {-qu'}.

Clearly, the most likely next suffix will be negation, since it
immediately doubles the total of available adjectival verbs.
Meanwhile, if you want to accept the most conservatively
confirmed proper Klingon, you'll have to shift to something
like a relative clause if you want to negate an adjectival:

Do'Ha'bogh ghu'         an unfortunate situation
ralbe'bogh qama'        a non-violent prisoner

There may well be canon that already establishes negation or
other verb suffixes on adjectival verbs. Nothing comes to mind.
~mark? Krankor? Can anybody think of anything?

charghwI'



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