tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Jul 01 13:50:06 2002

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Re: be "something"



Quvar wrote:
> > So this means that every time I want to tell somebody to be something, I
> > have to add {-'eghmoH}.
> > To tell someone "Be (adjective)!" I need to say "cause yourself to be
> > (adj.)!". Right?

SuStel:
>HIja'!
>(Though technically, they're verbs, not adjectives.)

Just how often do you order someone to do this?  Hmm ... "Be green!"  <g>

Another option is to use the verb {Da} "behave as, act in the manner 
of".  There's an example in TKD:

   nepwI' Daba'
   He is obviously lying.
   ("He is obviously behaving as a liar.")

So if you want to say, for example, "Don't be silly!" (although I can't 
imagine ever saying this to a Klingon!):

   DoghwI' yIDaQo'
   Don't act as a silly/foolish person!
   Don't behave as a fool.
   Don't be a fool.

which is a lot easier to say than:

   yIDogh'eghmoHQo'
   Don't cause yourself to become silly/foolish!

BTW, you can also use {-choH} "change in state/direction" with such 
qualities.  E.g.:

   yItamchoH
   Be quiet! (Become quiet!) TKD

   bIboH.  yIjotchoH!
   You're impatient. Calm down! KGT



-- 
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons



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