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