tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Jan 14 15:17:31 1999
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RE: -bogh and -wI'
lab muHwI':
> -wI' can be added to a verb like in english -er to make it a noun.
> baH - baHwI'... So' - So'wI'...
> tIj - tIjwI'... HoH - HoHwI'...
> All these examples are verbs of action, though. It sounds awkward to
> me to say things like {moHwI'} ("ugly person") or {HeghwI'}
> ("dying person"), because they do not exist in english. Are they
> correct, or do I need to say it like in english using the -bogh
> suffix? {moHbogh loD vIlegh}
There are really four possible English meanings of <-wI'>:
One who does - waiter / jabwI'
Thing which does - washer / Say'moHwI'
One who is - ugly person / moHwI'
Thing which is ...
The first three work just fine, but the fourth may not.
<-wI'> is *much* more versatile than the English <-er>. Not only can you put
it on a bare verb, you can also put it on a verb with other suffixes. You
needn't limit yourself to things like <baHwI'> and <vutwI'> - you can also
do things like <baHchu'wI'>, <vutlaHwI'>, <yIntaHwI'>, <ghungqu'wI'>,
<puvvIpwI'>, etc. One of my favorite examples comes from <ghunchu'wI'>
(whose name is itself another example): <nenchoHpu'be'wI'> for "adolescent".
You should also not that although you *can* say <moHwI'> for "ugly person",
you don't *have to*. If you want to say <ghot moH> something similar, nobody
will stop you, and it may even sound better sometimes.