Actually we do have a bit of liberty to play with it. Although there are no other examples of {-taHvIS} in a law’/puS formula – aberrant or otherwise – you can certainly add an introductory clause (using a Type 9 suffix) before the comparison proper. Here are Okrand’s examples with such clauses marked with angle brackets: < tlhutlhmeH > HIq ngeb qaq law' bIQ qaq puS Drinking fake ale is better than drinking water. (TKW) < jonlu'meH > wo'maj pop tIn law' Hoch tIn puS Our Empire's highest bounty has been placed on his head. (ST5 notes) < noH ghoblu'DI' > yay quv law' Hoch quv puS In war there is nothing more honorable than victory. (TKW) < tlhIngan wo' yuQmey chovlu'chugh > Qo'noS potlh law' Hoch potlh puS The principal planet of the Klingon Empire, Qo'noS... (S27) < cha’ DISmo’ > jIH qan law’ SoH qan puS I'm two years older than you. (Lieven < Okrand, 7/25/2016) < cha’ ’ujmo’ > jIH woch law’ SoH woch puS I'm two 'ujes taller than you. (Lieven < Okrand, 7/25/2016) < reH latlh qabDaq > qul tuj law' Hoch tuj puS The fire is always hotter on someone else's face. (PK) < qIbDaq SuvwI''e' > SoH Dun law' Hoch Dun puS You would be the greatest warrior in the galaxy. (ST5) < DujvamDaq tlhIngan nuH tu'lu'bogh > pov law' Hoch pov puS ‘ej < DujvamDaq 'op SuvwI' tu'lu'bogh > po' law' tlhIngan yo' SuvwI' law' po' puS It [IKC Pagh] has the best weapons and some of the finest warriors in the Klingon fleet. (S7) So to re-cast your first example, I would see nothing wrong with: Suvlu'taHvIS batlh potlh law' yIn potlh puS [or] Suvlu'taHvIS batlh potlh law' tlhuH potlh puS Fortunately here we have the homophonous noun/verb pairs {yIn} and {tlhuH}. -- Voragh _____________________________________________________________ From: mayqel qunen'oS […] could we write something like the following? Suvlu'taHvIS batlh potlh law' yInlu'taHvIS tlhuH potlh puS honor while fighting is more important than breath while living or maybe even: SuvchoHlu'DI' batlh potlh law' yInchoHlu'DI' tlhuH potlh puS as soon as someone begins to fight honor is more important than breath as soon he begins to live nIqolay Q:
But that grammar has never been elaborated on and we have no other examples, so it's probably best not to mess too much with it.
Yes, indeed. But it's truly a pity though.. With the law'/puS construction being rigid the way it is, I wish we were given the liberty to play with it, even if that meant having the freedom to place a simple type-9 clause before the {puS} part. ~ Dana'an I love you maltz