[tlhIngan Hol] -moH without an object

[De'vID]

On Fri, 11 Jan 2019 at 15:18, mayqel qunenoS <mihkoun at gmail.com> wrote:

> tkd:
> > maghoSchoHmoHneS'a'
> > may we execute a course (to some place)? (TKD)
>
> I don't understand this sentence;  why does it need the {-moH} in the
> first place ? How is it any different from saying simply
> {maghoSchoHneS'a'} ?
>

The difference is that this sentence is just asking if they're beginning to
go somewhere. With the {-moH}, they're *making* something (for example a
ship) begin to go somewhere.

The speakers (they're on a ship) are not asking if *they* can go somewhere
(like the bathroom), they're asking if they can *cause* (the ship) to go
somewhere.


> The way I would interpret the {maghoSchoHmoHneS'a'} is "we cause to
> begin to follow a course, (sir/captain, whatever..) ?"
>

{ma-} means that "we" do something, and there is no object, but also when
an object is not specified.


> Why not just say {maghoSchoHneS'a'} for "we cause to follow a course ,
> (sir/captain, whatever..) ?" ?
>

Did you mean to write {-moH} (not {-choH}) in the Klingon, or "begin" (not
"cause") in the English? Those sentences don't match. But in any case, the
answer is because the speaker is not asking permission to go somewhere
themselves, but to alter the course (of a ship which is being alluded to).

-- 
De'vID
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