tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Mar 30 16:04:44 1997

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

RE: Rules for LaserQuest

jatlh Banzai:

> Wow!!  I've started a discussion!! Don't laugh, I'm honestly thrilled.

I remember the first time *I* did that.

> The way I understood the definition in
> TKD of "-Qo'" because TKD p. 47 says "it is the *imperative* counterpart of
> "-be'"".  Since by reciting the rules back to the game marshall at
> LaserQuest I am not giving him any imperative command, I figured that
> "-be'" was the better choice.  Two of the three examples of "-Qo'" on p. 47
> of TKD involved the useage of imperative verb prefixes, further reinforcing
> my belief that "-Qo" is best used for imperatives, (and I would argue that
> the middle of the three examples that does not use an imperative prefix
> would work just as well, and perhaps is better suited to be used with
> "-be'").  Finally, the "feel" of the meaning of "-Qo'" as I interpreted it
> is that of a command ("DO NOT do that!") or a complete refusal to do
> something that I have been told to do ("I WILL NOT do that!").  Since I was
> merely stating a fact and since future tense is interpreted by context, I
> figured the best way to say "I will not run" was by saying "jIqetbe'".  The
> way I interpreted "-Qo'", the sentence "jIqetQo'" would be appropriate only
> if I had been told to run and there was no way in hell I was going to
> comply.  In other words, there would be a totally imperative spirit behind
> my *refusal* to run.

{-Qo'} is not used only for commands.  If there is a command, {-Qo'} is 
required and {-be'} is not allowed.  But if there is a statement, {-be'} 
merely negates while {-Qo'} indicates that you refuse to do something.  This 
refusal does not have to be violent in nature.  It could be angry refusal to 
comply, or a polite refusal.

I think the controversy here is that we're not quite sure exactly how you are 
using this sentence.  I was imagining you talking to a group of people, laying 
out a strategy, and simply telling what would happen in a given situation.  
{muleghchugh jIqetbe'}.  ~mark and ghunchu'wI' saw it another way, with you 
announcing to someone that you were refusing to run.  Until you clarify this 
situation for us, we won't be able to agree on the best phrase.  Give us the 
exact situation in which this sentence might be uttered.

-- 
SuStel
Beginners' Grammarian
Stardate 97245.7

Back to archive top level