On 7/13/2020 10:37 AM, Will Martin wrote:
the Klingon word {nuq} is a noun. It’s never anything but a noun.
The Klingon word *nuq* is a *chuv.* it's never anything but a *chuv.* However, it can /stand in/ for a noun. We have a term for words that stand in for nouns: /pronouns./ And we know something else about Klingon pronouns: they can be used in copulas, where one word gets identified with another word. *yIH nuq?** *
You can’t use it in any question that tries to ask a question that is not answered by the statement formed by repeating the question with {nuq} replaced by the noun it stands for.
In basic sentences, this is correct, and I believe your reasoning for why *jarlIj qaq nuq* doesn't work is also correct. However, it is not generally true, as the answer to *yIH nuq* cannot be *yIH Ha'DIbaH 'up****.* -- SuStel http://trimboli.name