tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Nov 23 13:56:50 2000

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Grammar Highlight Each Day (nouns are nouns, etc.)



Disclaimer:  This is only a highlight.  It is not intended to be an 
exhaustive approach to teaching Klingon.

Normally The Klingon Dictionary is a reliable authority.  Marc Okrand is the 
real final authority.  While MO wrote the dictionary, he has verbally 
corrected errors contained in it.  Some KLI members have had discussions in 
person with MO, inlcuding myself and SarrIS.  One of the results of these 
"corrections to TKD" is KLI's FAQ section composed by SarrIS.  This section 
of the FAQ is where you should find the known "corrections" to TKD's "a noun 
is a noun, a verb is a verb, and leftovers are leftovers."  You will also 
find additions to TKD from MO's later gifts to us.

Now for today's highlight:  In looking through the dictionary, it will be 
noticed that there are a number of noun/verb pairs; that is, the same word is 
both a noun and a verb.  

However, words which are glossed in the dictionary as nouns are nouns alone 
and may not be used as verbs or leftovers.  Words which are glossed as verbs 
alone must be used only as verbs, never nouns or leftovers.  Leftovers are 
leftovers.  In short, we students of the Klingon language cannot choose to 
use a noun as a verb; we cannot choose to use a verb as a noun.  So, poch (v) 
"plant" cannot be a noun.  noch (n) "sensor" cannot be a verb, perhaps 
meaning "sense [something]."

Finally, if the same spelling (and pronunciation for all I know) both exist 
in MO's presentations, then and only then may we students of the language use 
both forms.  Examples:  tuj = be hot; tuj = heat; tlhuH = breathe; tlhuH = 
breath; ta' = accomplish; ta' = accomplishment.

Good yontov to Thanksgiving, the holiday of multiple peoples of the United 
States of America.

BTW, yontov = good day (Yiddish).  Thus, good yontov is redundant!

peHruS


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