tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Mar 29 19:57:06 2004

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Re: it; SIS

David Trimboli ([email protected]) [KLI Member] [Hol po'wI']

From: "Lieven L. Litaer" <[email protected]>

> Am 29.03.2004 16:41:36, schrieb "David Trimboli" <[email protected]>:
> >> verbs do not require explicit subjects.  the subject of "SIS" (the
sky?)
> >may
> >> be so self-evident that it is unnecessary in ordinary use.
> >
> >If it's so self-evident, then what is it?  :)
>
> It's so evident that we don't even need to mention it! ;-)
>
> >We understand how Klingons use the word, without understanding why they
use
> >it that way.
>
> Do you know how terrans use it? jk. In French they say literally "he
rains". Who cares? in Klingon it's just
> {SIS}.

You're missing the point.  Understanding how the word works allows us to do
more than just look up at the sky and say /SIS/.  You may only want to use
it that way, but most people end up trying to stretch it.

Indeed, I *do* know how English uses "rain."  As a statement of the weather,
a common phrase is "It is raining."  The "it" is the dummy object referred
to earlier.  Alternatively, another common phrase is "rain down upon," or
variations, as in "Arrows rained down upon them."  The word can take an
object, as in the idiomatic "It's raining cats and dogs."  The noun "rain"
has many further uses.

So.  Is the Klingon word /SIS/ only good for holding out your hand and
saying /SIS/, or are there other ways in which it may be used?

When Okrand says it's so obvious it's not even mentioned, he means it hasn't
been mentioned by Klingons (Maltz).  He doesn't mean that Klingons ignore
the possibilities of the word.  Klingons don't have this big gap in their
vocabulary where /SIS/ is, consenting as a group to glibly ignore how the
word works and just accept it as somebody somewhere said it.

Don't tell me the subject of /SIS/ is self-evident unless you can back it up
with proof that you find it self-evident — by telling me what it is.  If you
can't, just admit that you don't know.  We know how to use the word to refer
to the weather, but the full usage is not known.

Here's an excerpt of DloraH's original message to the list, dated May 28,
1998:

--------
SIS
SISqu'
SIStaH
SISchoH
All correct.
SISlu', altho grammaticlly correct, he didn't particularly like.  Someone
COULD use it but to me it sounds like they skipped science class and don't
know what the subject is.
You can also give it an object and say things like the clouds rained down
cats and dogs. ...or something like that; you get the idea.
But when Marc and I went outside and drops of water were falling on us, he
looked up and simply said "SIS".
--------

So Klingons DO know what the subject is.  *WE* don't.  We know how to use
it, but not why we use it that way.  But Klingons know why.

SuStel
Stardate: 4244.0

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