tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon May 01 08:03:32 2000
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RE: KLBC: Imperative question
- From: Qov <[email protected]>
- Subject: RE: KLBC: Imperative question
- Date: Mon, 01 May 2000 08:03:54 -0700
I'm not sure why this hasn't been answered yet, but it's dragging on, and a
lot of misconceptions are turning up, so I'm going to answer it.
> "Somebody stop that man"
The subject of the verb in an imperative sentence is always an implied
"you" (either SoH or tlhIH).
When a name or a person being addressed is included in the sentence, it's
just in apposition, placed there. It's not really the subject of the
sentence.
> How about something as simple as
>
> loDvetlh bomev vay' {man-that you(pl)-stop-him somebody}
This says "Somebody you stopped that man" (or "you stop" or "you will
stop"). It's a statement, not a command, and the "somebody" doesn't make
any sense. There's also a problem with mev, that I'll get to later.
> this would seem to follow my understanding of the object-verb-subject
> rule.
>
> The object is 'that man' the subject is 'somebody' and as, I assume, when
> one is calling for 'somebody' to do something you are addressing a plural
> group (otherwise it would be "you stop that man") the verb acquires the
> you(pl)-him/her/it prefix.
>
> If I am wrong - which I probably am - could someone please explain to me
> why.
Assuming you are looking at the matrix of verb prefixes in sextion 4.1.1,
turn the page and look at the Imperative Prefixes section. A direct
command is an imperative sentence, and requires an imperative prefix.
The object of the verb is singular, "that man" so the prefix is /yI-/
regardless of whether one or many persons are being addressed.
I would say:
vay'! loDvetlh yImevmoH!
Someone! Stop that man!
Note that /mev/ means stop, not cause to stop, so I used /mevmoH/ to stop
someone/something else.
If I said:
loDvetlh yImev
I might be giving the command to the man. "That man! Stop!"