tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Aug 05 12:25:12 1997

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Re: loDvam ghaH 'Iv'e' ?

On Stardate 97591.5 muHwI' wrote:

> ghItlh peHruS:
> 
> > << loDvam ghaH 'Iv'e' >>
> > 
> > I really don't like the above sentence.  It translates as:  Referring to
> > whom, he is this man.  Try << 'Iv ghaH loDvam'e'>> instead.  It translates
> > as:  Referring to this man, who is he?
> > 
> > peHruS
>  
> It was me who wrote that.
> 
> I am (still) a beginner of tlhIngan Hol, and I was trying to say:
>   "Who is this man?"
> 
> {loDvam}  - this man
> {ghaH}     - he
> {'Iv}          - who
> {-'e'}         - topic (actually, I don't remember, why I put that one)

You put that there because it's required in all "to be" constructions.  See 
TKD 6.3.

Now, there are two possibilities:

loDvam ghaH 'Iv'e'?
'Iv ghaH loDvam'e'?

Now, I happen to agree a little with peHruS on how the focus of the sentence 
is perceived.  In the first, the subject is "Who?"  In the second, the subject 
is "this man."  However, both sentences are grammatically correct.  Depending 
on what you want to emphasize, you'd choose one of the other.

loDvam ghaH 'Iv'e'?
Who?  WHO is this man?

'Iv ghaH loDvam'a'?
This man!  Who is he?

> If I want to say the sentence "Who is that man?"? in Klingon, what do I say?
> tlhIngan HolvaD mu'tlhegh <Who is that man?> vIjatlh vIneHchugh, nuq 
vIjatlh?

You have misused {-vaD} here.  Nothing is done for the benefit of Klingon.

tlhIngan Hol vIjatlhtaHvIS "Who is that man?" vIjatlh vIneHchugh, nuq vIjatlh?

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97595.6

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