tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Nov 21 08:09:37 2007
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Re: suffixes on adjectival verbs
Qang qu'wI' wrote:
> >Well, I'm getting back into tlhIngan Hol after a long break, and I
> >just read something in TKD that surprised me. It states pretty
> >clearly that only {-qu'} can be used on verbs used adjectivally.
> >Until reading that, I likely would have used {-be'} as well without
> >thinking about it. Does TKD have the final word regarding using only
> >{-qu'}, or is there any subsequent canon that amends TKD to also allow
> >{-be'}?
Voragh:
>It's likely that Okrand considered {-be'} such an obviously useful and
>common suffix that he forgot that he had inadvertently disallowed it.
Qang qu'wI':
> >>This is not 100% what I wanted to hear, but it'll do (I think). Looking
> >>through the list that you provided, I think the only true counter-example
> >>is:
> >> wa'maH yIHmey lI'be'
> >> ten useless tribbles. CK
> >>For reasons unknown to me, my tlhIngan Hol mu'ghom has {motlhbe'} as it's
> >>own entry, so this one isn't really a strong counter-example:
> >> tera'ngan motlhbe' SoH
> >> You are an unusual Terran. PK
Voragh:
> >True, but {motlhbe'} "be unusual" is not a separate verb. IOW you cannot
> >add {-be'} and say *{motlhbe'be'} "not be unusual". It was included simply
> >to make it easy for the average non-linguist Star Trek fan who wanted to
> >look up "unusual".
Qang qu'wI':
>That's a great point. It (thankfully) undermines the nagging concern I had
>that maybe MO had added this word specifically in order to be consistent
>with only allowing {-qu'} because he actually meant what was written in TKD.
>
>The engineer in me has a natural aversion to making such a strong
>generalization from just one data sample. But that sensibility probably
>doesn't apply to deducing languages from samples.
To show that {motlh} "be usual, be normal" vs. {motlhbe'} "be unusual" is
not a unique exception, I've found other examples of qualities which are
listed with and without {-be'} separately in the TKD and KGT glossaries:
{jub} be immortal
{jubbe'} be mortal
{le'} be special, be exceptional
{le'be'} be unexceptional, be nonspecific
{lI'} be useful
{lI'be'} be useless
{lo'laH} be valuable
{lo'laHbe'} be worthless
{rur} resemble [i.e. be like]
{rurbe'} be different
Note this action verb (used very frequently on this List!):
{Qoch} disagree
{Qochbe'} agree
ter'eS:
>>Don't forget our old friend {-Ha'}, as in {Duj ngaDHa'}!
More examples of qualities with the Rover {-Ha'}:
{bel} be pleased
{belHa'} be displeased
{Do'} be fortunate, be lucky
{Do'Ha' be unfortunate, be unlucky
{jej} be sharp
{jejHa'} be dull (not sharp)
{jot} be calm
{jotHa'} be uneasy
{matlh} be loyal
{matlhHa'} be disloyal
{ngaD} be stable, be balanced
{ngaDHa'} be unstable, be unbalanced
{pIv} be healthy
{pIvHa'} be unhealthy
{quv} be honored
{quvHa'} be dishonored
{Qey} be tight
{QeyHa'} be loose
{Quch} be happy
{QuchHa'} be unhappy
{ru'} be temporary
{ru'Ha'} be permanent
{tlhorgh} be pungent
{tlhorghHa'} be bland
{yep} be careful
{yepHa'} be careless
{yuD} be dishonest
{yuDHa'} be honest
{'ey} be good, be delicious, be tasty, be harmonious
{'eyHa'} be undelicious, poor-tasting
So to paraphrase Michael Dorn's advice in "Conversational Klingon": Use
Rovers boldly; do not be meek or hesitant!
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons