On 3/18/2020 2:38 PM, Lieven L. Litaer wrote:
The general question here is, whether a the first noun in a N-N-construction can be used to modify the second noun.
Yes. Absolutely. The noun-noun construction represents a genitive relationship between two nouns, of which possessive is only a subset. In general, /genitive /means being associated in some way. It's a very broad concept with many facets. We have lots of examples of non-possessive noun-noun constructions in Klingon. mayqel cited *baS 'In*/bell,/ which cannot be interpreted as /drum which is possessed by metal./ We have your own citation of *QaDmoHwI' DIr*/towel,/ which is not a skin possessed by a drier. We have *vaj toDuj*/warrior courage/ from KGT, which one might try to interpret as /courage possessed by a warrior,/ except the word *vaj* refers to warriorhood, not a particular warrior, so *vaj toDuj* refers to the kind of courage associated with warriorhood, rather than courage actually possessed by warriorhood. We have *nISwI' HIch*/disruptor pistol,/ which is not a pistol possessed by a disruptor but a pistol of the disruptor variety. We have *'Iw HIq*/bloodwine,/ which is telling us a kind of alcohol, not that the blood possesses the wine. We have *may' qoch*/battle partner,/ which does not mean that the battle possesses the partner. And so on and on and on. While Okrand may not use the word "genitive" in /The Klingon Dictionary,/ the noun-noun construction is nevertheless Klingon's genitive construction.
What is a {ra'wI' Qel}? A {SuvwI' Qel}? ... I think this leads back to my question of a few weeks ago, where I suggested if there is some kind of negative appostion, as seen in {QaDmoHwI' DIr}.
I have no idea what "negative apposition" is supposed to mean, but *QaDmoHwI' DIr* is an example of a genitive construction. If we assume that *ra'wI' Qel* isn't to be interpreted as /the commander's doctor,/ then it means /commander-doctor,/ that is, a doctor who commands, a doctor who is a commander. Likewise, if we assume that *SuvwI' Qel* doesn't refer to a warrior's doctor, then it means /warrior-doctor,/ a doctor who doubles as a warrior. -- SuStel http://trimboli.name