tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Oct 23 21:32:03 1997
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Re: "you will die without honor"
>>>> But remember the holiday proverb from PK:
>>>> {Hoch DaSopbe'chugh batlh bIHeghbe'}
>>>> "Eat everything or you will die without honor."
ja' Qermaq:
>I write this example off as a non-grammatical unique little variant
>construction. I cannot accept changing the basic rules governing
>interpretation of verb suffixes based on one canonic example which shows
>variation.
law' chovnatlh.
I don't think it's all that unique.
TKD Appendix: {tlhIngan Hol vIjatlhlaHbe'} "I don't speak Klingon."
The concept being negated is "can speak Klingon". I'm pretty sure this is
not saying anything about "cannot-speaking" the Klingon language -- which
would perhaps involve being compelled to be quiet when Klingon is involved?
Power Klingon: {Qo'noSDaq vay' vISovbe'} "I don't know anyone on Kronos."
This is clearly negating the concept "know someone on Kronos". It doesn't
have anything to do with "not-knowing" someone. Perhaps it is ambiguous,
but the meaning carried by {-be'} can obviously be applied to the *entirety*
of what it follows, not just the immediately preceding morpheme.
-- ghunchu'wI'