RE: Happy belated birthday

["Andeen, Eric" <Eric.Andeen@Sequencia.com>]

jatlh peHruS:

>>>>>

In a message dated 2/12/1999 9:03:20 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
sboozer@midway.uchicago.edu writes:

<< 
 : I can wish someone a happy birthday by saying <qoSlIj Quchjaj!>. 
 
 This should be {Quchjaj qoSlIj} "May your birthday be happy!"  {qoS} is the
subject and must follow the verb {Quch}.  {qoS Quch} is the noun phrase "a
happy birthday", with {Quch} used "adjectivally".
  >>

Here I must respectfully disagree with our Canon Master, Voragh.

This is a wish.  Therefore, it is equal to a toast.  Toasts' grammar have an
overriding factor:  the syllable {-jaj} must be the final syllable of the
sentence. (KGT p. 25)

>>>>>

A wish is NOT the same thing as a toast. A toast is a wish expressed,
usually in company, with a HIvje' raised in the air, followed by a drink.
The word "toast" has a very specific cultural meaning, and I am not willing
to drastically expand it to mean *all* uses of <-jaj>.


pagh
Beginners' Grammarian