tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jan 28 15:03:11 1997
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RE: "Excessive(ly)"
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: "Excessive(ly)"
- Date: Tue, 28 Jan 97 05:45:17 UT
January 27, 1997 8:03 PM EST, jatlh Karl:
> Hi, all! I'm a new subscriber, from the
> rarified heights of Tujunga, California.
Hi! I'm SuStel, the list's Beginners' Grammarian. It's my job to help out
newcomers in need. If you have any questions about Klingon, or would just
like to converse in Klingon with me or anyone else at a beginner's level, just
put "KLBC" in the beginning of the subject line. This marks it as the BG's
territory: I will be the first to look at it for its grammar.
If you haven't already, please visit the following very important sites:
The KLI homepage:
http://www.kli.org
This list's FAQ:
http://www.thomtech.com/~dspeers/klingon/faq.htm
> Right away, I find I have a question.
maj. nom vang tlhInganpu'!
> How does Klingon expressive the concept of an excessive
> degree of some quality?
This is usually done by using the {-qu'} verb suffix to emphasize the
excessive element. Marc Okrand himself has done this a couple of times. I
shall demonstrate using your examples below:
> "This place is too quiet."
tamqu' Daqvam.
Imagine someone looking around and uttering, "This place is *quiet*!" This
indicates to *me* that the quietness is emphasized, and therefore, might be
excessive. I think it works nicely. The Klingon does just this.
Note also, however, that adding {-qu'} may just mean that it is very quiet,
but not *too* quiet. Here, context is your only guide. Let's take another
example:
I can't hear you! The room is too noisy!
qaQoylaHbe'! chuSqu' pa'!
Obviously, saying "The room is very noisy" tells you that because it is so
noisy, you cannot hear. Therefore, it is *too* noisy. This is all contained
in the context.
> "This gaH is too salty."
Unfortunately, I don't know the word for "salty." Let me say something else:
I cannot drink the tea. It is too sour.
Dargh vItlhutlhlaHbe'. wIbqu'.
> "He over-indulges his child."
You really pick hard ones! My best guess right now would come out as
something which has no {-qu'} in it in this way.
> "I think, therefore I'm overqualified."
Because of certain past discussions, I really want to refuse to look at this!
Well, maybe . . .
jIQub, vaj jI'umqu'
I think, therefore I am *qualified*.
In the right context, again, this could mean "too qualified."
> (I don't have a canned introduction.
I do. You've just read it. Well, it's semi-canned. I write it out, slightly
differently every time, but I don't just cut-and-paste it.
--
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97076.6