tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Oct 31 09:29:58 2003

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Re: "rutlh"

Steven Boozer ([email protected]) [KLI Member] 

ngabwI':
> >> pumDI' rutlh qechvam rap vIchup je jIH.
>
>"When the wheel fell, *I* also suggested this same idea."
>
>I thought possibly {pum rutlh} was an idiom for a particular event
>happening, like {ngaQ lojmIt}, but without the finality, or possibly as a
>"finished" counterpart to {vIH gho}.

Excellent guess.  You're beginning to think like a Klingon (or, at least, 
Marc Okrand)!

>But I've not heard this idiom before. (Not that that means anything) }}: )

Okrand introduced it on startrek.klingon (05 Nov 1999):


      In addition to {ngugh} ["then, at that point in time"], there is an
   idiomatic expression involving the suffix {-DI'} "when, as soon as"
   used to mean "by that time, by the time that [something] occurred (or
   will occur)." The event that has occurred (or will occur) is typically
   expressed in the immediately preceding sentence or clause, though it
   could have been uttered earlier.
      The idiom is found in two forms. The shorter (and more frequently
   heard) version is the single word {pumDI'} "when it falls" ({pum}
   "fall" [that is, "fall down" or "fall off of something"], {-DI'}
   "when"). The longer version consists of {pumDI'} followed by a subject
   noun specifying what falls. The most common noun heard is {'etlh}
   "sword, blade" (thus: {pumDI' 'etlh}, literally "when the blade falls").
   Presumably the expression originally referred to a fight between two
   combatants wielding bladed weapons. The time at which one of them
   dropped the weapon and was thus defeated (or was as good as defeated)
   was a significant moment.
      Some speakers, however, are rather creative and use nouns other than
   {'etlh}. For example: {pumDI' DaS} "when the boot falls," {pumDI' 'obmaQ}
   "when the ax falls," {pumDI' nagh} "when the stone falls," {pumDI' rutlh}
   "when the wheel falls." There seems to be no restriction on what noun may
   be used here, as long as it is something that could possibly fall. (Thus
   {pumDI' QoQ} when the music falls" would not be used.)
      Choosing one noun or another to use in the idiomatic phrase is a form
   of word play. Depending on the topic being discussed, the noun could add
   a touch of irony or even humor. In any event, the choice of noun does not
   change the idiomatic meaning of the phrase. {pumDI' X}, where X is the
   subject noun, is used to mean "by then, by that time."
      The idiom might be used when talking about a feast that had taken
   place a few nights ago. If a guest arrived late--after the eating had
   already begun--one might say something like:

        tagha' pawpu' meb 'ach pumDI' Heghpu' qagh.

   or:

        tagha' pawpu' meb 'ach pumDI' 'etlh Heghpu' qagh.
        "The guest finally arrived, but by then the gagh had died."

      Unlike subordinate clauses in general, {pumDI' X}, when used idioma-
   tically, always precedes the main clause ({Heghpu' qagh} in the example
   above). When idiomatic usage is not involved, subordinate clauses may
   either precede or follow the main clause.




-- 
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons

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