tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Sep 27 17:07:41 2004

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Re: KLBC: (?) interrogative suffix on imperatives?

QeS lagh ([email protected])



ghItlhpu' lay'tel SIvten:

>Except that adding the tag "will you?" actually softens the command, rather 
>than intensifying it, as >-qu'< does.  So >-qu'< would *not* work for the 
>tag "will you?" in your last example above.


As with so many answers, "not always".

Very often "will you?" either at the start or the end of the sentence, when 
used without the word "please", indicates exasperation, not politeness. This 
is a function of sentence tone in English that just isn't seen in writing. 
In cases of exasperation, I'd be perfectly happy with {-qu'}.

QeS lagh





not nItoj Hemey ngo' juppu' qan je
(Old roads and old friends will never deceive you)
     - Ubykh Hol vIttlhegh

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