tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Dec 04 04:30:39 1995

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Re: Translation request (clich'e)

I wrote:
>{qu'nutlh jeyqu'laHbej vavoylI'}.  I've added the {-qu'} to emphasize the
>verb "defeat" -- I think it fits the "whup his butt" idea.

peHruS writes:
>You're the BG.  This is the first time I've really looked at using the Rover
>{-qu'} with a Type 6 Berb suffix.  Although grammatically correct, as best I
>can see--there is no conflict due to suffix type--I don't feel good about it.
> I tend to "feel" that {-bej} stands without {-qu'}.

{-qu'} and {-bej} are unrelated to each other.  {-qu'} emphasizes the meaning
of the verb or suffix it follows.  With the possible exception of {-chu'}, a
Type 6 verb suffix indicates how confident the speaker is about what is being
said.  {jeyqu'} could be translated as the verb "massacre" or "obliterate" or
any of a number of hyperbolic phrases often spoken by sportscasters.  When I
add {-bej} I am merely stating that there is no doubt in my mind that this is
true.  If I had used {-law'} I would be qualifying my statement with the idea
that it *seems* to be true.  {-ba'} says that its truth is self-evident, and
anyone who thought about it would immediately agree with it.  {-chu'} is also
an indicator of absolute certainty, but since it's translated "perfectly" it
tends to be used as an adverb applied to the action in addition to its Type 6
meaning applied to the speaker's statement, and this is where an interaction
with {-qu'} might be noted.

-- ghunchu'wI'               batlh Suvchugh vaj batlh SovchoH vaj

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