tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sat Oct 06 07:27:29 2007

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RE: Grammar question: valid suffixes for {ben}

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

> >     wa'maH benHey jo' chenmoHlu'.
> >     Apparently ten years ago the machinery is built.

Interesting idea.  I don't think I have seen anybody try this yet.
I could also see this for (I know it doesn't apply to klingons) something like someone underage
trying to get in a bar with a fake ID.  They were born cha'maH wa' benHey. (Here in America anyways)


> ... the best translation would ensure that 
> the uncertainty applies to that timestamp. 

I agree with this...

 
> <wa'maH ben jo' chenmoHlu'law'>. 

But then here you move the uncertainty to the action.
"Ten years ago (certain) the machinery was apparently built (uncertain)."


***
While writing this email I saw the email from lay'tel SIvten come in...
> I would interpret this {-Hey} as modifying "years", not "ten", 

"Ten [apparent years ago]..."
We know it was ten something but not sure what; maybe ten months.
Interesting.  Reminds me of a Dr Who.  When he brought Rose back he thought only 12 hours had past
instead of 12 months.


> >or, say, when spoken by some time traveller:
> >
> >     vagh SanID benvo' jIjaH.
> >     I came from five thousand yeras ago.
> 
> Our experience isn't that Klingons use metaphors of place with times, 
> so the -vo' on a timestamp comes out looking weird. But you've 
> specified time travel, which could tun a time into a more of a place, 

I agree with Qov on this one.
-Daq and -vo' have to do with physical location, but at the moment I can't think of another way.

Has anybody here written any time travel stories?


DloraH

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