[tlhIngan Hol] expressing "body parts" {'ay'Du'} or {'ay'mey}

[mayqel qunen'oS]

jIH:
> I choose the next best thing I can find which is {'ay'}. So I ask..
De'vID:
> {porgh 'ay'}?

Yes, indeed. It's what I had in mind actually, but I forgot to write
the {porgh}.

De'vID:
> for {'ay'} referring to body parts, I'd use {'ay'Du'}
> We don't have any canon examples with {'ay'}, but we know from some
> other words that the plural suffix on a noun can change depending on
> what it's referring to

Initially, I thought too of writing {'ay'Du'}, but then I remembered
the {DeSqIv} "elbow", which retains it's body part plural suffix
{-Du'} even when we use it in reference to a {nevDagh}. So, I thought:
"Since we've never seen {'ay'Du'} in Ca'Non, then why for the case in
question don't we just write {'ay'mey}?"

De'vID:
> For example, {DIr} takes the suffix {-Du'} when still on a body, but {-mey} otherwise

Now I started to wonder.. If we see on the ground nevDagh handles,
which have been broken off the pot, do we say {DeSqIvDu' tu'lu'} or do
we say {DeSqIvmey tu'lu'}?

Perhaps the body/non-body suffix is determined on the basis of whether
the thing is question is still attached to the body (animal/human one,
or the "body" of an item). But even if that's true, both for {DIr} as
well as {DeSqIv} there's the "default" state of one usually thinking
them as something attached to a body. But I can't image what the
default state of {'ay'} would be, since it's a "general word", i.e.
not having being given in reference to a body, or a specific
thing/item/object.

Confusing matter indeed.

However, in tkd sayeth the god:

*****quote starteth*****

The suffix {-mey} cannot be used with body parts. It should
be noted, however, that Klingon poets often violate this
grammatical rule in order to evoke particular moods in their
poetry. Thus, forms such as {tlhonmey} <nostrils scattered all
about> do occur. Until the subtle nuances of such constructions
are firmly grasped, however, it is suggested that students of
Klingon stick to the rules.

*****quote endeth*****

So, if I understand this correctly, if {'ay'} could be used to express
"body parts" as in {porgh 'ay'}, then obviously the correct choice
would be {porgh 'ay'Du'} and not {porgh 'ay'mey}.

As a result of the above, I decided that I'll be using {'ay'Du'}.

-- 
Dana'an
https://sacredtextsinklingon.wordpress.com/
Ζεὺς ἦν, Ζεὺς ἐστίν, Ζεὺς ἔσσεται· ὦ μεγάλε Ζεῦ