tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Aug 07 20:26:46 1997
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Re: Location of {-mo'}
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: Location of {-mo'}
- Date: Fri, 8 Aug 97 03:26:00 UT
[email protected] on behalf of Guido wrote:
> I've always gone by pg. 62's remarks on subordinate clauses. The difference
> from the noun suffix -mo' is that very long phrases can crop up in a
> "because" clause and people need a little leeway as to how they may arrange
> their thoughts.
>
> If I am forced to prepose everything before my main verb and subject, I may
> have a lot of trouble getting to the point. vIHoH vIneH, reH SojwIj nIHmo'
> 'ej 'ongwI' Dalaw'mo' Soghvetlh'e'.
Possibly, but this could just as easily be a language bias. If verbal {-mo'}
phrases *were* restricted to the beginning of a sentence, I'm sure Klingons
would be quite used to speaking in that way.
Myself, I often find myself saying a sentence, and then having to repeat it
because I thought of a purpose clause which I wanted to add. I couldn't stick
it at the end, so I had to start all over again. I'm sure Klingons don't do
this, so I guess that it's my English language biases getting in the way.
Purpose clauses can get pretty convoluted, too, so I don't see your argument
against restricting {-mo'} to the beginning of a sentence as valid.
vIHoH vIneH, mubuQqa'laHbe'meH 'ej SIbI' yo' qIjDaq SuvchoHmeH.
This is NOT a valid phrase, but this one is:
mubuQqa'laHbe'meH 'ej SIbI' yo' qIjDaq SuvchoHmeH vIHoH vIneH.
But again, this is merely speculation, not fact, and not even my own firm
opinion.
--
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97602.0