tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Feb 19 08:54:40 1999
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Re: qama'
In a message dated 2/19/1999 9:25:36 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
<< What logic? Yes, {-DIch} *is* a number suffix. {'ar}, however, is
not a number, so there is no logic whatsoever in putting them
together. It looks like you're taking the existence of the question
word {'arlogh} as opening a door for putting number suffixes on
everything. One might as well take the existence of words like
{botjan} and {Saqjan} as blanket permission to tack {jan} on any verb,
but until there is an "official" description of something like that,
it's just unsupported speculation. The issue I see here is that it's
unproven, not likely to be understood, and completely unnecessary.
>>
Ah, but filling the holes with cement, even when we must yet invent the mortar
to hold together the bricks, is valuable. KLI members have long held a
reputation for discussin, arguing, filling in holes in the Klingon language.
At the same time, we have a specific prohibition against putting a verb and a
noun together to make a new noun. MO has done it a lot. But, he claims that
the so-called verb part really is a noun that has fallen out of use or we
don't know how to use it in current Klingon.
Although MO did not make up {'arDIch}, I have contrived it to show its
possibility, nay, likelihood. This is the type of thing that will get MO to
verify or negate.
As for {'ar}, it is an adverb, clearly and truly. But, when joined with
{-logh} becomes a question word, even when the answer to the question fills
the position of an adverb. {'arDIch} will be a question word, just requiring
a number in an "adjective's" position to answer it. {nuqDaq} is a question
word that only appears to be made up of {nuq} and {Daq}. It appears to
require a locative construction as its answer. But, it can be answered with a
direct object, viz when the verb is{Dab} or {ghoS}, for example. Actually,
{nuqDaq} is not a "locative question" at all. It is merely a question word.
peHruS