tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Nov 26 11:47:13 2001

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Re: KLBC: Dab



jatlh DloraH:

> A discussion I saw once was, because Dab by definition includes the
> locative, when asking the question can one use nuq:  nuq DaDab?  Before
this
> starts to worry you, you can put -Daq on the object, with an
> object-stating-prefix, but it's certainly not needed (like ghoS);  vengDaq
> vIDab.

jang SuStel:

As usual, I don't have access to HolQeD as I
type this, but I believe Marc Okrand has confirmed that the correct way to
ask "Where do you live?" is /nuq DaDab/.


When I look at {Dab}, I see it as similar to {ghoS}.
Since {Dab} includes the locative idea, the following would be preferable:
{nuq DaDab} "What do you inhabit?" i.e. Where do you live?
{Qo'noS vIDab} "I inhabit Kronos" i.e. I live on Kronos.
{nuq DaghoS} "What are you approaching?" i.e. Where are you going?
{tera' vIghoS} "I'm approaching Earth" i.e. I'm going to Earth.

Using {-Daq} would be redundant and sound odd, but not totally ungrammatical
(similar to {ghoS}):
{nuqDaq DaDab} "Where do you inhabit it?"
{Qo'noSDaq vIDab} "I inhabit it on Kronos"
{nuqDaq DaghoS} "Where are you approaching it?"
{tera'Daq vIghoS} "I'm approaching it on Earth"

I imagine the following conversation:
{nuq DaDab?} "Where do you live?"
{qach vIDab} "I live in a building"
{quSDaq bIba'! nuqDaq DaDab?} "Well, duh!! Where do you live in it?"
{veng wa'DIchDaq qachwIj vIDab} "I live in my building in The First City"

Using {-Daq} with {Dab}, with a prefix indicating "no object", sounds even
weirder to me:
{nuqDaq bIDab} "Where do you inhabit?"
{Qo'noSDaq jIDab} "I inhabit on Kronos"

As DloraH suggested, this last example sounds to me like the speaker might
be homeless on Kronos.

- taD


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