tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Jan 15 16:38:27 1997

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RE: KLBC: naDev bIrbejqu'!

January 15, 1997 5:25 AM EST, jatlh 'Iwvan:

> > [...] the entry in TKD for {'Ij} says "listen," not "listen to."
> 
> So it does.  But methinks a verb meaning `listen' which doesn't allow
> one to name the thing listened to would be nearly useless.

I've been through this argument a number of times before, of course, but I 
certainly don't think that {'Ij} is useless in the intransitive sense.  {chuS 
Ha'DIbaH.  'IjtaH puqpu'.}  {yI'Ij!}

> In English
> that thing is introduced by _to_, a preposition with no actual meaning.
> There are no such things in Klingon; its Type 5 suffixes are all loaded
> with meaning, and none of them would be appropriate for this purpose.
> I have the impression that Klingon takes just about any excuse to make
> a verb transitive, although there probably are exceptions.

The point that is made here is that Okrand seemed to be very careful in adding 
in extra prepositional words to his word glosses.  For example, {loS} isn't 
just "wait," it's "wait (for)."  And {buS} isn't just "concentrate," it's 
"concentrate on."  {paq vIbuS} means "I concentrate on the book."  If Okrand 
had intended {'Ij} to be "listen to," he would have said so.

> To be sure, it may be that Klingon is also weird in this way.  If so,
> my entry for `I listen to you' is {qaQoymeH jI'Ij}.
> 
> > Rather, say {vIQoy}, "I hear it."  To Okrand's mind, in TKW (page 31),
> > it seems that {'Ij} means the act of receiving audible information in
> > the ear, and {Qoy} refers to the understanding of this information.
> 
> I think the difference is the same as suggested by the glosses: {Qoy}
> `hear' is the act of perceiving audible signals and {'Ij} `listen' is
> the effort directed at such perception, a variety of {qIm} `attend'.

I happen to agree with you on the meanings of these English words, but Okrand 
has gone out of his way to explain this to us, and even translates "Listen to 
the voice of your blood" as {ghoghlIj yIQoy}.  What more do you require?

> > Hat bIr ja' muDtej.
> > The weatherman reported a cold temperature.
> 
> Not a low one?

True.

<DaHjaj bIr muD> ja' muDtej.

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97043.1

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