[tlhIngan Hol] some more from Maltz

[Steven Boozer]

I know that the space isn't that significant for Okrand.  That opens up the possibility for nonce expressions like {SolDeS Do} "sail(ing) speed",  {SuS Do} "wind speed" or {rapmar Do} "oar/rowing speed"  for ships;  {rutlh Do} "wheel speed" for various types of wheeled vehicles;  etc.  Spaces are far more likely when the first element is two words (e.g. {bIQ Duj} ship, {lupwI' mIr} train, {puH Duj}  car) or three words (e.g. {qam Do Duj}  bicycle) or four words (e.g. {cha' rutlh puH Duj} motorcycle) or even five words (e.g. {wa’ rutlh qam Do Duj} unicycle).  

I imagine the same thing might work for the bound morpheme {ghor} meaning a type of propulsion system, so far seen in only two words:  {Hongghor} "impulse drive" and {pIvghor} "warp drive".  *{tatghor} "ion propulsion" and *{’otlhghor} "photonic propulsion, photon drive" proposed on the List so I can  envision *{SISghor} "steam drive/propulsion" or even *{SuSghor} "wind propulsion".

BTW, since it comes up so often... have you and Okrand come up with an explicit way to refer to the space between words?  {‘olQan} "gap"  is the obvious choice:

(qep'a' 2018):   like the space between your teeth or the area between rows of seats in a theater, but it (and {‘olQanmey}) can be used for the space in a room, space on a desk, etc. A verb commonly used with {‘olQan} is {‘uch}. This generally means hold, grasp, but when the object is {‘olQan} it’s often translated "occupy" or "take up". 

... but Okrand might prefer using a verb such as {chev} "separate" -- as in {chevwI' tlhoy'} "territorial wall" (literally a "separator wall").  *{chevwI' 'olQan} perhaps?

--
Voragh

---------------------------------------------Original Message----------------------------------------
From: Lieven L. Litaer

Am 01.04.2021 um 23:19 schrieb Steven Boozer:
> Hmm…
> *qam Do             “foot speed”

I always thought that was a very clear and obvious parsing of the word.
What else would it be? [qam {Do Duj}] "speed vessel of the foot?"

> FWIW:
> qughDo               cruising speed
> wabDo                 speed of sound
> gho'Do                 sublight (speed)
>
> Note that these are one word, not two.

Talking about this, the point of having a space in a compound noun is something that WE had observed ourselves, it was not something that Okrand thought about initially. As Klingon was mainly intended as a spoken language, the space was not important. You would not hear any difference.

This is not a direct quote, but that's what Okrand told me.

In addition to that, there is a difference in the example of {wab Do}.
Now, this is a direct quote:

As a spelling convention, {wab Do} "speed of sound" is written as two words. When used as a measurement term ("Mach"), it's written as one word (wabDo). The pronunciation (and, for that matter, meaning) is the same. (qepHom 2016)

See also:
http://klingon.wiki/En/Spacing