tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Feb 26 08:34:28 2007

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Re: Topic (was: Re: Dilbert Comic in Klingon for February 9, 2007)

Steven Boozer ([email protected])



Doq:
>:Has anyone noticed that we tend to use {qaStaHvIS wa'ben}
>:to mean  "While last year happened",

'ISqu':
>I certainly haven't noticed any such tendency.

Doq:
>:My point is, if we pretend that we are talking about
>:the entire span of a year with {qaStaHvIS}, which we made up
>:without any canon or approval from Okrand,

'ISqu':
>But {qaStaHvIS} *is* Okrandian canon:
>
>    qaStaHvIS wa' ram loS SaD Hugh SIjlaH qetbogh loD.
>    "Four thousand throats may be cut in one night
>     by a running man."
>    [TKW: 127]
>
>    qaStaHvIS wej puq poHmey vav puqloDpu'
>    puqloDpu'chaj je quvHa'moH vav quvHa'ghach.
>    "The dishonor of the father dishonors his
>     sons and their sons for three generations."
>    [TKW: 155]
>
>    qaStaHvIS wa'maH puq poHmey, wo'rIv batleH ghaj qorDu'Daj.
>    "Worf's bat'telh has been in his family for ten generations. "
>    [SBX: 8]

'ISqu' is quite correct:  {qaStaHvIS} does refer to the entire span of time 
- as indeed the suffix {-taH} "continuous" would imply.

Here are the other known examples of {qaS} "occur, happen" in canon:

   naDev qaS wanI' ramqu'
   There's nothing happening here. (TKD & ST3)

   qaStaH nuq jay'
   What the #$%@ is happening? (TKD & ST6)

   pa'Daq qaStaH nuq
   What's happening over there? CK

   qaSDI' nenghep, qa' patlh chu' chav tlhIngan SuvwI'
   The Age of Ascension marks a new level of spiritual
    attainment by a Klingon warrior.  (S9)

   laS veghaS HIltonDaq «Hov leng: yIjeSchu'» qaSchoHmo',
    bIlopqu'meH HIlton yIghoS
   Come celebrate the grand opening of "Star Trek: The Experience"
    at the Las Vegas Hilton.  (STX)

To refer to a particular moment of time - rather than a continuous span of 
time - I would use {qaSDI'} or {qaSchoH} or even just {qaS} by itself.

That being said, I don't know what the difference is between {qaS} in the 
1st example vs. {qaStaH} in the 2nd and 3rd examples.  The first was a 
brief status report from the landing party.  For the 2nd and 3rd, perhaps 
someone was referring to a protracted commotion?  Does anyone recall the 
context from the films?




--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons






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