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Interrogative pronouns as verbs

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



Brent Kesler wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 9:03 PM, Doq <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I was walking by a theatre and could only see the marquee listing
>> three of what I knew were six movies. I said to myself, {nuq 'oH
>> latlhmey'e'?} Then I wondered if I should have just said {latlhmey
>> nuq?}
> 
> According to TKD, {nuq} and {'Iv} are pronounes, so it would be
> {latlhmey nuq}. But it seems to be common to use the first form as
> well. I remember people saying {nuq 'oH ponglIj'e'?} at qep'a'
> vaghDIch, and of course there's the classic {'Iv ghaH baHwI''e'?}
> (based on "Who's on first?" by Abbot and Costello).

Actually, TKD calls personal pronouns "pronouns" and interrogative 
pronouns "question words." Personal pronouns may be used as verbs 
according to TKD, but the books says nothing about interrogative 
pronouns doing so.

Conversational Klingon uses phrases like {Dochvam nuq}. Okrand later 
confirmed that some interrogative pronouns—{nuq} and {'Iv}—may be used 
verbally the same way as personal pronouns.

The syntax of using "verbal pronouns" appears to be very flexible. I 
don't have all the sources easily searchable right now, but I believe 
we've seen all of these forms (if not always in exactly these words):

nuq 'oH Dochvam'e'
Dochvam 'oH nuq'e' (just once; maybe in PK)
Dochvam nuq

nuqDaq 'oH puchpa''e'
nuqDaq puchpa' (clipped)

SoH 'Iv
'Iv SoH

-- 
SuStel
tlhIngan Hol MUSH
http://trimboli.name/mush







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