tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Jan 14 10:49:34 2000

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Re: KLBC: A simple doubt



Daniele Alberto GALLIANO wrote:
 
: I have this simple problem, and I think it was well debated in the past:
: since I wish to say that I am honored to serve Klingon Empire, I thought
: to say this in two ways.

I'll let BG pagh discuss this in detail, but I was curious and had a few extra
minutes at lunch so I did a quick check of canon in my files.  

: First, I think that if 'e' is a real pronoun, it should be able to be
: suffixed, so a possible translation would be

AFAIK Okrand has *never* attached any suffix whatsoever to {'e'} or {net},
unlike other pronouns (where the most common suffix is the topic marker
{-'e'}).  Although they are called pronouns, {'e'} or {net} seem to be a
special class.

: tlhIngan wo' wItuy' 'e'mo' wIquv

BTW, the verb "serve (a master)" is spelled {toy'} and was in fact once used in
TKW in a similar line of thought:

  wo' toy'taHvIS Hegh 'e' tul Hoch tlhIngan.
  To die while serving the Empire is the hope of every Klingon.
 
: Otherwise, if 'e' can be used as a a subject also than an object, would it be
: correct to phrase it this way?
: tlhIngan wo' wItuy' nuquvmoH 'e'
: or
: nuquvmoH tlhIngan wo' wItuy' 'e'
: 
: Are both correct? If not why?

No, neither is correct.  I'll let pagh explain, but in the meantime re-read TKD
(pp. 65f.), specifically:

  "Klingon has two special pronouns, {'e'} and {net}, which refer to
   the previous sentence as a whole. They are used primarily, though 
   not exclusively, with verbs of thinking or observation (such as 
   'know', 'see'). THEY ARE ALWAYS TREATED AS THE OBJECT OF THE VERB, 
   and the verb always takes a prefix indicating a third-person 
   singular object." 

(Emphasis added.)

: I know that something like 'I serve the Empire with honor' would do, but next
: time I need this? I hate workarounds!

So do I, but sometimes we're stuck using one.  It was in interesting idea,
though.  If you give it some more thought, you may come up with another way to
rephrase the sentence.



-- 
Voragh                       
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons


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