tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun May 23 21:27:17 1999
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Re: -ngan
ja' qultoQ:
>\tlhI/ 'oSghach boSov'a' vay'?
>[does anyone know the meaning of \tlhI/] is this correct?
pab vIqeltaHvIS jIjang:
The verb prefix {bo-} indicates a plural second-person subject. That
means the subject is "y'all". {vay'} doesn't agree with {bo-}. Either
use a verb prefix that indicates a third-person subject, or make the
subject {tlhIH} (in which case you can leave it off entirely, as it adds
nothing to the sentence).
{'oSghach} is an extremely odd word. Putting {-ghach} on a bare verb is
not strictly ungrammatical, but it sounds weird and calls more attention
to the unusual construction than to the intended meaning. In the vast
majority of cases, you can express the idea a whole lot more clearly by
using a verb as a verb instead of force-fitting it into a noun role. If
you find yourself wanting to use {-ghach} to translate an English word,
try rephrasing the idea to use a verb instead.
>as i was looking thru TKD, when it hit me that -ngan just means
>/inhabitant\, so tlhI|ngan means /inhabitant of tlhI\[??], so curiousity
>struck;
qech vIqeltaHvIS jIjang:
tlhIngan juHqo'Daq tlhIng yoS tu'lu'. pa' chen tlhIngan toQDuj wa'DIch.
rut <-ngan> chellu'DI', loQ choH QIch 'ej ngab QIch puS. vulqangan moj
vulqan ngan. tlhIngan mojlaw' tlhIng ngan.
The Bird-of-Prey poster identifies the "Kling District" as the BOP's
first construction site.
>[also, is \Qapla'/ wishing success on the listener, or declaring
>success{at something}?]
Valkris used it as the former when she bid Kruge farewell in ST3:
{Qapla', jawwI'...bangwI' je} "Success, my Lord...and my love."
But I could easily accept it working the other way.
-- ghunchu'wI'