tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jul 24 21:12:14 2007

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Re: using {Hoch} (was Re: Wool? In tlhIngan Hol?)

Alan Anderson ([email protected]) [KLI Member] [Hol po'wI']

ja' Voragh:

> You're certainly right WRT English usage, but how can you tell  
> Klingon usage is the same based on our ONE example of {naQ} I cited  
> above?

I don't understand what the problem is.  {naQ} "be full, whole,  
entire, complete" is a straightforward Klingon verb.  As a verb of  
quality, it acts in the manner of an English adjective when it  
follows a noun, describing the noun.  That means that {SuvwI' naQ} is  
a {SuvwI'}.

{Hoch} "everyone, all, everything" is a noun.  When it follows  
another noun, the first noun acts to describe it.  That means that  
{SuvwI' Hoch} is a {Hoch}.

The only odd thing is the "all/each" meaning that {Hoch} carries when  
it precedes another noun, but such usage is clearly explained for us.

> (I though we had more examples too, but we don't AFAIK.)  Also, how  
> is this use of {Hoch} different from {Dol} - ?{SuvwI' Dol} - also  
> used in only one, somewhat abstract, example?

{Dol} is something all by itself.  The translation "whole" is  
informed by context, not by the inherent meaning of the word.   
{SuvwI' Dol} means neither more nor less than "warrior's/fighter's  
entity" (referring to a specific warrior rather than the idea of  
warriorhood).  It is a {Dol}, not a {SuvwI'}.

> Good example, though {nIn} "fuel" is a mass noun.

That's why it works with a following {Hoch}.  It doesn't get counted;  
it gets measured and/or subdivided.

> I'm not sure that ?{nIn naQ} "the whole/entire fuel" makes sense in  
> either language.

It makes sense to me.  A whole fuel is one that works as it is.  It  
contrasts with a non-whole or incomplete fuel, which requires another  
component -- perhaps a catalyst, perhaps another chemical -- before  
it can yield useful energy.  Kerosene is a {nIn naQ}.  Dry calcium  
carbide is a {nIn naQbe'}, unable to burn until it is reacted with  
water to produce acetylene.

-- ghunchu'wI'

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