Re: [Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: wej

[Steven Boozer <sboozer@uchicago.edu>]

Klingon Word of the Day for Tuesday, April 07, 2015
Klingon word: wej
Part of speech: adv
Definition: not yet
 
> wej vIlegh
> I don't see him yet. TKD
> 
> wej
> Don't do it yet! TKD
> 
> wej... wej
> [WAIT. WAIT. (CC)] ST3
> 
> wej Heghchugh vay', SuvtaH SuvwI'
> A warrior fights to the death.
>  ("If someone has not yet died, a warrior keeps on fighting"). TKW
> 
> ngIq tonSaw' lo'
> SaD law' San chenmoH qeylIS
> wej boghbogh nuvpu' San chenmoH
> In one single move,
> Kahless decided the fate
> Of thousands, and those to come.  (PB, paq'raD)

Anthony:
>> That would likely cause confusion with {wej} = "3".

True, but pay attention to its position in the clause.  Adverbials typically come first (cf. examples 1, 3 & 5 supra).  This isn't foolproof however:

wej 'ujmey 'ab 'oy'naQ 
Painstiks are a little over one meter long (S32)

wej 'uj 'ab naQjej 
the spear has a length of three *uj*
the spear measures three *uj*
the spear is three *uj* long (st.k)

Notice that {wej} "3" is used here with both a unit of measurement {'uj} and a verb of measurement {'ab} "have a length of".  Also the plural marker {-mey} in the first example would suggest at least the possibility of a number, even if you forgot the meaning of {wej}.

There's a good parallel with English "two, to, too" which are pronounced alike but rarely confused. (Also "not, knot, naught/nought" from the definition come to think of it!)

As always... context, context, context!  


--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons




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