tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Jun 08 23:07:52 1997
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Re: jatlhwI' pegh
peHruS writes:
><< > Then, try saying something with two {-be'}s on it!
> DuHbe'be'! :)
> >>
>
>You did it; but, I really don't like it. tlhIngan Hol does not allow for
>double negatives.
More properly, *correct* tlhIngan Hol doesn't use double negatives for a
negative meaning.
>Even to say "I don't say anything" renders in tlhIngan Hol as {pagh vIja'},
>not as {pagh vIja'be'}.
I think {jIja'be'} is a more provably grammatical way to say it.
You're trying to use {pagh} as the object of {ja'}, and we don't
really know if that's right. The body of evidence suggests to us
that it isn't. {pagh vIja'} seems to mean "I told him, 'nothing'."
Direct quotation is the only way we are sure verbs of saying work.
{pagh vIja'be'} *does* quite accurately translate the phrase
"I didn't tell him 'nothing'."
-- ghunchu'wI'