tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Dec 27 21:07:34 1996

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RE: Use of Verbs + types + -wI'

At 15:15 27/12/96 -0800, you wrote:
>December 27, 1996 2:29 AM, jatlh peHruS:
>
>> DIpmey law' nop tlhIngan Hol wIyajbogh
>> 
>> TKD*Daq ghItlh Okrand     (begin paraphrase:::) This dictionary does not
>> include words for flora and fauna, and many items on the planets' surface,
>> mostly only the words for conversation of the bridge of a starship.  (end)
>
>Actually, Okrand does not mention anything about Klingon being known only 
>concerning spaceship terminology.  Certainly, it is mentioned that for a long 
>time the Federation only understood Klingon as it was used during battle, but 
>how does this explain words like {mavjop} or {noSvagh}?  Besides, when writing 
>a Klingon story, I discovered that there was no word for "tractor beam."  I 
>invented a phrase which covered this lack.
>
>> (begin another)  Maltz has not provided us with all the words which Klingons
>> use.  (end)
>> 
>> By inference, I think there are lots more Klingon words within the tlhIngan
>> wo'.  I, a Terran student of tlhIngan Hol, am curious as to what they are.
>
>I quite agree.  We don't know many words.  ***But that doesn't mean they are 
>nouns!!!***  It's likely that a high percentage of these words are verbs.  
>They're used much more in Klingon.
>
>Those nouns we don't know are likely to be specific to Klingons.  That's why 
>we don't know them.  From KCD we know that {ghIntaq} is "battle spear," 
>{cha'nob} is "ritual gifts," and {raHta'} is a type of Klingon food which is 
>really bad when it's half-dead.  Obviously, the Federation didn't know about 
>these words until later because they are very specific to Klingon culture!  
>But the words *you* want to invent, like "kitchen" and "dining room," aren't 
>there because they're not very important to Klingons!  Heck, even {parmaq} 
>doesn't just mean "love," but "love, Klingon style, and we're not sure yet how 
>it's used."  You see?  These nouns are more Klingon oriented, and so less 
>routinely functional in sentences.
>
>> Back to reality -- yes, I definitely would like to see more tlhIngan Hol.
>>  Impatiently, apparently, I await much more from our language's creator
>> (instead of fantasizing merely on going to Kronos and learning those words
>> from the natives).  Even in this verb-oriented language, nouns are 
>important.
>
>Sure.  They have a category of their own.  One of three: {wotmey}, {DIpmey}, 
>{chuvmey}.  But there are plenty more verbs than there are nouns, and for a 
>reason: they're used much more frequently.
>
>> BTW, since we have QongDaq for bed, I have been using the words SopDaq,
>> ghItlhDaq, and vutDaq.  OTOH, I would never say ba'Daq, as we have quS.
>
>If we didn't have {quS}, you *would* say *{ba'Daq}.  Then, when {quS} was 
>"discovered," you'd suddenly be absolutely wrong!  {QongDaq} is a noun.  It is 
>not the modern Klingon word {Qong} with a noun suffix on it, and it is not 
>{Qong} with the noun {Daq} on it.  It is {QongDaq}.  Perhaps in the 
>(fictional) development of Klingon these were originally seperate elements, 
>but they are not now!  As far as I am concerned, your words above are illegal, 
>and would be balked at by Klingons.
>
>{SopmeH pa'}.  {ghItlhmeH beQwI'}.  {vutmeH pa'}.  Heck, I'd even agree to 
>{Sojpa'}.  See?  Verbs.  They work miracles.
>
>> I have noticed an increase in words dealing with customs and foods, at least
>> since TKW's publication.  Personally, I hope this trend continues!!!
>
>Also from KCD.
>
>-- 
>SuStel
>Beginners' Grammarian
>Stardate 96990.9
>
>

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Felipe Meyer de Souza
Presunto
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