tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Aug 20 09:55:06 1997

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Re: To -'e' or Not To -'e'



charghwI' said:
> >toQDujvetlh 'oH DujwIj'e'.
> >
> >DujwIj 'oH toQDujvetlh'e'.
> >
> >Both of these work for me. There is no "As for my ship..." or
> >"As for that Bird-of-Prey..." implied.
> 
ghunchu'wI' answered:
> Hmm.  I *do* see a focus on the subject, but it's not necessarily
> because of the {-'e'}.  It's just how I interpret "to be" pronouns.
> I see it that way even if the {-'e'} is left off.
> 
just as areminder: Okrand does use this "as for" description, when he
talks about the use of {-'e'} in "to be" sentences in TKD.

he also says in KGT that in some dialect, where {-'e'} is optional,
it has its usual topicalizing meaning when used and that in standard
tlhIngan Hol, because {-'e'} is mandatory, you cannot make the
distinction between "topicalized" and "non-topicalized" subject

thus, it is at least not completely wrong to use "as for.." when
translating "to be" sentences

HomDoq



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