tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Dec 24 07:46:29 1998
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Re: KLBC Am I doing this right yet??
pagh:
>We have this very phrase in TKW: <qun qon charghwI'pu''e'>. The lack of the
><lu-> prefix is interesting. In KGT, Okrand says it is a common error,
>especially in non-formal speech.
SuStel:
: It is also possible that the Klingon saying might be more accurately
: translated as "Histories are written by the victors." {qun} might be
: plural.
1) {qun} might also be a type of mass noun - like {muD} "air" or {bIQ}
"water"
- or a vague, abstract "concept" - like {paQDI'norgh} "teachings", {quH}
"heritage" or {batlh} "honor". As such, they might well not have plural forms
or are not even viewed in the light of the singular/plural distinction. Thus
*{qunmey} might be illegal. Which may mean that Klingons are undecided as to
which set of verb prefixes to use with them: those with plural or singular
objects. Interestingly, {lurDech} "tradition" can be used in the plural:
qorDu' lurDechmeyna' pab tlhInganpu'
With strong [Klingon] family traditions... (S13)
2) IRL Okrand may well have originally written {qun qon charghwI''e'}
"History
is written by the victor" - which is, after all, the same idea - but
remembered
about our own, former BG {charghwI'} at the last minute. Not wanting to say
"It is charghwI' who writes history", he made it plural, forgetting to emend
{qon} at the same time. Voila! Omitting {lu-} becomes a "common error"!
3) BTW, nice use of {qon} by Okrand: to Klingons, history is creatively
composed like songs or literature, not compiled {gher} like a list or log
entry.
_________________________________________________________________________
Voragh "Grammatici certant et adhuc sub judice
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons lis est." Horace (Ars Poetica)