tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Jun 04 16:56:01 1997

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RE: KLBC: yIn QaDwIj

Stardate 97423.29 jatlh Q'ISto'va:

> *yInSopwI'*'e' DuHlaHpu''a'?
> (Could <<yInSopwI'>> (life-eater) be possible?)

What thing is supposed to be possible?  The word {yInSopwI'}.  This, then, it 
the subject of the sentence.  As such, it must come first:

DuH'a' <yInSopwI'>'e'?

Notice that I removed the other suffixes from {DuH}.  You're not asking if it 
is *able* to be possible, you're asking if it *is* possible.  Also, you're not 
asking if this word has been possible, or will have been possible, you're 
asking if it *is* possible.  You shouldn't ask this with the "completed" 
aspect.  Whether it's possible or not, the possibility is never completed.  It 
just is.

As for the word: once again, if you just ran up to me on the street and 
shouted {muHIv yInSopwI'!}, I would start looking around for some horrible 
B-movie monster, or something.  This word is entirely hindsight.

Don't look for the perfect phrase.  Look for a description.

SID nuDlI' Qel.
beppu' SID.
ja' <'oy'taH burghwIj.  jISoptaH 'ach reH jIghungtaH.  jIropbej.>
Hoqra' lo' Qel.
SID ja' <bI'oy'moHbogh Doch vISamta'!  burghlIjDaq yIntaH DepHom'e'.  
bIje''eghDI' DepHom DaDep je.>
SID ghIj ghu'.
jach SID.
jatlh Qel <wa'SaD DeQ.  DaH yIDIl.>

And then, from that point on you'd use {DepHom} to describe the parasite.  
This does >>>***NOT***<<< mean that {DepHom} is the word for "parasite."  It 
just means that your context helps you along.  The next time you chat with 
someone, you can't just go and start talking about a {DepHom}.  The listener 
wouldn't have the faintest idea what you're trying to say.

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97426.3

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