[tlhIngan Hol] Beginner's text and questions

SuStel sustel at trimboli.name
Tue Aug 24 10:43:28 PDT 2021


On 8/24/2021 1:19 PM, Will Martin wrote:
> It should be noted that omitting the verb prefix {lu-} is probably the single most common grammatical error in the language. Okrand has done it in canon multiple times.
>
> It’s akin to screwing up “who” vs. “whom” in English. Anyone “who” knows the rules knows when to use “whom”, but might mindlessly screw up anyway, and others simply never get it right, in English always using “who” or in Klingon always using the null prefix for all third person subject verbs, even when the subject is plural and the object is singular.

There's a difference. Klingons clearly know how to use *lu-* but just 
forget it sometimes; English speakers usually don't know the difference 
between /who/ and /whom./ In English, using /who/ as an object has 
become not only something to ignore, but actually acceptable and even 
preferred. If you use /whom/ correctly, a lot of people will think your 
speech is stilted. That does not seem to be the case with Klingon *lu-.* 
We are told, instead, that omitting *lu-* may be jarring to many 
Klingons' ears and considered an error, but that it is often overlooked, 
except in formal situations. KGT also suggests that Klingons' general 
disagreeableness may be responsible for their not trying too hard to 
follow the grammatical rule of *rom.*

-- 
SuStel
http://trimboli.name

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