tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Dec 04 14:04:35 2007
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Re: Savan (was: Basic grammar question)
Sustel wrote:
>McArdle wrote:
> > As a (the?) perpetrator of {Hoch Savan}, I'd be glad to know how to
> > say this more acceptably. Would {Hoch tlhiH Savan} serve?
>
>How about just {Savan}? The only reason you're looking for an object is
>because English requires one.
{Sa-} "I [do something to] you (pl.)"
> > Or does this run afoul of the injunction SuStel cites against using
> > pronouns as nouns except for "emphasis or added clarity"?
>
>I don't know if it's an injunction so much as "Klingons don't do it
>unless they're speaking slowly and deliberately, as if to an idiot."
Sustel is quite right. {Sa-} and {tlhIH} "you (pl.)" are already
plural. In fact, Okrand sometimes translates them as "all of you" or "you
all" for clarity since modern English has retained only one of the 2nd
person pronouns it used to have:
SuDal
All of you are boring. (CK)
jagh yIHIv!
attack the enemy! (all of you) attack the enemy! (KGT)
vaj malopmeH tlhIHvaD nob SaSuqpu'.
So to celebrate, I've gotten you all a gift. (Hallmark)
>Regarding {Hoch tlhIH} specifically, I think a Klingon would see that as
>redundant, possibly even ungrammatical ("each youses").
"youse guyz" perhaps?
If you feel the need for "emphasis or added clarity" don't use {Hoch}, use
the pronoun {tlhIH} instead:
tlhIH Savan!
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons