[tlhIngan Hol] {net Sov} vs {'e' Sovlu'}

[SuStel]

On 11/30/2017 2:12 PM, Aurélie Demonchaux wrote:
> Today I am trying to grasp the difference between {net + verb} and 
> {'e' + verb-lu'}
>
> The way I understand it is, for example with "Sov"
>
> net Sov = it is common knowledge that
> 'e' Sovlu' = someone (indefinite) knows that
>
> Thus:
> qama'pu' DIHoHbe' net Sov = It is common knowledge that we don't kill 
> prisoners
> qama'pu' DIHoHbe' 'e' Sovlu' = It is known / someone knows that we 
> don't kill prisoners
>
> Similarly with chaw' :
> qama'pu' DIHoH net chaw'be' = we are not allowed to kill prisoners
> qama'pu' DIHoH 'e' chaw'lu'be' = someone does not allow us to kill 
> prisoners
>
> Am I getting it right ?

My first attempt to answer this never arrived.

The "common knowledge" idea was invented by Klingonists' usage; it is 
not canonical. Back in the early *qep'a'mey,* it was a running gag to 
say *net Sov, net Sov!* in part because Captain Krankor's imperial 
anthem uses that in a line. There is no semantic difference between *net 
*X and *'e'* X*lu',* except that the latter is supposed to be ungrammatical.

The rules say that, except for the recent exception with *'aq,* one uses 
*net* when the subject of the second sentence is indefinite, not *'e' 
*X*-lu'.* Okrand breaks this rule occasionally, and when and why one can 
break the rule is unknown.

I believe he breaks the rule for the same reason I do sometimes: it's 
easy to forget to use *net.* I think he does it in error. Of course, if 
he ever decided to explain what's going on, he'll invent some reason why 
all the examples we have of apparent rules-violations are actually 
special cases, and here's what's REALLY going on, and that'll be that.

-- 
SuStel
http://trimboli.name

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