tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Feb 04 13:39:58 2002
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RE: Alphabet
peHrus:
>>> I have not checked your math, either. Have you deducted the
>>> syllables that just won't work? For example, 'ow', 'uw and
>>> 'Iy' are "impossible."
Sangqar:
> BTW, a quick glance at page 17 of the TKD indicates that Iy is, in fact,
> acceptable; at least, it is listed among the diphthongs. A quick check of
> my electronic dictionary shows: lIy, mIy, rIymuS, SonchIy, vIychorgh, wIy.
I think the point peHruS was trying to make is that we have no examples anywhere in the vocabulary of the <y'> consonant cluster following an <I>. We have plenty of words with <-ay'>, <-oy'> and <-uy'>, and a few with <-ey'>, but none with <-Iy'>. Whether this means that syllables don't end in <-Iy'> in Klingon at all, or just that it's so rare that we have not seen it in the subset of the vocabulary we know about is another matter.
I would call <'ow'> an impossible syllable because TKD tells us it is, but I would be very hesitant about calling <'Iy'> impossible.
pagh