tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Aug 09 15:19:04 1998

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KLBC++ : Some Questions on {jatlh}, {ghom}, etc.



Stardate 9808.09

Greetings.

While composing an email communiqué, I rendered {maghomqa'} for 
"we meet again" and as a result several questions have been conjured.

In the spirit of {qajatlh} "I speak to you/I speak with you", would it 
be acceptible to say, {qaghomqa'} for "I meet you again" or {choghomqa'} 
for
"you meet me again"; or should these be fully expanded to {maghomchuqqa' 
maH} "we meet/encounter each other again" and so on?

Some related questions were also manifested in my mind.

The {qajatlh} Situation:
We've seen {qajatlh} in "canon" for "I speak to you/I speak with you".
The Postal Course includes {qaghItlh} for "I write to you".  We've also
seen mention of their expanded/alternate forms, {SoHvaD jIjatlh} and
{SoHvaD jIghItlh}, making use of the {-vaD} suffix's "for, intended for"
connotation. Here's the question: Does {SoHvaD jIjatlh} carry both 
meanings of "I speak to/with you" (as in directly addressing someone) 
and "I speak for you" (as in speaking on behalf of someone)? 

-Hypothetical example of question-
ghojmoHwI': (checking chronometer) qatlh bIpaS be'?
loD: (beginning to speak on behalf of be')  ropmo' paS ghaH 'ach...
be': (standing, addressing loD) SoHvaD yIjatlhQo'. jIHvaD jIjatlhlaH.
--
Teacher: Why are you late woman?
Man: She's late because she's sick, but...
Woman: Don't speak for me. I can speak for myself.

The Pronouns-with-Prefixes Situation:
We all know (or at least heard/read) about clipped Klingon, which is an 
art unto itself. Aside from clipped Klingon, we see short-cuts or 
shortened phrases quite frequently. Most would write/speak {qaHoH} for 
"I kill you" instead of the expanded {SoH HoH jIH}. First Question: 
Wouldn't the {qa-} prefix still be required for {SoH qaHoH jIH}? Second 
Question: Are the expanded renderings more correct or more grammatically 
preferred?

Thanks to all who offer questions/comments regarding this post.

tlhIngan maH!
reH tlhInganpu' taHjaj!
wa' Dol nIvDaq matay'DI' maQap.
batlh maSuvtaHvIS maHeghjaj.
manajtaHvIS qeylIS qa' wIghomjaj.
ratlh vaghvatlh Hut jajmey.

*****
Dawut (David)
[email protected]
ICQ: 5051089

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