tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jun 16 10:22:11 1997
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Re: leSSov/Foresight
[compound nouns are only made up of other nouns]
ja' peHruS:
>According to TKD 3.2.1 clearly states the above regarding compound nouns. I
>for one am adamantly adhering to my own belief that other forms of complex
>(not compound) nouns do exist. For evidence that this is allowed, see TKD
>3.2, which states: "Complex nouns, on the other hand, are made of more than
>one part." Especially note the last word in this quotation, "part." This
>does not state that the parts must be nouns.
Correct. The three kinds of complex nouns given are "Compound nouns",
"Verb plus {-wI'}", and "Other complex nouns." The addendum implicitly
adds "Verb plus {-ghach}" to the mix. The only place that a theoretical
verb-noun compound would fit is in "Other complex nouns". However, that
section of TKD explicitly theorizes that the nouns being considered were
formed from "lost nouns", *not* from nouns and verbs.
>Although we as KLI members have
>resolved to make up no new words from the base words we already have except
>by combining nouns to form compound nouns,...
We have resolved to follow the grammar. Klingon is an incredible simulation
of a living language, but we are not the simulated native speakers. We're
still learning and using the language as it exists. We are intentionally
trying not to expand it beyond the way its fictional culture uses it.
>we see many instances wherein Marc
>Okrand has used what seems to be verbs combined with nouns, other verbs, etc.
>to form new nouns.
That's what they *seem* to be. But compounding isn't the only way for a
language to lexicalize words; new terms can enter the vocabulary from many
directions that are unrelated to the language's official grammar. Dropping
morphemes is known to occur, as in {qa'meH}. Borrowing terms from other
languages seems probable in the case of {qa'vIn}; we don't argue that it
has anything to do with "spirit" compounded with a putative {vIn}.
>This is a challenge I have picked up. I continue to fight for its cause.
ghobe'. meq DaHutlhtaHvIS bISuvtaH. You are fighting *without* cause. :-)
-- ghunchu'wI'