tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jun 09 09:27:36 1998
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Re: KLBC: Q on {-meH}
- From: "William H. Martin" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: KLBC: Q on {-meH}
- Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 12:27:34 -0400 (EDT)
- In-Reply-To: <[email protected]> from "Marc Ruehlaender" at Jun 9, 98 08:54:18 am
According to Marc Ruehlaender:
>
> jIja':
> > > my problem boils down to this:
> > > if you don't think that {qaSuchmeH} modifies {'eb} here, then I
> > > should be able to modify {'eb} without distorting the meaning of
> > > the sentence, no?
> > >
> > > qaSuchmeH nargh paq vIlaDmeH 'eb.
> > > "The opportunity for me to read a book escaped, in order that I visit you."
> >
> jang charghwI':
> > This works for me.
> > ..
> nuqjatlh??
>
> Unless you say that the intent of the opportunity's escaping was to
> have me visit you. But then you should get the same meaning without
> {paq vIlaDmeH}.
>
> What would *{nargh qaSuchmeH paq vIlaDmeH 'eb} mean to you?
> Or *{nargh paq vIlaDmeH qaSuchmeH 'eb} to exclude the possibility
> of {qaSuchmeH} modifying {paq}...
>
> Marc Ruehlaender
> aka HomDoq
> [email protected]
>
I guess I'm starting to feel like you are fixating on this and
it is not really serving the goal I have of expressing things
clearly using the language. I can argue about the details of
this, but in truth, I really don't care very much.
I know how to use {-meH} and I can see where it starts to feel
overextended and I'll tend to stop using it when it can't carry
the burden of an extended useage, and that doesn't stress me
out. I don't expect each grammatical tool to perform flawlessly
and perform with infinite clarity and versatility. Each
grammatical tool has a limited range of useful expression, with
a fringe area that can be nice in exceptional circumstances and
ugly when overdone. Each grammatical tool also has a threshold
beyond which it simply doesn't work.
I am not one of those who is determined to spend all my time
exploring these extremes. Instead, I seek to express a wide
range of meaning with all the available tools, breaking things
down into multiple sentences when the grammar becomes too
complex.
If you want to argue intensely about the precise point at which
{-meH} stops working, find someone else to argue with. jISaHbe'.
If you want my interest, give me something to express and give
me room to express it with the best tools available, including
multiple sentences to express what was initially stated in a
single, complex sentence.
charghwI'