[tlhIngan Hol] does {-be'} negate the {-vIp} taboo?

[Lieven L. Litaer]

Am 08.04.2021 um 00:03 schrieb De'vID:
> The unnegated version, {pIHoHvIp} "we are afraid to kill you", is
> without question culturally taboo. However, does the fact that {-vIp} is
> negated by {-be'} change this?
>
> What do others think?

I definitely agree that saying {jI...vIpbe'} is NOT culturally taboo, as
it negates the taboo version.

Remember that Klingon is not math. So if it is taboo to use -vIp with
jI- that does not mean it is a taboo in all cases. What TKD says it that
no Klingon would ever admit they are afraid of something. Using -be'
negates the being afraid, so I guess it's not taboo to say that.

I would even go a step further and say that even without -be' you can
negate the phrase and make it a non-taboo version:

{not jIHeghvIp} "I am never afraid to die!"
{jIHeghvIp 'e' DaQub'a'?} "Do you think I'm afraid to die?"

By the way, if you need evidence, it's very small, but think of it this
way: If it were a taboo combination, then why was it used as a prominent
example in TKD in chapter 4.3? It even explains when those phrases can
be used.

--
Lieven L. Litaer
aka the "Klingon Teacher from Germany"
http://www.tlhInganHol.com
http://klingon.wiki/En/Type2VerbSuffixes