tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Aug 08 15:55:29 1996
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Re: Something fun
- From: [email protected]
- Subject: Re: Something fun
- Date: Thu, 8 Aug 1996 18:58:00 -0400
qaSDI' 96-08-08 12:00:39 EDT, jatlh marqem:
> marqoS suggests:
> <<<
> jIje'qu'taH vaj jIH!
> or
> jIje'qu'taHmo' jIH!
> >>>
>
> I don't think you CAN use a pronoun by itself to mean "to be" in
> the sense of "to exist". Okrand has been quoted in this list
> (sorry, reference not handy) as saying he specifically wanted to
> NOT have a verb "to be".
Reference: Star Trek 25th Anniversary Special. A brief clip has Marc Okrand
talking about this.
I'd like to point out that when I originally suggested this use of {jIH}, I
believe I specifically pointed out that this was not a grammatical usage, but
rather that I was trying to make a philosophical point. I'm almost sorry I
ever tried (bepbe' tlhInganpu'!), but let me try one more time to fix this.
***Remember, this is a highly marked and questionable usage!!!***
I am not saying {jIH} with the meaning of "to be" as in "I am." I am not
trying to literally translate the English (or Latin) sentence. When I say
{jIH}, I am making use of the pronoun to emphasize my "pronounness." I am
pointing out that I am an entity, with an identity seperate from the universe
around me. Unlike a deer, which acts purely on instinct, I am aware of this
identity and can act upon this knowledge. I am not trying to say "I exist."
Existence is completely irrelevant to this idea, except that you have to
exist in order to have a seperate identity. A deer exists, but does not
conceive of itself as an entity, and thus is not seperate from the universe
as I am. The deer does exist!
So, when I say, {jIQub vaj jIH} (I agree, I should get rid of the {-taH}), I
am ***NOT*** saying "I think therefore I exist." I exist whether or not I
think about it. But because I have the ability to acknowledge my identity,
because I can "think," I therefore am an entity seperate from the universe
which surrounds me. I am not talking about whether or not I exist!
***Remember, this is a highly marked and questionable usage!!!***
Also remember, I'm trying to be a bit poetic here.
By the way, I like the absolute obscurity which {jIQubmo' jIH} gives. It
looks like an incomplete sentence, "Because *I* think," which actually goes a
long way to supporting the idea which I'm trying to convey. I think it's
just a bit TOO confusing, though, even for me!
Anyone still dare to think I'm trying to say "to be" or "exist"? :)
SuStel
Stardate 96604.9