tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Sep 17 07:31:52 2000

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RE: paq munob? don't think so



jIjatlhta':
> > {paq munob} is ok for "He gives me a book", using the prefix {mu-}
> ("He/she/it/they - me").
> 
> 
jang lay'tel SIvten:

> I disagree.  This use of "me" is an indirect object with a direct object.
> 
> Its use is not very straightforward in English, but it normally equates to
> 
> [jIHvaD], as in ff.:
> 
As I said, I'd probably use {jIHvaD paq nob} rather than {paq munob}.
However, {paq munob} is also acceptable. I don't remember when exactly
Okrand explained this to us, but there's something that we've called "the
prefix trick".
It's mentioned at the end of the FAQ at
http://higbee.cots.net/~holtej/klingon/faq.htm

Basically, you can take something like {SoHvaD paq vInob} ("I give the book
for you"), and then change the {SoHvaD} ("for you") into a prefix that
indicates the "you". So you could say {paq qanob} ("I give you the book").

If I recall correctly, this "prefix trick" came about because on one of the
audio tapes, Okrand had used it.
Two examples that he gave us on one of the audio tapes:

{ro'qegh 'Iw chab HInob} "Give me the rokeg blood pie"
Note that he didn't say {jIHvaD ro'qegh 'Iw chab yInob} ("Give the rokeg
blood pie for me")

{ghIchwIj DabochmoHchugh, ghIchlIj qanob} "If you shine my nose, I will give
you your nose"
Again, he used {ghIchlIj qanob} ("I will give you your nose"), instead of
{SoHvaD ghIchlIj vInob} ("I will give your nose for you").


- taD



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