tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Sep 17 14:36:59 2008

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RE: A fun application of the "prefix trick"

Steven Boozer ([email protected])



SuStel:
>> The object of {ghoj} is the thing learned, but the object of {ghojmoH}
>> is the person taught. Therefore, {jIH mughojmoH SoS} is a perfectly
>> normal sentence. You just elided the pronoun.

ter'eS:
> Not that I want to re-start an old argument, but you say "the object of
> {ghojmoH} is the person taught" as if this is a settled thing, while I do
> not recall any definitive rule about what happens with {-moH} and
> transitive verbs.  I personally believe that the object of the unsuffixed
> verb remains the object of the suffixed verb, and the causee is marked
> with {-vaD}: {Hol vIghoj} -> {jIHvaD Hol ghojmoH SoS}, and I will believe
> that until Okrand says explicitly "No".

For the beginners on the list, part of the problem is that we have so few examples in canon:

{ghoj} "learn":

  qa'vam yuQ Quv DaghojmeH Duyma'vaD yIjatlh.
   [To learn the Genesis Planet's coordinates, speak to our agent.]
   (ST3 DVD case [text by Okrand?])

{ghojmoH} "teach, instruct":

  batlh qaghojmoHpu'
  It has been an honor to instruct you. (CK)

  batlh qaghojmoH
  It has been an honor to instruct you. (PK)

Cf. also the nouns {ghojmeH taj} "boy's knife ("knife for learning" in KCD) and {ghojwI'} "student":

    ghojwI'pu'lI' tISaH
    Care about your students. (TKW)



--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons






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