tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Jun 18 12:43:56 2000

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RE: Deixis and direction



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Marc Ruehlaender [mailto:[email protected]]
> Sent: Friday, June 16, 2000 11:43 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: Deixis and direction
>
>
>
> > >HewDaq jIlegh.
> > >I look at the statue.

Yuck. Would you also say {jaghDaq jISuv.}? Or how about {HIqDaq jItlhutlh.}
You have added {-Daq} for no reason. {Hew vIlegh} is what you wanted. The
statue is the simple direct object of "see". {legh} doesn't mean "look". It
means "see". There's a difference. Yes, you might "look at" a statue, but
you don't "see at" a statue. You just see it.

> In message <[email protected]> TPO writes:
> > or you are at the statue and you see.
> > What you see isn't stated or relavent, you're just saying that
> your eyes are
> > open and you see.
> >
> > DloraH

I agree with your objection.

> I think you're missing the point, being {yIleS}

And I think you are missing the point by mistranslating the verb into a
different but similar English word which has a different prepositional
relationship with the thing one's eyes are pointing at. You see that which
you look at. You look at that which you see. You don't see at that which you
look or look that which you see at.

See?

> if someone grabbed your arm, pointed and whispered excitedly
> {HewDaq yIlegh! vIHtaH!} what else do you think she meant but
> "towards the statue"?

I'd think she was some alien doing a piss poor job of speaking Klingon. That
obviously should be {Hew yIlegh! vIHtaH!}

> sure, I can imagine situations when your interpretation makes
> more sense, and maybe {bej} would be more appropriate, but I
> believe it communicates the idea well enough to be understood

Even {nej} would work here in a strange sort of way, but at least two of you
have mistranslated {legh} and tried to fit in the English preposition
associated with "look" and not with "see". This is specifically why I've had
such a strong interest in learning the appropriate direct objects for each
verb. This is the kind of error I've tried to learn to avoid. It's an
ongoing project.

>                                            Marc Ruehlaender
>                                            aka HomDoq
>                                            [email protected]

charghwI'



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