On 10/19/2021 9:37 AM, luis.chaparro@web.de wrote:
In this thread (http://lists.kli.org/pipermail/tlhingan-hol-kli.org/2021-October/018262.html) was recently discussed how *-'e'* works, so I want to take this opportunity to ask something I've been wondering for a while.
In the Addendum to TKD we find this sentence: *HaqwI''e' DaH yISam*. The translation (*Find the SURGEON now!*) makes it clear that *-'e'* works here as focus. An object with *-'e'* can precede an adverbial. But:
1. Is this position optional or mandatory?
It appears to be optional. "The adverbial /may/ actually follow the object noun..."
And: 2. What could be a suitable context for this sentence (focus interpretation)? 3. Since *HaqwI''e'* ends here at the beginning of the sentence, could it also be interpreted as topic? (*As for the surgeon, find her / him now!*). And if so, would the correct interpretation only depend on context? 4. At the beginning of PB, is the use of *-'e'* with *DaH tIQoy* topic?
Focus and topic are related concepts, and I think this fronting of the object is taking advantage of that. This rule comes from a line in /Star Trek VI,/ where, after /Kronos 1/ has been fired upon and artificial gravity has been lost, Chancellor Gorkon commands, *chang'e' DaH Sam*/Find Chang now!/ In this context, I believe the sentence can be interpreted like so: /Chang! Find him now!/ That is, it's using the object noun as a topic instead of a focus. And separating the object from the object position might be a way to doing that. The parallel sentence in TKD gives us what seems to be a focus interpretation (*HaqwI''e' DaH yISam*/Find the SURGEON now!/), but no context is given, so it's a little hard to interpret. I think the stanza in /paq'batlh/ you're referring to is indeed doing this object-fronting. *naDev Sughompu' Suto'vo'qor wIghoSmeH ngoQmaj'e' DaH tIQoy* /Hear now, All of you here, Why we go to Sto-vo-kor./ As an aside related to past discussions, notice how Okrand has chosen to translate /Hear now, all of you here:/ *naDev Sughompu' / DaH tIQoy*///All of you have gathered / Hear now./ No trying to combine *Hoch* and *tlhIH* or mismatching prefixes or relative clauses or anything like that. // -- SuStel http://trimboli.name