tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu May 30 11:08:10 2002
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Re: -mey (was: RE: qep'a' Roommate?)
> > Yes, but to me "scattered around" makes me think of dead speakers
> > spread all over a battlefield or so, not over the world.
> > So I think "Speakers" should always be {jatlhwI'pu'}, or am I wrong?
DloraH, BG:
>TKD p23 puqmey "children all over the place"
Here's the full explanation from TKD (p.23):
[{-mey}] is used to mark the plural of any noun: {mIDmey} "colonies",
{yuQmey} "planets". It can also be used with nouns referring to beings
capable of using language (those nouns which take {-pu'}). When it is
so used, it adds a notion of "scattered all about" to the meaning.
Compare:
{puq} "child"
{puqpu'} "children"
{puqmey} "children all over the place"
The suffix {-mey} cannot be used with body parts. It should be noted,
however, that Klingon poets often violate this grammatical rule in order
to evoke particular moods in their poetry. Thus, forms such as {tlhonmey}
"nostrils scattered all about" do occur. Until the subtle nuances of such
constructions are firmly grasped, however, it is suggested that students
of Klingon stick to the rules.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons