Thank you for replying !
The hint of saying {cha' vatlh DIS poH} "two centuries" makes me think about the question whether this should be translated per definition as cha' [vatlh DIS poH] or more literally {cha'-vatlh [DIS poH]} "200 years period."
This exact question had troubled me sometime in the past, when I came across the need to write "300 years period". I understand that there is no clear-cut answer on this problem, so I guess this must be another one of those "grey areas", which lack specific clarification.. Although, I cannot understand something.. If someone asks 'oqranD, at the coming qep'a', won't 'oqranD, be able to provide with a clear, specific and unambiguous answer ? I mean, how come so many years, questions such as this, continue to remain unanswered ? qunnoq On Thu, Jun 9, 2016 at 11:33 AM, Lieven <levinius@gmx.de> wrote:
jaj 09.06.2016 ghItlh mayqel qunenoS:
We say {vatlh DIS poH} for "century". However {vatlh} is a number forming element, right ?
Why ? Whyyyy ? Whyyyyyy ?
Short answer first:
In the game: Because that's just how it is.
In real life: I guess it's a simple mistake, but...
This is not explained more detailed in HolQeD 8.3, where the word for millenium is following the same pattern, {SaD DIS poH}. The hint of saying {cha' vatlh DIS poH} "two centuries" makes me think about the question whether this should be translated per definition as cha' [vatlh DIS poH] or more literally {cha'-vatlh [DIS poH]} "200 years period."
Note that Okrand frequently says that since Klingon is a spoken language (not written), the space between cha' and vatlh is not so important to focus on. So if you consider {-vatlh} as a suffix, or as a standalone numberforming word/syllable, one may see it as the word "hundred" which is also in english not allowed standing alone.
-- Lieven L. Litaer aka Quvar valer 'utlh Grammarian of the KLI http://www.facebook.com/Klingonteacher http://www.klingonwiki.net _______________________________________________ tlhIngan-Hol mailing list tlhIngan-Hol@lists.kli.org http://lists.kli.org/listinfo.cgi/tlhingan-hol-kli.org