tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Nov 01 10:58:35 2000
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Re: Grammar Highlight Each Day (gheD)
Holtej:
>But if you look at in by itself, the description that {lu-} is used when
>the subject is plural and the object is singular is absolutely incorrect,
>and could be misleading and confusing.
peHruS:
: What is wrong about this description? Is this not exactly the way the
: verb prefix lu- is used? Please tell me what you find different.
Because {lu-} is *only* used when both subject and object are in the 3rd
person. Other prefixes are used for other plural subjects:
1st p. pl. subj. + 3rd p. sg. obj. = {wI-}.
2nd p. pl. subj. + 3rd p. sg. obj. = {bo-}; also used with a pl. obj.
2nd p. pl. subj. + 3rd p. sg. obj. = {yI-} in the imperative.
And there are other combinations of plural subject plus singular objects in
other persons: pI-, nI-, tu-, nu-, and HI-.
I realize it's easier to start your lessons with verbs in the third person, but
saying that "{lu-} is used when the subject is plural and the object is
singular" is misleading without adding that it's only true in the 3rd person:
"they [do something] to him/her/it". Experienced Klingonists know that there
are other prefixes used for different combinations of subject and object, but
beginners don't. Many haven't even read the section in TKD on verbs - assuming
they even have a copy of TKD - or find it confusing (especially those whose
formal knowledge of their own language's grammar, or grammatical terminology in
general, is deficient).
You don't want beginners mislearning something now that they have to unlearn
later. Not to mention the fact that they often have difficulty reading
Okrand's verb prefix chart in TKD. Ask any of the past BGs.
Try to imagine yourself as a beginner whose *only* knowledge of Klingon grammar
is coming from your lessons. Don't even assume that they have a copy of TKD.
Writing lessons is harder than you might think, especially when you don't have
immediate feedback from your students in a classroom.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons