tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jan 14 18:59:04 1997

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RE: KLBC: tea for two



January 14, 1997 3:05 PM EST, jatlh torroS:

> In my first post, I asked how I would say "What kind of tea do you 
> want?" [...] So, I took a 
> step back and decided to start with a common but simple dialog that 
> occurs between my wife and me regularly:
> 
> Q: Dargh DaneH'a'?  |  Do you want some tea?
> A: HIja'.           |  Yes.
> Q: nuq DawIv?       |  What kind?  (lit. "What do you choose?")

majQa'!

> Now, sometimes I just start with the question "What kind of tea do you 
> want?", because I know the answer is going to be "yes". In tlhIngan Hol
> I want to say:
> 
>    nuq Dargh DaneH?
> 
> I have read on the list, though, that I can't use {nuq} followed by a 
> noun. I don't understand why that is the case. TKD defines {nuq} as
> 
>    nuq   what? (ques)
> 
> and in "6.4. Questions" says
> 
>    For 'Iv "who?" and nuq "what?" the question word fits into the
>    sentence in the position that would be occupied by the answer.
> 
> Unfortunately, all of the examples use {nuq} as if it were a pronoun.

In some ways, it resembles a pronoun.  However, according to what it says on 
that page, the words {nuq} and {'Iv} replace the *subject* or *object*, not 
just a noun.  This is a little uncertain, though, as the text saying this 
could be referring to only the two examples given.

Still, suppose the answer to the question *{nuq Dargh DaneH?} were "sour tea" 
{Dargh wIb}.  What noun are you replacing with {nuq}?  The noun phrase {Dargh 
wIb}?  Then, the answer would have to be *{Dargh wIb Dargh vIneH}, which is 
silly.

As far as I can tell, these two question words have to account for the entire 
subject or object.

> So, here is my second try at "What kind of tea do you want?", even 
> though it seems awkward:
> 
>    Dargh DatlhutlhmeH nuq DawIv?

This is fine.  I don't find it particularly awkward.  It has exactly the same 
number of syllables as the English above it.  It even says a little more.  I 
mean, we know tea is for drinking, but the English doesn't say that in as many 
syllables.  And there may come other examples where the purpose of whatever it 
is you're asking about isn't obvious.

Here's another idea for you:

Dargh DaneHbogh yIngu'.
Identify the tea which you want.

Who says English questions have to be translated only as Klingon questions?  
As long as it gets the person to pick a kind of tea . . .

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97040.5


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