tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Jan 16 17:13:21 1997

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Re: KLBC: Tea for two



jatlh M. Mandel:

>vIpar jIH je, 'ej meqwIj vIQIjchu'laH.
>
>This use of "how" in English is really a question-adjective, like 
>Esperanto "kia": it means "like what?" The answer to the normal 
>uses of "how" (as in "how do I fix this faucet?" or "how fast is she 
>running?") describes an action ("First turn off the water 
>supply...", "xxx meters per second"); but the answer to "how do 
>you want your tea?" describes a thing ("with lemon and very hot", 
>"weak, with a drop of milk"). 

I had realized this . . . the only reason I suggested it is because it has
precedent in English and German, that I know of, and I figured it would be
interesting to discuss. Perhaps the speculation was unneeded, but it would
certainly be an interesting possibility if Klingon, too, used "how" with a
double meaning. Out of curiosity, what _exactly_ does "which" mean? Is
there a way to define it outside of itself, and, if so, could it be applied
to Klingon? The command work-around is fine, and I realize that a language
may just not use some concepts, but I still want to try and say it more
directly.

-HurghwI'



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