tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Jun 14 08:37:27 1997

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RE: KLBC: betleH (grammar practice but also need some information)



jatlh Voqrel:

> betleH chenmoH neH loDnalwI'.

While this is grammatically perfect, it is also vague to the point of being 
incomprehensible without prior knowledge of your meaning.  When I first read 
it, I though you meant "My husband merely makes a betleH."

Using pronouns can help you here:

betleH chenmoH loDnalwI' neH ghaH.

> De'wI'Daq 'oH vIcha'laH 'ach chay' tIn 'oH
> vISovbe'.

The first part is just fine.  The second bit is controversial.  You're trying 
to use a question as the object of the sentence, and I just don't think that's 
supposed to be done.  Okrand's never done it, and it seems very much a copying 
of the English, so I avoid it.  (I *could* be wrong, but what if I'm right?  
Better safe than sorry, in this case, I think.)  Also, even if it were 
allowed, you forgot the pronoun {'e'} which *must* come before the second 
verb, {vISovbe'}.

Unfortunately, I don't believe we have words for "size" or "dimension."  We 
could fiddle around with constructions like {tIntaHghach} or {machtaHghach}, 
but this seems very artificial to me.

Here's an idea that might help in this particular case.  Note that it relies 
on commands and questions rather than simply stating that you don't know 
something.  Much more Klingon.

chongtaHvIS betleH, Dung bIng je joj yIjuv.  chuq yIjuv.  HIja'.

> muQaH vay''a'?

The interrogative suffix always goes on the verb.  {muQaH'a' vay'}

> My husband wants to make a betleH. I have a computer picture, but I
> don't know how big it is. Can anyone help?

Nice to see that you didn't rely on using some bogus noun for "picture."  
{De'wI'Daq vIcha'laH} was excellent.

Do'Ha' betleH vIghajbe', vaj vIjuvlaHbe' jIH.

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97451.3


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