tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Aug 21 11:49:23 2001
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Re: quraq's proverb klbc
[Since you didn't label this "KLBC", I'll venture a couple of comments.]
quraq wrote:
> qorDu' quvmoHlI'
> Honor your family
This is an imperative, so use the imperative prefix {yI-} "you (sg. or pl.) [do
something] to him/her/it/them":
qorDu' yIquvmoH!
You didn't use a possessive suffix here, which I think is fine - particularly
in a proverb or exhortation like this - though others may not agree. It's a
matter of style. We tend to use them in English, though other languages
routinely omit the "obvious" pronoun. (Without any other indication, you're
talking about your own family of course.) As an English speaker Okrand also
tends to use them, but he has omitted them in a few cases. Also, not using a
pronominal suffix neatly avoids having to choose between a singular subject
{-lIj} or a plural {-raj} subject.
Why did you use the Type 7 verb suffix {-lI'} "in progress"? Okrand writes:
"This suffix is similar to {-taH} 'continuous' in that it
indicates that an activity is ongoing. Unlike {-taH},
however, {-lI'} implies that the activity has a known goal
or a definite stopping point. In other words, it suggests
that progress is being made toward that goal. ... The suffix
{-taH} 'continuous' can be used whether there is a known
goal or not. {-lI'}, on the other hand, can be used only
when there is an implied goal." (TKD 42f.)
Does honoring your family have a "definite stopping point"? At which point
have they been sufficiently honored, and you can stop the process? I should
think this is something a Klingon would do his or her entire life. If so, you
could emphasize the idea with {reH}:
reH qorDu' yIquvmoH
Always honor your family.
Compare {reH no' yIquvmoH} "Always honor your ancestors" (KGT 178). (Note the
absence of a pronominal suffix BTW.)
You could strengthen the idea even further with {-taH}:
reH qorDu' yIquvmoHtaH
though I think this is over-doing it. {-taH} "continuous" is rarely used
together with {reH} "always" in canon as the ideas are redundant. However, it
is a matter of personal style.
Hmmm... If OTOH your intent is "Make your family honored" - i.e. your family is
new, or from humble non-warrior origins, or has lost its honor for some reason
and you are trying to acquire glory and make a name for yourself - then {-lI'}
is perfect. It's a nice feature of Klingon that the choice of a single suffix
- or none at all - can bring up a whole different set of assumptions.
Speaking of over-doing it, I should probably stop now. <g>
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
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