tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Jul 12 12:26:38 1997
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Re: KLBC: Trainning the begginers
- From: "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: KLBC: Trainning the begginers
- Date: Sat, 12 Jul 97 18:57:26 UT
[email protected] on behalf of Robyn Stewart wrote:
> & > 4. The rom commander dropped his tea on the contol panel
> & > SeHlawDaq Dargh chaghta' romuluSngan la'
>
> This sentence isn't incorrect. There could likely be a context where
> it would make sense to translate it as simple past tense. But it
> isn't past tense. Don't think of it that way.
Well, let's assume that he meant {-pu'} instead of {-ta'} (I doubt the Romulan
commander would have *intentionally* dropped his tea on the control panel).
SeHlawDaq Dargh chaghpu' romuluSngan la'.
This is in response to the question
qatlh jor romuluSngan Duj.
In fact, the question itself sets the time context: the moment of the
explosion of the ship. The tea was dropped before that, so the dropping was
definitely performed to completion.
This whole thing might be combined into one sentence, and you'll see that the
use of aspect is quite correct.
SeHlawDaq Dargh chaghpu'mo' romuluSngan la', jor romuluSngan Duj.
Because the Romulan commander had dropped tea on the control panel, the
Romulan ship exploded.
The tea was dropped, it's done, it's finished, and now the ship explodes.
--
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97529.9