tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Jan 19 07:32:26 2005

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Re: Klingon WOTD: net (pronoun)

Steven Boozer ([email protected])



> >>Klingon word:   net
> >>Part of Speech: pronoun
> >>Definition:     that (previous topic)
> >>
> >>TKD p. 65: Klingon has two special pronouns, {'e'} and {net}, which refer
> >>to the previous sentence as a whole.  They are used primarily, though not
> >>exclusively, with verbs of thinking or observation (such as 'know,'
> >>'see').  They are always treated as the object of the verb, and the verb
> >>always takes a prefix indicating a third-person singular object.
> >>
> >>TKD p. 66: When the verb of the second sentence has a third-person subject
> >>(that is, the pronominal prefix is 0) but the intended meaning is 'one' or
> >>'someone,' rather than 'he, she, it' or 'they,' {net} is used instead 
> of {'e'}.

Voragh:
> >Examples in canon:
> >
> >  qama'pu' DIHoH net Sov
> >  One knows we kill prisoners. TKD
> >
> >  Qu'vaD lI' net tu'bej
> >  One certainly finds it useful for the mission. TKD

Ian:
>This is what french.about.com refers to as the 'indefinate subject
>pronoun' (on/ont in French).
>
>  From http://french.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201.htm:
>
>On is the French indefinite subject pronoun, used mainly in informal French.
>It literally means "one," as in "One says that..." It is an informal replace-
>ment for replace nous, vous, ils, someone, everyone, or  people in general.
>
>And from the same page:
>
>   On can also be used to replace the passive voice.
>
>     On parle francais ici.   French is spoken here.
>     On lui a dit de venir.   He was told to come.
>     On ne dit pas ca.        That isn't said.

Klingon also uses the indefinite subject suffix {-lu'} for this.  E.g.:

   naDev tlhIngan Hol jatlhlu'.
   Klingon is spoken here.

A simple statement.

   naDev tlhIngan Hol jatlhlu' net Sov.
   One knows that Klingon is spoken here.

Implies that this is, or should be, common knowledge.



--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons






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