tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon May 11 20:12:24 1998
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Re: V6 suffixes
Matthew Peperell <[email protected]> writes:
>How are the ideas of
>'hopefully' some task will be completed
In English, the adverb "hopefully" used to mean only "in a hopeful manner".
Klingon doesn't have a simple way to turn verbs into adverbial words, but we
can get the idea across by using the Type 9 verb suffix {-vIS}:
{tultaHvIS, lop nab} "While he was hopeful, he planned a celebration."
See TKD section 4.2.9, and note that {-vIS} is always accompanied by the
Type 6 verb suffix {-taH}.
However, that's not what "hopefully" means in most cases today. It somehow
has turned into another way of saying "I hope that [something happens]." In
Klingon, this is a straighforward Sentence As Object, described in TKD 6.2.5.
{choSuch 'e' vItul} "I hope that you will visit me."
Section 4.2.9 in the addendum describes another way to express a wish that
something will occur in the future: the suffix {-jaj}. See TKD pp. 175-6.
{choSuchjaj} "May you visit me."
Be careful with this suffix. It is not a request for permission; it indicates
a desire for something to happen. It's commonly used in toasts:
{QuvlIjDaq yIH tu'lu'be'jaj} "May your coordinates be free of tribbles."
>'possibly' ......
The word "possibly" or "maybe" or "perhaps" is translated well by the Klingon
adverbial word {chaq}. {chaq choSuch} "Maybe you will visit me."
>Am I correct in assuming they are type 6 suffixes?
As you see, you were not correct. The Type 6 verb suffixes qualify the degree
of certainty the speaker has about the action. They are listed in TKD section
4.2.6: {-chu'} "clearly, perfectly", {-bej} "certainly, undoubtedly", and
{-law'} "seemingly, apparently". The addendum adds {-ba'} "obviously".
-- ghunchu'wI' (DaHjaj BG lIw)