tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jul 28 21:30:54 1997

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chay'



Other than chay' and qatlh, all the question words assume the syntactical 
position of what would be the answer to the question. These two simply precede 
the complete sentence and ask for clarification or additional information. 
(ghorgh is like this too, but that is simply an unknown time expression, 
placed in the time-adverbial's position.)

qatlh is easy, it asks What is the reason? What -mo' noun or verb would 
explain the occurrence of the event in the question?

qatlh Haw'pu' yaS = Why did the officer flee?

vum DaneHbe'mo' Haw'pu' yaS = The officer fled because he did not want to 
work.
be' 'IHmo' Haw'pu' yaS = The officer fled because of a beautiful woman.

chay' seems easy too - it seems to ask for either an adverbial or an 
explanation of the method used by the participants in the question's 
statement.

exs. from TDK p. 70

chay' Haw'pu' yaS = How did the officer flee?

Possible answers -

nom Haw'pu' yaS = The officer fled quickly.
pu'HIchwIj DanIHta' 'ej nuvulmoH. = He stole my phaser and made us 
unconscious.

chay' jura' = What are your orders?/How do you command us? 

This asks not for an adverbial (chIch jura', taHqeq!) nor for an explanation 
of the method (DuH vIwIv 'ej Sajatlh, yIpab!) but for what exactly? It is 
almost a REQUEST for the addressee to perform the sentence, almost like a 
command (ghora'neS). Or perhaps we are asking To what end do you command us? 
Or How do you plan to command us? This is probably an idiomatic usage for this 
situation only. 'e' vItulqu'!

This is the only question word that seems to translate in more than one way 
even without considering the example with ra'. It asks for possibly two 
different types of responses (depending on context, most likely). It is 
interesting - it is the only ambiguous question word....

Is there additional canon on this? I'd enjoy exploring this further.

Qermaq


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