tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Jun 14 06:12:28 2002

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing



[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

Re: subjectless verbs



ja' Andrew Strader:

  > The pragmatics which motivate -lu' are the subject being unknown or
  > unimportant to the discourse context. So presumably "merlu''a'" was
  > used when it was just the situation in general that caused the surprise
  > reaction. Personally, if I saw someone write "mer'a'" without a subject
  > it would leave me feeling curious as to what the surprising thing was.
  > So my take is that you use -lu' when you want to force attention off of
  > the subject.

  > I have previously considered using -lu' on verbs in the way you are
  > alluding to, as follows:

  > ??SISlu'.
  > It rains.
  > ??Hurghlu'.
  > It is dark.
  > ??Dallu'.
  > It is boring.

  > But that might be overkill in many cases. I don't think there's any-
  > thing inherently wrong with leaving a subject implicit when it refers
  > to a generic situational referent. As DloraH pointed out, SIS is so
  > used by Okrand. For clarity, you can always say:

  > SIS muD.
  > Hurgh naDev.
  > Dal ghu'.


  Daj. I feel quite comfortable using that plain unsuffixed verb in
  reaction to your message. Such usage is common on the list and, as you
  suggest, has a basis in canon. But what exactly is it that I find
  interesting? Some particular idea of yours, the complete message, my own
  thoughts in response, or our conversation as a whole? I'm being just as
  vague as the eminent Klingonist who wrote {merlu''a'}. You feel that
  {mer'a'} would imply a quite specific subject (and I admit to the same
  feeling), but what makes it different then from {Daj}? You also suggest
  that {mer'a'} might differ only in placing more "attention" on the
  implied subject. Here the problem is that if all verbs are allowed to
  behave in this manner, then {-lu'} becomes optional in most of the places
  we're used to seeing it. A matter of style. So, returning to 'ISqu''s
  question from a different angle, is there any way of limiting the number
  of such verbs?

  qa'ral


______________________________________________________________________

  The information contained in this communication is intended solely for
  the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and others
  authorized to receive it.   It may contain confidential or legally
  privileged information.   If you are not the intended recipient you are
  hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any
  action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly
  prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this communication
  in error, please notify us immediately by responding to this email and
  then delete it from your system. Ernst & Young is neither liable for the
  proper and complete transmission of the information contained in this
  communication nor for any delay in its receipt.



Back to archive top level