tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat May 31 09:23:15 1997

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RE: KLBC-First Time

>Mike wrote:
>Mike pongwIj
>My name is Mike.

>SuStel answered:
>To say <something> is <something else>, you need to use a "to be" 
>construction, as described in TKD section 6.3.

<Mike pongwIj> may be acceptable Clipped Klingon.  I am   NOT arguing against 
the advice -- it was GOOD.  I believe the list guidelines say that formal 
Klingon should be used here.  From a "beginning standpoint", I believe it 
should be mentioned that Clipped Klingon is an acceptable aspect of tlhIngan 
Hol. 

>SuStel also answered:
>There's another, more complicated way to say this.  I'll just show you:
>jIHvaD *Mike* ponglu'
>I am called "Mike."

<jIHvaD Mike ponglu'>  appears to be incorrect (TKD 4.2.5). I believe it 
should be Mike vIponglu'  i.e. I'm called Mike. I often forget the required 
prefix when using <-lu> because I keep thinking (one does).  I don't believe 
there is canon to support jIHvaD *Mike* ponglu'. 

>SuStel also used the form:
>[yourname] 'oH ponglIj'e'.

In the recent issue of qIb HeHDaq, Glen Proechel wrote the following refering 
to the use of  naming.  I think the use of "nuq" may set a precedence for this 
statement.

********** from the Beginner's Column  ********
Introductions -- My name is ...

There are several ways of asking and stating your name.  The most common are:

ponglIj nuq?  (What's your name?)
ponglIj 'oH nuq'e'?  (What is your name? -- formal usage)

To which you would answer:

pongwIj be'tor?  (B'Etor my name -- this is Clipped Klingon)
pongwIj 'oH be'tor'e'?  (B'Etor is my name -- this is formal usage)

Clipped Klingon is the easiest and the most straightforward method.  When 
using formal Klingon, the pronoun <'oH> is used and the <'-e'> topic marker is 
attached to the subject noun.  Note that <nuq> and <the name> are the subjects 
and they are placed in the subject position in the sentence.

You can also probably say:

chay' bIpong'egh?  (How do you call yourself?)

To which the answer would be:

be'tor jIpong'egh.  (I call myself B'Etor.)
***********   end  *****************

Canon shows a definite and consistant <nuq> placement in the "subject" 
position of a sentence for these types of questions:

THE KLINGON DICTIONARY
qaStaH nuq jay'  --  What the #$*@ is happening?
Duj ghoStaH nuq  --  What is coming toward the ship?
nughoStaH nuq  --  What is coming toward us?

CONVERSATIONAL KLINGON
Dochvam nuq  --  What is this?
Daqvam nuq  --  What is this place?
pa'Daq qaStaH nuq  --  What's happening over there?

CONVERSATIONAL KLINGON
Sojvetlh 'oH nuq  --  What is that food?  (I didn't hear the <'e'>)

STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
Dujvetlh 'oH nuq? rIn.  --  What ship is that? ...over.
qaStaH nuq jay'  --  What the #$*@ is happening?

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