tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Jan 08 11:28:09 2010

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Hypothetical (reconstructed) vocabulary?

Steven Boozer ([email protected]) 

Over the weekend I began compiling a list of hypothetical (reconstructed) vocabulary, chiefly from compound nouns.  I am, of course, aware of the usual caveats, including those voiced by Okrand:
KCD:  Okrand's audio for {nalqaD} says *{nal} is not used as a word on its own, although it is also found in {be'nal} "wife" and {loDnal} "husband". Technically, it is a bound morpheme, like English "(o)logy".

st.k 6.18/1997:  {QongDaq} "could be a normal compound noun"--but the important word there is *could*: It could be a compound noun IF both {Qong} and {Daq} are nouns. We know that {Daq} "place" is a noun; we know that {Qong} is a verb ("sleep"); we don't know that {Qong} (presumably "sleep" or "sleeping") is a noun. Maybe it is--but until we see it as a noun in its own right (that is, in a place in a sentence where nouns occur and in a construction where it's not attached to {Daq}) will we know for sure. Until that time, it's a good hypothesis, but not a done deal... a word like {QongDaq} is evidence that at an earlier stage in the language, there may have been a noun {Qong} (meaning "sleep" or something similar). Or maybe there was a verb suffix {-Daq} meaning "place where one does X". On the other hand, you may have uncovered evidence that there is currently a noun {Qong}--it just hasn't been attested anywhere else yet, so we should keep our eyes peeled. But without further evidence, it's a guess.


Right now I'm trying collect the various candidates so I can tag them as "hypothetical" in my notes.  (We can quibble about what - if anything - they mean a bit later.)  Here's what I have so far:



*De'  compute? (Krankor), process information? (ghunchu'wI') (v.) < De'wI' computer (from OK?)

*Haq  banks (?) < qawHaq memory banks, data banks

*maQ  omen, sign, auspice (??) (< maQmIgh q.v.)

*naj  dream, vision, fantasy (n)? < Saqghom

*nal  mate, spouse < be'nal wife, loDnal husband, nalqaD "mate challenge", 'IrneHnal & tennuSnal "uncles by marriage", 'e'mamnal & me'nal "aunts by marriage" and 'e'nal "one who married into the family" (an "in-law").

*nI'  blood relative < be'nI' sister, loDnI' brother, puqnI' grandchild, SoSnI' grandmother, vavnI' grandfather)

*pIv  warp? < pIvghor & pIvlob)

*Qong  sleep, sleeping (n.)? < QongDaq bed, Qong sleep (v.)

*ra'ghom  command staff? < ra'ghomquv

*ruS  bond, Bonding, adoption ?? (cf. ruStay R'uustai)

*Saq  landing? < Saqghom, Saqjan & Saq (v.)

*SoSbor  (computer) core, ICU, mainframe? (n.) < SoSbor'a'

*voy'  ionizer unit? < jolvoy'


Can anyone add to this list?


--
Voragh
Canon Master of the Klingons

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