[tlhIngan Hol] Expressing "one of them"

[Steven Boozer]

I wouldn’t.  Just rely on context.  E.g.

  wa' yIHoH. jISaHbe’.
 Kill one of them. I don't care which. ST3

  wa' yIHoH
  Kill one (of them)! TKD

(TKD 54):  The preceding sentence is grammatically correct even without the {wa'} because the prefix {yI-} indicates a singular object. The {wa'}, therefore, is used for emphasis only.

There are other examples which could easily have had “of them” added to the translation with no real change in meaning:

  maDo'chugh QeHchoH wa'
  If we're lucky, one [of them] will get angry. CK

  wa' ghaH tera'ngan'e'
  One [of them] is a Terran. (ST5 notes)

  wa' SuvwI' muHlu'DI', tuHchoH Hoch SuvwI'pu'
  The execution of but one warrior brings shame to
 all [of them]. TKW

If you need to distinguish between two groups – and context doesn’t make it clear which you’re referring to -- you can (colloquially) topicalize one (of them!).  E.g.

  romuluSngan qa’ma’pu’’e’… wa’ yIHoH!  ‘ach  qarDaSnganpu’ tIyu’!
  As for the Romulan prisoners… kill one (of them). But interrogate the
 Cardassians.

Or just simply:

  wa’ romuluSngan qa’ma’ yIHoH.
  Kill one Romulan prisoner.
  Kill one of the Romulan prisoners.

Presumably there is more than one prisoner, else why use a number?  You’d simply say:

  romuluSngan qa’ma’ yIHoH.
  Kill the Romulan prisoner.

Don’t fixate on the precise wording of the English.  There is often more than one correct translation.

-- Voragh


On Behalf Of mayqel qunenoS
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2016 7:14 AM

qaStaHvIS tuch Hoch, jISIvtaH: {chaH wa'} vIlo'chugh, "one of them" vIDellaH ?for all eternity, I will be wondering.. is the {chaH wa'} able to describe the "one of them" ?

qunnoH
ghoghwIj HablI'vo' vIngeHta'

On 20 Nov 2016 7:44 pm, "mayqel qunenoS" <mihkoun at gmail.com<mailto:mihkoun at gmail.com>> wrote:

Would you accept {chaH wa' jIHbe'} for "I am not one of them" ?

qunnoH
ghoghwIj HablI'vo' vIngeHta'
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