charghwI':
> >> This one may be a problem. None of the examples of {pegh} "keep something
> >> secret, be secret, classified" I know of take an object
pegh De'vetlh.
That is classified information. CK
De' pegh vIghaj.
I have secret information. PK
ghoSmeH yIpegh! (?)
Stealth approach. ST5
("In order to approach, be secret!")
peHruS:
>Many dictionary entries of languages other than tlhIngan Hol use this
>convention. "To keep something secret" means the user of the verb can put an
>Object in place of the word "something." The result we get is "to secret
>something." This implies transitivity. While I am not sure that it what Dr.
>Okrand meant here, it does seem plausible.
The only example where Okrand uses the translation "keeps something secret"
comes from HQ (5.1) in his discussion of {peghmey vIttlhegh}:
pegh vIttlhegh.
A proverb keeps things secret.
which, he goes on to explain, means that:
"it withholds information rather than being a ready source of answers.
To some Klingons, this is a most insightful coincidence."
Note that there's no explicit object here. He doesn't say -what- the
proverb keeps secret, just things in general; i.e. "a proverb keeps
secrets," "a proverb keeps its secrets." This is in line with the other
two glosses "be secret, (be) classified" which are qualities, not
transitive verbs.
Sengval:
> It seems that when Dr. Okrand intends that meaning, he usually puts the
> phrase that is to be replaced by the object in parentheses -- "to keep
> (something) secret". Usually, but perhaps not always.
Sengval is right; that does seem to be his convention. E.g. {tatlh}
"return (something)" [st.k], wItlh "break (something) off" [KGT],
{HIQoymoH} "Let me hear (something)" [TKD].
>Thus, {De' pegh bu' matlh} would be "The loyal sergeant keeps the information
>secret."
Although I -really- like this, I'm not sure it's allowed. Perhaps we have
to say something like:
De' pegh tu' bu' matlh; pegh.
The loyal sergeant discovers secret information; he keeps things secret.
We've seen Okrand use this method before. It may be clumsy for English
speakers, but maybe not for Klingons.
>This all means that I personally feel {pegh} can be used as a transitive
>verb. But, with no proof, I will remain cautious and just not use it this
>way until MO tells us the truth of the matter.
If {pegh} is a quality "be secret, be classified", then *{peghmoH} would
mean "classify" (make secret):
HIvmeH romuluSngan nab pegh tu' matlh bu' 'ach peghmoH maghbogh yaS.
Although the loyal sergeant discovered the Romulans' secret attack plan,
the traitorous officer classified it.
If {pegh} is already transitive, what happens if we add {-moH} to
it? "Make someone/something keep something secret"? I suppose this is
also means to "classify".
And just to confuse things, we also have the verb {buv} "classify". It's
never been used, but the homophonous noun {buv} "classification" appears in
the BoP poster:
Hung buv rav: patlh Hut
classified ["security classification"] level 9 and above
So, the question may be moot. Although *{peghmoH} may be grammatically
possible, Klingons may prefer using the verb {buv} instead.
{De' pegh} indeed.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons