tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Feb 22 23:08:47 2005
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Re: law': much vs. many
- From: "QeS lagh" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: law': much vs. many
- Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2005 17:07:56 +1000
- Bcc:
ghItlhpu' lay'tel SIvten:
>Do we have any canon evidence that {law'} means "much" (i.e., can be used
>with mass nouns) in addition to its meanings of "many, be many, be
>numerous"
>(used with count nouns), besides the following two sentences,
As you say, there's canon evidence. How much do you need? :D
>neither of which uses "much", although the noun that {law'} modifies in
>each
>case is (apparently) a mass noun:
Both sentences use the *idea* of "much". The SkyBox English texts are not
literal translations of the Klingon texts, and nor would we expect them to
be: they're idiomatic recastings.
>chIch vay' 'oy'moHmeH 'oy'naQ 'ul law' tlhuD 'oH.
>...and emit a highly-charged shock for the express purpose of inflicting
>pain.
>(S32-7)
Instead of reading the English, translate the Klingon. "In order that the
painstik intentionally hurts someone, it emits much electricity". The fact
that MO didn't explicitly use the word "much" in the English translation
means nothing: he just found another way to say it, thanks to the almost
boundless lexicon of English.
>HoS law'qu' natlhmo' So'wI' QaptaHvIS So'wI' QaplaHbe' nuHmey.
>Due to the tremendous energy drain of a cloaking device, weapons cannot be
>discharged while the cloak is in operation.
>(S33-4)
Same thing. "Because a cloaking device drains very much energy, while the
cloaking device is functioning, the weapons cannot function."
>I'm not suggesting that {law'} doesn't mean "much". It just seems odd that
>"much" is not in the gloss, nor is {law'} normally used with mass nouns
>(i.e.,
>with the meaning "much") in canon.
I'd bet that {law'} *does* mean "much". But, there are already three glosses
in TKD for {law'}; any more would likely be seen as overkill.
Savan,
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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