tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Feb 23 17:32:51 1996

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing



[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

Re: KLBC:Names,Cockroaches and things !



nuqHm writes:
>Is there a way to show that you are writing a person's name ?

Not really.  If a name is used often, you'll recognize it.

>Often I will find myself translating a sentence and coming across a
>"WIERD" word, only
>when the rest of the sentence has been translated does it become apparent
>that the word
>is a proper noun !

This shouldn't be a problem.  If it's a subject or object, you'll be
left with either an untranslated word, or something that translates
"weirdly" that is often obviously a name.  If it's something else, it
will usually stick out as referring to the person being addressed.

>A few days ago I found a word in the mailing list which translated to
><*****>cockroach
>(sorry, I can't remember what the first bit was !) - HUH ? - Again I
>assume that it was a
>name.

Hehehe...  That word was not a name.  It was a noun with a type 4 suffix.
{-vetlh} is a noun suffix meaning "that" (as opposed to {vam} "this").
See TKD section 3.3.4 and the charts in the "affixes" section.

I remember furiously trying to figure out why everyone was saying things
like "he ropes me" when I was just beginning.  For weeks, I thought that
{mu'tlhegh} was a verb with the prefix {mu'-}. :-)

>There doesn't appear to be a word for "Disruptor" either.

Don't forget the verb suffix {-wI'} (TKD 3.2.2 and 4.2.9).  The verb
{nIS} "disrupt, interfere" can be turned into the noun {nISwI'}.

>Finally, taH - be at a negative angle (Confused by this)

Don't worry about it.  It's not important.  (If you *ever* encounter a
reason to use it, document the occasion completely and write an article
for HolQeD!)

>I'm probably being thick (as usual).

ghobe'.  ghojlI' neH SoH.

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




Back to archive top level