[tlhIngan Hol] vatlh DIS poH question

[mayqel qunenoS]

Thank you for replying !

> The hint of saying {cha' vatlh DIS poH} "two centuries" makes me think about
> the question whether this should be translated per definition as cha' [vatlh DIS
> poH] or more literally {cha'-vatlh [DIS poH]} "200 years period."

This exact question had troubled me sometime in the past, when I came
across the need to write "300 years period".

I understand that there is no clear-cut answer on this problem, so I
guess this must be another one of those "grey areas", which lack
specific clarification..

Although, I cannot understand something.. If someone asks 'oqranD, at
the coming qep'a', won't 'oqranD, be able to provide with a clear,
specific and unambiguous answer ?

I mean, how come so many years, questions such as this, continue to
remain unanswered ?

qunnoq

On Thu, Jun 9, 2016 at 11:33 AM, Lieven <levinius at gmx.de> wrote:
> jaj 09.06.2016 ghItlh mayqel qunenoS:
>>
>> We say {vatlh DIS poH} for "century". However {vatlh} is a number
>> forming element, right ?
>>
>> Why ? Whyyyy ? Whyyyyyy ?
>
>
> Short answer first:
>
> In the game:
> Because that's just how it is.
>
> In real life:
> I guess it's a simple mistake, but...
>
> This is not explained more detailed in HolQeD 8.3, where the word for
> millenium is following the same pattern, {SaD DIS poH}. The hint of saying
> {cha' vatlh DIS poH} "two centuries" makes me think about the question
> whether this should be translated per definition as cha' [vatlh DIS poH] or
> more literally {cha'-vatlh [DIS poH]} "200 years period."
>
> Note that Okrand frequently says that since Klingon is a spoken language
> (not written), the space between cha' and vatlh is not so important to focus
> on. So if you consider {-vatlh} as a suffix, or as a standalone
> numberforming word/syllable, one may see it as the word "hundred" which is
> also in english not allowed standing alone.
>
> --
> Lieven L. Litaer
> aka Quvar valer 'utlh
> Grammarian of the KLI
> http://www.facebook.com/Klingonteacher
> http://www.klingonwiki.net
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