tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Dec 10 23:26:02 1997

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Re: -wI' ambiguous suffix



-----Original Message-----
From: Eduardo Fonseca <[email protected]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[email protected]>
Date: Tuesday, December 09, 1997 8:56 PM
Subject: -wI' ambiguous suffix


>        I was thinking about suffix < -wI' >  (person or thing who does)
>and the ambiguity it can cause.  I didn't a word for << pen >> or << pencil
>>
>then, the word << ghItlhwI' >> " thing who writes"  could be a good way but
>it could mean "writer" too. Okay .. the context will tell us the write
word, but
>I'm not sure if we'll have all answers all the time.  Another way I thought
>about was << ghItlhmoHwI'>> < thing which cause to write >> but I'm not
>sure about it.  I was wondering about the klingon's evolution and one day
>they may had to use a pencil or pen.

{ghItlhmoHwI'} might be better translated into English as "thing which
causes (something else) to write."  Maybe the power button on your printer,
or your computer's LPT port, or something.

I don't see a problem with this ambiguity.

We've often wondered about native Klingon writing instruments (or,
instruments for making marks).  KGT pp. 79-81 gives us a little information:

nanwI'
chisel ("gouger")

teywI'
file ("scraper")

ghItlhwI'
stylus ("engraver," when used in the context of carving a statue)

KGT mentions that {ghItlhwI'} also refers to any writing implement, as well
as any person who writes.

'etlh
blade (any blade may be used as a sculpting tool)

rItlh naQ
pigment stick (a stick with flattened ends) (sometimes {nItlh naQ} is used
by artists)

nItlhpachDu'
sometimes used to refer to ends of pigment stick ("fingernails")

Those are just the nouns.  There are also several verbs talking about making
marks in art.

SuStel
Stardate 97944.5






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