tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Mar 30 05:06:05 2004
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Re: -Daq, subject, object
- From: "QeS lagh" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: -Daq, subject, object
- Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 23:05:25 +1000
- Bcc:
ghItlhpu' Dar'Qang:
>In the sentence:
>lojmItDaq puqbe'wI' vIlegh.
>Is there a standard, or default interpretation as to who would be at the
>door?
Nope. :) You've stumbled onto the "elephant I shot in my pajamas" problem
that has been dealt with in HolQeD (I don't recall which issue) by Dr
Okrand, and also recently on the list when I tried to translate the Groucho
Marx joke
"Yesterday I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas I'll
never know."
into Klingon. It comes out something like
{wa'Hu' nIvnavwIjDaq mIl'oD vIHoHta'. qatlh nIvnavwIj tuQ? jISovbe'.}
While I doubt Groucho Marx ever clapped eyes on a sabre bear :D, the
sentence is ambiguous in exactly the same way as the English is ambiguous.
Either "I saw my daughter while *she* was at the door" or "I saw my daughter
while *I* was at the door" is acceptable as an interpretation, and only
context can answer your question.
If you're looking for a sentence yourself, maybe try {lojmIt veghDI'
puqbe'wI' vIlegh}.
Savan.
QeS lagh
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