lieven:

> Perhabs mayqel can just say if my answer was helpful 
> or not.

I think the answer is both "yes" and "no", depending on how the effect of -qu' is understood.

In the past we have said that the -qu', can act either by emphasizing only the suffix which directly precedes it, or by adding emphasis to the entire word.

So, if the -qu' is used with the intention of emphasizing only the preceding suffix, then I still don't understand why we should use it in spoken klingon, and not just stress with our voice the final suffix instead.

On the other hand, if by the use of -qu', we want to emphasize the entire preceding word (i.e. verb and the sum of suffixes it bears), then I do understand why it would be needed, with its job unable to be done by merely adding emphasis with our voice on the final suffix.

On the third hand, why not emphasize with our voice the entire word with all its suffixes and be done with it, rather than using the -qu' ?

~ channgan qIj