[tlhIngan Hol] New words from "Miniatur Wunderland"

[Lieven L. Litaer]

Am 02.04.2019 um 03:08 schrieb qurgh lungqIj:
> No, I think a kitten is a {vIghro'Hom}, because a kitten isn't just a
> "small cat" {vIghro' mach}, it's a lesser form of a cat. :)
>
> {-Hom} never means "small" by itself, there's always something else
> involved as well.

This is only partially true; you should remember how it's described in
TKD, indicating that size can also be a possibility:

-------------
TKD 3.3.1:
This suffix indicates that what the noun refers to is BIGGER, more
important, or more powerful than it would be without the suffix.
[...]
This is the opposite of the augmentative suffix. It indicates that what
the noun refers to is SMALLER, less important, or less powerful than it
would be without the suffix.
-------------

(capitalized emphasis added)

That means that both sides are right: Words like {be'Hom} do not refer
to size only, but words like {bo'DaghHom} prove that a simple size
comparison can make sense too.

I guess that from the Klingon point of view, there is no problem anyway.
A native speaker recognizes the context, and knows the words. Think of
the German word {Mädchen} for "girl". This is derived from {Magd}
"woman" plus diminutve suffix {-chen}, but everyone knows it means
"girl", not "short woman". Also, when talking about mammels in biology,
the word "Männchen" is derived from {Mann} "man, male" plus diminutve
suffix {-chen}, but everyone knows it means "male", not "short man".

On the other hand, the German suffix {-chen} can be attached to any word
in German, and depending on context, it can simply mean "small version
of something".


--
Lieven L. Litaer
aka the "Klingon Teacher from Germany"
http://www.klingonisch.de
http://www.klingonwiki.net/En/Type1NounSuffixes