[tlhIngan Hol] Suffix-number questions in the KLCP test

[Jeffrey Clark]

I’m going to admit, I don’t remember the numbers associated with most of the suffixes. However, I can usually get the order of the suffixes right and avoid using ones that can’t go together through learned instinct based on canon examples and just repetition of use.

Admittedly, an unusual suffix combination I’d probably be inclined to look up.

—jevreH

Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 25, 2019, at 14:24, Hugh Son puqloD <Hugh at qeylIS.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>> On Nov 25, 2019, at 13:15, Hugh Son puqloD <Hugh at qeylis.net> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>> On Nov 25, 2019, at 11:49, mayqel qunen'oS <mihkoun at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> unless someone is a real native klingon, he can't learn the language, if he can't remember what type of suffix, each suffix actually is.
>>> 
>> 
>> The point is that a native Klingon speaker would know how to put all of the suffixes in the right order without knowing which number each one has. I wouldn’t expect a native Klingon speaker who hasn’t specifically studied Klingon grammar to know the numbers of the suffixes any more than I would expect a native English speaker who hasn’t specifically studied English grammar to know what a participle is, or be able to name and classify the different types of articles on a test. I would even go so far as to say that a native speaker who cannot answer those questions correctly is still very likely to be more proficient at the language than a non-native learner who has perfectly memorized the names and categorizations. Being unable to correctly name grammatical elements doesn’t prevent one from using them correctly.
> 
> Oops, should have read your sentence better. You said *unless* someone is a real native Klingon. But my point still stands even for non-native learners. I don’t think a student needs to know all of the suffix numbers to be able to order them correctly. I’m certainly not a native speaker and I hardly ever think about the suffix numbers when writing or speaking, and I manage not to make too many mistakes.
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