[tlhIngan Hol] negative imperatives with {not} imperatives with adverbs

SuStel sustel at trimboli.name
Mon Jul 12 06:19:51 PDT 2021


On 7/12/2021 8:25 AM, mayqel qunen'oS wrote:
> vortarulo:
> > Yes, {not yItor} is correct.
> > Marc Okrand wrote several autographs in > people's TKDs (also in 
> mine) saying {not > yIjegh!} ‘Never surrender!’, so that
> > construction is established.
>
> Ok, thanks!
>
> This whole matter is rather strange.. If I read in english "usually 
> study!" it sounds awkward, but if I read in klingon {motlh yIHaD}, 
> then this is something I could swallow.
>
> Anyway though, since 'oqranD has used the adverb-imperative 
> combination, then all is well.

You just happened to pick one of the (apparently) few English adverbials 
that doesn't work well in the imperative mood.

/Carefully study!
Quickly study!
Never study!/

All no problem. Without objects, these would more likely be /Study 
carefully!, Study quickly!,/ but still /Never study!/ With objects, 
these are more likely to be /Carefully study the lesson!, Quickly study 
the lesson!, Never study the lesson!,/ but the adverb following the verb 
still works in an archaic style.

It's just that you generally don't use /usually/ in the imperative mood. 
It's the exception, so using it as your comparison to Klingon gives you 
a bad example to follow.

If Klingon has the subtleties of English adverbs, we don't know of them.

-- 
SuStel
http://trimboli.name

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