[tlhIngan Hol] Adjective suffixes

SuStel sustel at trimboli.name
Tue Dec 13 08:16:49 PST 2016


On 12/13/2016 11:05 AM, Lieven wrote:
> Am 13.12.2016 um 15:32 schrieb SuStel:
>
>> /TKD/ only describes using *-qu'* in this way. Further canonical
>> examples have shown us *-be'* and *-Ha'.* None has ever shown us
>> multiple suffixes, though I would have no problem accepting *Duj
>> tInqu'be'* for /not very big ship./
>
> Agreed. Using both -qu' and -be' is confirmed in TKD.
>
>> Although we have never seen any other verb suffixes, I would not at all
>> be surprised to discover that type 6 verb suffixes are allowed,
>
> I think TKD is very clear on that:
> "If a Type 5 noun suffix is used, it follows the verb, which, when 
> used to modify the noun in this way, can have no other suffix except 
> the rover -qu'."
>
> This still does leave some space for interpretation, like "no other 
> suffix, only when Type 5 suffix is used"(?) - but I think that if one 
> could have been allowed to add oter suffixes, there would be an example.

It doesn't say that only *-qu'* may be used when there is a type 5 noun 
suffix on it; it says that an adjectival verb can have no suffix besides 
*-qu', *and any type 5 suffix for the noun goes at end of the adjectival 
verb. The wording is confusing on this point, but unambiguous.

Since Okrand has obviously violated the only*-qu'* rule many times, it 
is clearly non-operative, though its sense of restriction remains with 
us since it's not clear exactly what suffixes /are/ allowed on such verbs.


> Next, TKD states that type 6 suffixes "show how sure the speaker is 
> about what is being said."
> I read this is focussed on the verb of the OVS-phrase, the "action". 
> When used as an adjective, the verb is no longer doing an "action" in 
> the phrase, and besides, it fits the object or subject slot.

So you wouldn't allow words like *Quchlaw'*/he seems to be happy/ or 
*tujbej*/it is definitely hot/? Of course you would, yet these are no 
more "actions" than the verbs in *tlhIngan Quch* /happy Klingon /and 
*QuQ tuj*/hot engine./

The restriction on adjectival verb suffixes is a somewhat arbitrary one, 
probably because lots of suffixes make no sense on such verbs. We 
started with "only *-qu',*" then got a few more that made sense. Without 
information from Okrand, we cannot conclude with any certainty that 
unattested suffixes may be used.


> So finally, I think that a socalled *Duj tInlaw'* is really a {DujHey 
> tIn}, *Duj tInbej* is really a {Dujna' tIn}.
>
> If you insist on focussing on the verb, say {tInlaw'bogh Duj}.
>

**Duj tInlaw'* means a ship that is apparently big; *DujHey tIn* means a 
big thing that might be a ship. Not the same thing.

-- 
SuStel
http://trimboli.name

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