tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Nov 24 07:19:16 1996
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RE: {-vam} {-vetlh} je
- From: Qorbeq <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: {-vam} {-vetlh} je
- Date: Fri, 22 Nov 96 17:06:39 +0100 (BST)
- Organization: Parallel Dimensions
jatlh SuStel:
> > <current topic> luja'chuqDI' ghotpu', pIj {-vetlh} lulo' 'e' vItu'.
> > tlhIngan Hol jatlhlu'taHvIS, <that> 'oSba' {-vetlh}. 'ach rapbe'
> > {tlhIngan <that>} {DI'vI' <that>} je.
>
> The question is ( I think), what's the difference between "that" and "this,"
> when you're talking about something like "the current topic"? Is this
> correct?
Kinda. More of a statement that I notice a lot of people using {-vetlh}
where I would have used {-vam}. Okrand says of {-vam} ... "this suffix
indicates that the noun refers to an object which is nearby OR WHICH IS THE
TOPIC OF THE CONVERSATION" and illustrates it with
yuQvam this planet (that we've been talking about)
yuQvetlh that planet (as opposed to the one we've been talking about)
Because of these statements, I've been using {-vam} in such things as
{wanI'vam}
when referring to an occurrance that I've been discussing with someone.
However, ghunchuwI' used {wanI'vetlh} in a recent reply to ~mark's "may she
walk the river of blood" regarding his new niece. I saw this and realised
that people weren't following the precise word of the book.
> The answer to this is, "this" and "that" are very relative terms. It all
> depends on how you decide to use them. Can you exactly define the difference
> between them in English, let alone Klingon?
Ah -- but I thought that Okrand HAD defined them pretty well on TKD p26. Am
I reading too much into what he's written ?
Oh, and I originally flagged this as KLBC more to get your attention than
because it was a true KLBC question. I guess I should have left it more
open than I did ...
nI'jaj yInlIj, 'ej batlh bIHeghjaj.
Qorbeq
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