tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Jun 12 10:52:21 2002

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Re: Vaj'Hom

>Yes, there is often a difference in size, but notice too that it's more 
>than that.

<snip>

>Beginners are often beguiled by {-Hom} and {-'a'} - probably (as Lawrence 
>suggested) because it is so different from English - forgetting the proper 
>use of {mach} and {tIn} completely.  Fortunately, this effect usually wears 
>off as they become more familiar with the language.

I'm familiar with a few other languges that also have 
augmentative/diminutive, so it's definitely not the 'new toy' effect.  
Okrand's wording in TKD combined with his explanations of 
{bo'DaghHom/bo'Dagh'a' lo'} in KGT, which offer no reason for assuming that 
the difference is anything *but* size, indicate that the difference *can* be 
just size.

But that's just my interpretation.  Knowing how the list interprets them, 
I'm not going to use them for a simple difference in size.
As Will recently pointed out, current usage is a more reliable guide than 
arbitrary rules, so I'll stick with accepted list usage.  I just can't find 
any justification for outlawing the big/small meanings based solely on 
TKD/KGT.

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