tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Jan 31 13:40:01 2002
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Re: Is {rIn} transitive?
DloraH:
> CD version vatlhvI' DarInbogh yIngu'.
peHruS:
: Is {rIn} transitive?
ghobe'. DujlIj tIvoqtaH. ghItlhHa'ba' DloraH.
Although {rIn} "be accomplished, be finished" has never been used by itself in
a sentence, we do have Okrand's explanation of the exclamation {rIntaH} "It is
accomplished! It is done!" in TKD (p.41):
"The meaning of {-ta'} can also be indicated syntactically. That is,
instead of using the suffix {-ta'}, a special verbal construction
can follow the verb which indicates the accomplished action. This
special verb is {rIn} 'be finished, accomplished', and in this
usage it always takes the suffix {-taH} 'continuous' ... and the
third-person pronominal prefix (0). The resulting construction,
{rIntaH}, literally means 'it continues to be finished' or 'it
remains accomplished'. It is used to indicate that the action
denoted by the preceding verb is a fait accompli: it is done, and
it cannot be undone.
{luHoH rIntaH} they have killed him/her,
{vIje' rIntaH} I have purchased it.
The English translations of {rIntaH} and {-ta'} are usually the
same. The notion of absolute finality implied by {rIntaH} seldom
comes across. It should be noted that {rIntaH} is sometimes used
for dramatic effect even in cases when the action could be undone."
A clipped {rIn} was also used in the sense of "over" in a voice-only subspace
radio exchange in ST6:
Dujvetlh 'oH nuq? rIn.
What ship is that? [Over.]
For the beginners: Qualities (glossed as "be X" in TKD & KGT, sometimes called
"stative verbs" on this mailing list) are intransitive by their nature. To
make a quality transitive, add {-moH} to it: {boch/bochmoH}, {chen/chenmoH},
{DoH/DoHmoH}, etc.
So you could say *{rInmoH} to "finish/accomplish (something)", but we have the
transitive verbs {ta'} "accomplish, do" and {ruch} "proceed, go ahead, do it"
available to "accomplish" that task.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons