Re: I'm the newbie

[willm@cstone.net]

> Hello, everyone!
> 
> First let me introduce myself: I'm a 24 yr old student of physics. I'm 
> married for 4 yrs now and I live in good ole Germany together with my 
> wife. 

In response, I'm a 47 year old computer systems engineer. I'm married three 
weeks now and I live in good ole USA with my wife and her teenaged daughter, 
right down the street from her two older sons.

> I have been studying Klingon before but without much success.

I've been studying Klingon for almost a decade. My success still varies from 
one day to the next.

> Some 
> weeks before my interest has relighted and this can be thought of as my 
> second attempt to get the whole thing up and running!

Good luck. You'll be hearing from the Beginner's Grammarian soon. I was a BG 
many years ago, but the current BG is the one who will likely give you the best 
attention and advice. Take anyone else's opinion (including mine) with a grain 
of salt. yIvoq 'ach yI'ol. ["Trust, but verify."]

> You might kindly notice that English is a second language for me, so 
> don't be too strict with me if I make any errors - although any kind of 
> correction is deeply appreciated.

Your writing does not reveal any German accent.
 
> As my first posting I would like to take that discussion about the usage 
> of more than one -be' or -'e' with one word.
> Anyone who has studies Latin will know the stylistic tool of the double 
> negation. It is not so prominent in English I believe. The double 
> negation normaly will be interpreted as a stronger form of saying yes:
> 
> jIQoch - I agree
> jIQoch'be - I disagree
> jiQoch'be'be could be a respond to the someone saying:"Well, I have the 
> feeling you disagree!"
> One would respond: "No, no, I don't disagree" which is stronger that 
> just saying "I agree".

I'll suggest that there might be a cultural issue here at play that you may not 
be aware of. Assume for the sake of argument that I am a Klingon. You say to 
me, "Well, I have the feeling you disagree."

I am less inclined to say, {jIQochbe'be'} than I am to say, {verengan 
Ha'DIbaH!} and head-butt you until you are either senseless, or you accept that 
your opinion is wrong, whichever comes first. I then turn to all others in the 
room and say, {jIQochbe' 'e' Hon'a' latlh?} ["Does anyone else doubt that I 
agree?"]

Some would shorten that last statement to a simple:

veb? ["Next?"]

This is, of course, a clipped version of {veblu''a'?} ["Is anyone next?"]

None of this is to say with any authority whether or not your {jIQochbe'be'} is 
acceptable. I'm merely suggesting that if you really want to show emphasis, 
never underestimate the use of physical violence as a grammatical tool in the 
Klingon language.

> Hope to have a great time with all of you!

And with you.

> Alex

Will