tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Nov 02 15:47:16 1999
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ambiguous locatives?
ja' charghwI':
>But what about:
>
>Qe'Daq Qanqor vIlegh.
>
>Am I in the bar seeing Krankor, or am I seeing Krankor while he
>is in the bar?
I can't debate this. I think the second meaning is incorrect, but it
seems that Okrand accepts it. In an early interview in HolQeD, he
pointed out in passing that the "I shot an elephant in my pajamas"
joke is one of the few kinds of ambiguities that *does* translate into
Klingon well.
I can perhaps argue that it works because shooting involves both the
gunner and the target, and the locative could apply to the action of
making the shot or of being shot. The same argument works for seeing.
But I don't want to take it too far, because I might find myself in the
uncomfortable position of supporting the "cat in the hat" construction.
-- ghunchu'wI' 'utlh