[tlhIngan Hol] Present tense and context

[Steven Boozer]

These were all the examples I know of with any Type 7 (Aspect) suffix.  Here are examples which Okrand translated in the English past tense:

jemS tIy qIrq.  loDHom jIHDI' qIrq qun vIqImchoH. 
James T. Kirk.  I've followed his history since I was a boy. (ST5 notes)

janmey ngo' lulo'lu'DI' pIj jabbI'ID nISpu' woj 
Older models were susceptible to radiation. S19

boq lucherDI' tlhIngan wo' romuluS Hov wo' je So'wI' cham Suqpu' tlhIngan wo'. 
Cloaking technology was gained through an alliance with the Romulan Star Empire... S33

tagha' pawpu' meb 'ach pumDI' ('etlh) Heghpu' qagh 
The guest finally arrived, but by then the gagh had died. (st.k 11/1999)

DorDI' jar mejpu' 
At the end of the month, he/she left. 
("When the month ended, he/she left"). (HQ 12.2)

jIlay'DI' reH batlh jIpabchugh Qapla'meywIj Hoch vIta'ta' 'e' DaHar'a' 
Did you think that my word of honor would have carried me this far? PB

jatlh 'e' mevDI' qeylIS, lop 
After Kahless's words, they celebrate PB

jatlh 'e' mevDI' nuvpu' mejmoH ghaH ratlh be'nalDaj luqara' neH. 
After his last words, all were sent away, but his wife Lukara. PB

tlheDDI' quvmoHmeH veng HeHDaq lutlha' SaD law' nuvpu' 
Thousands followed him To the edge of the city, To bid him farewell. PB

pa' 'elDI' Duj 'Iw HIq pIw qagh pIw je lularghlu'chu' 
The smell of bloodwine and gagh Filled the barge upon entering. PB

QIStaqDaq cholonDI' jIyIn DaH jIyIn je 
I am alive as I was when you left me at Kri'stak (PB)

ruS cherDI' 'Iw 
After having sealed this bond in blood (PB)

Qugh la'.  tlhIngan Hol vIchenmoHDI', jatlhwI' wa'DIch ghaH. 
Commander Kruge. He was the first major speaker of the Klingon I devised. (ASM)

HIja', 'ej jIHvo' nIHDI' jIbup. 
Yes, and when he stole from me I dumped (him). STID

jagh HIvrup SuvwI' Haqpa' DIvI' qeSwI' 
The warrior was prepared to attack the enemy until the Federation advisor intervened. KGT

Note that 1) sometimes a perfective suffix is attached to another verb in the sentence (not the one with {-DI'}) supplying the necessary past context;  2) sometimes {mevDI'} is used (which you've mentioned);  3) sometimes Okrand translates an English perfect with no perfect suffix in Klingon on any verb (e.g. {ruS cherDI' 'Iw} "After having sealed this bond in blood").

Sentences with {-DI"} are often translated in the present or future, ofent the immediate future.  E.g. 

  cha yIbaH qara'DI' 
  qara'DI' cha yIbaH 
  Fire the torpedoes at my command TKD

Remember {-DI'} and {-pa'} refer to sequence of events not grammatical tense per se, which Klingon doesn't mark (as you well know by now).  There are a few other examples, but I don't have time to sort them out now.  Remind me later if you want to see them.

--Voragh

----------------------------------------Original Message----------------------------------------
From: luis.chaparro at web.de
Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2021 5:13 AM

Thank you very much for this helpful information! If I understand you correctly, these are all canonical examples with *-DI'* and a perfective suffix, not just those that relate to the present / future? I mean, there is no canon of *-DI'* or *-pa'* with a perfective suffix, but in a past context? Are the canonical examples in the past always without perfective suffix? Thank you again!

Voragh:
>Yes, you can use {-pu'} with {-DI'} but it's not common. In fact, I could only find one example:
>
>  'uQ wISoppu'DI' maja'chuq
>  We will talk after dinner. (PK)
>
>You can also use {-ta'} with {-DI'} :
>
>lojmItDaj veghta'DI' jubbe'wI'
>   yInqa'meH chegh 'e' botnIS qotar
>   qeylIS HoHmeH qotar qeylIS SamnIS
>Still, Kotar cannot let a mortal
>   Pass his gates and return alive,
>   Kahless must be hunted down and killed. (PB)
>
>QIStaq 'emDaq jenchoH jul,
>   yor DungDaq Salta'DI'
>   tagh HarghchuqmeH poH
>The sun rises high behind the Kri'stak, 
>   When it rises over its top, 
>   It is time to do battle. (PB)
>
>I couldn't find any examples of {-pa'} with a Type 7 aspect suffix however.