tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jun 22 13:16:15 2004

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Re: mIvDaq yIH

MorphemeAddict ([email protected]) [KLI Member] [Hol taghwI']

In a message dated 2004-06-22 9:05:09 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
[email protected] writes:

> > > A rule may be broken without disproving the rule in general.
> > >
> > > SuStel
> > >
> > But a reason for the exception always has to be found.
> 
> Only if you have the research resources available.
> 
> I can tell you why the English names for the days of the week are what they
> are, because I have access to resources that can explain this.  A Klingon
> studying English on Kronos with resources equivalent to what we have here
> about Klingon would have no way of explaining where these names come from.
> He might guess Sunday and Monday, but he'd probably think Wednesday was
> named after marriage.  He has no knowledge of Mona, Tiw, Woden, Thor,
> Frigga, or Saturn, nor any way to be sure that the days were named after
> them.  He might guess they're unmentioned moons of Earth.
> 
> 
There is no rule, hence no exceptions, for forming the names of the days of 
the week, so I think you chose an incredibly bad example.  A better example 
would be a real sort of irregularity, such as irregular verb forms or noun 
plurals.  Thus rules and exceptions.  

But your point is valid.  Without native informants (at least more 
forthcoming than Maltz) an exception in canon is simply a fact to be accepted.  But 
wherever possible, reasonable explanations (i.e., guesses) should be made to 
explain the exception.

lay'tel SIvten

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