tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Aug 15 09:00:26 2002
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Re: puS and law'
> i was thinking about this sentence:
> reH latlh qabDaq qul tuj law' Hoch tuj puS.
>
> i cannot analize this sentence correctly.
> "always at other face the heat of fire is more, the heat of
> everything is less."
>
> is /qul/ a noun or a verb?
Noun.
> here another example:
>
> qIbDaq SuvwI''e' SoH Dun law' Hoch Dun puS.
>
> i would expect something like:
> */Dun SoH law' Dun Hoch puS/
> is there a rule or is it an exception that the verb /Dun/ comes after
> the subject /SoH/ respectivly /Hoch/?
The law'/puS comparative is a special construction all it's own.
TKD Sec 6.6 p70:
>>>
6.6. Comparatives and superlatives
The idea of something being more or greater than something
else (comparative) is expressed by means of a construction
which can be represented by the following formula:
A Q {law'} B Q {puS}
In this formula, A and B are the two things being compared
and Q is the quality which is being measured. The two
Klingon words in the formula are {law'} <be many> and {puS} <be
few.> Thus, it says <A's Q is many, B's Q is few> or <A has more Q
than B has> or <A is Q-er than B.>
Any verb expressing a quality or condition may fit into the
Q slot.
{la' jaq law' yaS jaq puS} <The commander is bolder than
the officer.>
({la'} <commander,> {jaq} <be bold,> {yaS}
<officer>)
To express the superlative, that something is the most or
the greatest of all, the noun {Hoch} <all> is used in the B position:
{la' jaq law' Hoch jaq puS} <The commander is boldest
of all.>
In comparative and superlative constructions, the verb of
quality ({jaq} <be bold> in the sentences above) must be said
twice.
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DloraH, BG