tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Dec 18 14:59:27 1997

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing



[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

Re: KLBC: Short and Easy [James]



In article <[email protected]>, Robyn Stewart
<[email protected]> writes
>> vIta'qa'Qo'
>
>I'm sure that if you were asked to do this again you would refuse, 
>but this sentence is not itself a refusal.  You are simply stating 
>that doing it again is something that you will not do.  Do not be 
>confused by the fact that in English the auxiliary verb marking 
>future tense is the same as the verb indicating willingness.  
>
>vIta'qa'be' - I won't do it again (or I don't do it agian, or I 
>didn't do it again)
>

Forgive me, I am stupid, but I fail to see the difference.  

If I wre to reword that it would be:

I will not do that again in the future.  Which seems to be how you've
translated it.

TKD pages 46 and 47 seem to indicate that *-Qo'* denotes refusal and
that *-be'* denotes negative.  So that -Qo' would be used in "I won't do
it", "I wouldn't do it" or "I will not do it" and that -be' would be
used in "I don't do it" or "I didn't do it" .

Could you try and explain the difference in words of 1 syllable (or less
if possible };) ?

>> jIquvmoHHa''eghta'
>
>The suffixes here are all scrambled.  Have another look at the 
>section on {-Ha'} and then rearrange your suffixes into the correct 
>order.
>

Ah, as someone else (Alan) points out, I saw *quvmoH* as 1 verb in TKD
and didn't realise that I had to shove *-moH* out of the way.

So:

jIquvHa''eghmoHta'

(in the order R 1 4 7, I think now)

I caused myself to be dishonored (I think)

>> I saw *-'egh* as the suffix for oneself and wondered whether than
>> could be used with *pong* for "I name/call myself X" - like the
>> reflexive verb s'appeler in French.
>>
>> *James* vIpong'egh <with or without a 'redundant' *jIJ*>
>>
>> I call myself James (at least, until I can think of a good Klingon
>> alternative)
>>
>> I've probably over-looked something really stupid or a Klingon
>> Grammarian would have picked that one up before now.
>
>Not stupid.  Just persistent.  TKD tells us that the reflexive 
>suffixes require no-object prefixes. 

Mental note to self: Learn to read.

>What is the object of the verb 
>{jIpong'egh}?  You or the name?  If it's you, what is the function in 
>the sentence of the word James?  If it's James, why is {'egh} on the 
>verb?  
>
>You could say:
>
>{jIpong'eghmeH James jIjatlh} (or {vIlo'} or {vImaS}, etc.)

I say (speak) James for (because/since) I call myself?

Doesn't exactly convey the meaning, does it?  

I think I'll stick to the one in the FAQ:

tlhIbwI' 'oH pongwIj'e'

Thinking that *tlhIbwi'* is a good enough description of myself to
constitute the basis of a name.  (One who is incompetent, I believe).

-- 
tlhIbwI' (formerly James Coupe)


Back to archive top level