This confusion may be why Marc Okrand came up with {jIn} "wish". Lieven provided his conversation with him in the [qepHom 2015 booklet (p. 12): MO: {chabal} is something desired or requested. There also is a verb"to wish", as in "I wish I could…} {jIn}. tlhIngan jIH 'e' vIjIn I wish I were a Klingon. LL: In German, the verb wish can have an indirect object, which sounds awkward in English […] MO: No, that's something you want: Like in English, you either say "I wish I had a beer" or just "I want a beer". The verb {jIn} cannot have a thing as an object. LL: What about the song "We wish you a merry Christmas..."? MO: That's a different wish; that's not this one. It's more the {-jaj} solution. {jIn} usually has a phrase as an object, not a thing. -- Voragh Ca'Non Master of the Klingons ----------------------------------------Original Message---------------------------------------- From: Lieven L. Litaer Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2020 1:34 PM Am 30.09.2020 um 20:17 schrieb Will Martin:
Everyone has been using the word “wish” to describe the verb suffix {-jaj}. My understanding has been that it’s more like a blessing than a wish.
I agree with what you say. The word "wish" is used because that's how TKD describes it: <<This suffix is used to express a desire or wish on the part of the speaker that something take place in the future. [...] {-jaj} is often translated with "may" or "let," and it is particularly useful when placing a curse or making a toast.>> (TKD, addendum 176) So, yes: you don't use that to express a wish for a Christmas present, or a wish for a sandwich.