tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Nov 07 12:12:56 1999
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Re: transitive verbs
jatlh DraQoS:
> Nor am I trying to make an arbitrary rule. I would not have
> been seeking clarification here if that were the case.
Be aware: we are not accusing you of trying to be arbitrary. We are
pointing out that what you have done is to be arbitrary. We do not think
you are being maliciously arbitrary.
> The closest example I have found so far is "qajatlh". In the
> KLI FAQ, it is noted that this is translated as "I speak
> (to) you" and "implies a friendly shove to get your
> attention." Which in the context of what this all stems from
> would make a lot of sense. However there is a slight bug in
> that argument for my side in that the example specifically
> says that the "you" in qajatlh is the indirect object. So
> the question here becomes can a verb that cannot take an
> direct object be used in such a manner? (Or can you laugh
> something like you can throw a ball?)
See my repost of Okrand's message concerning {qajatlh}. This is an example
of the "prefix trick." There is no information as to whether the prefix
trick can be applied to verbs that cannot take any object at all in the
posting; I would tend to believe that it can be used. Not that I like it
much, mind you. I usually go the full route with {-vaD}. (The prefix trick
was obviously invented to cover up sloppy grammar in earlier examples.)
> Okrand did not indicate whether verbs are transitive or
> intransitive in any of the things I have seen to date, such
> as the TKD and KGT. He did this because a) the concepts of
> transitive and intransitive do not exist -as such- in ta'
> Hol. Or b) he felt that such overly technical material would
> hurt sales, and he never dreamed that some shlub would be
> arguing this point. And these are not mutually exclusive.
Probably a little bit of (b), and also a lot of (c): he knew he was writing
for a lay-audience, and knew that many would not understand such esoteric
(to them) terms as "transitive" and "intransitive."
The bottom line: don't say {qaHagh}.
SuStel
Stardate 99851.5