[108724] in tlhIngan-Hol
Re: [tlhIngan Hol] Tag questions
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Steven Boozer)
Fri Dec 30 19:43:42 2016
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From: Steven Boozer <sboozer@uchicago.edu>
To: "tlhingan-hol@kli.org" <tlhingan-hol@kli.org>
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2016 21:04:52 +0000
In-Reply-To: <1483109646086.46698@kth.se>
Reply-To: tlhingan-hol@kli.org
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mayqel qunenoS wrote:
>>> someone asks: {tlhIngan Hol boparHa', qar'a'}.
>>
>> supposing that the answer is "yes", (because if it wasn't "yes" we
>> wouldn't be here), then how do we answer ?
>> a. HIja'
>> b. bIqar
>> c. bIlugh
>> d. all of the above
=
De'vID:
> See TKD section 6.4:
> <Yes/no questions are formed with the Type 9 suffix {-'a'} added to the
> verb. Examples are given in section 4.2.9. Appropriate answers to yes/no
> questions are:
> {HIja'} or {HISlaH} yes
> {ghobe'} no>[] =
Felix Malmenbeck:
> Yes, {HIja'} or {HISlaH} would both do the trick nicely, and in most
> situations would probably sound the most natural.
> =
> However, {qar} also makes perfect sense, as the question at play is "Is it
> accurate?"
> ...and likewise, {wIparHa'} communicates the answer nicely.
> =
> {bIlugh} is a bit questionable, because it depends on whether or not you
> judge that the person asking the question is actually making a statement.
> I personally think that'd be an appropriate assessment in most cases where
> {qar'a'} is used, because the asker is usually requesting confirmation for
> a perceived truth, but I'd still be a bit cautious about it.
> =
> I'm more skeptical about {bIqar}, because I'm not convinced that a
> *person* can be accurate or inaccurate; they can *think* or *communicate*
> statements, which may may or may not be accurate. I personally use {qar}
> or {teH} to refer to statements and {lugh} or {vIt} to refer to people.
> Canon may show me to be wrong down the line, but so far I think this
> interpretation has held up.
> =
> [This is quite probably a case of native tongue bias; Swedish makes a
> distinction between statements, which can "be right" ("vara r=E4tt") and
> people, which can "have right" ("ha r=E4tt"). Whether or not Klingon makes
> this distinction is up to Marc Okrand.]
=
Though I didn't check the paq'batlh - someone else can do that - the canon =
seems to support Felix:
Examples of {lugh} "be right, be correct":
bIlugh =
You're right. TKD
bIlughbe' =
You're wrong. TKD
reH lugh charghwI' =
The victor is always right. TKW
bIlugh. Do'Ha' QIp qabpaqwIj. =
(MO to Andre on FaceBook, 2/11/2014)
lugh; Sor rur =
correct as a tree KGT
Examples of {qar} "be accurate":
Oddly, except for the phrase {mu'mey qar} "standard or proper Klingon (i.e.=
not slang)" discussed in KGT, all the examples of {qar} are of the tag phr=
ase {qar'a'}:
(TKD 179): Tag questions (ending a statement with a question such as "righ=
t?" or "isn't that so?") are formed by using the verb {qar} "be accurate" p=
lus the suffix {-'a'} "interrogative". This word either follows the verb or=
else comes at the end of the sentence.
De' Sov qar'a' HoD
De' Sov HoD qar'a' =
The captain knows the information, right? TKD
'IH qar'a' =
It's beautiful, isn't it? CK
'IH jaj qar'a' =
Beautiful day, isn't it? PK
=
(KGT 34-35): One good illustration of this involves the tag question--that=
is, the construction in which a statement is followed by a question such a=
s "right?" In Klingon, a tag question is formed by adding {qar'a'} (literal=
ly, "Is it accurate?") either after the verb or at the end of the sentence =
[...] =
The tag question is found in the speech of all Klingons to one degree or an=
other, but it is found quite a bit more frequently in the speech of younger=
Klingons. Indeed, some members of the older generation have accused teenag=
e Klingons of adding {qar'a'} to the end of virtually every sentence they u=
tter.
qarDaSnganpu' HIvpu' tlhInganpu' qar'a'
qarDaSnganpu' HIvpu' qar'a' tlhInganpu' =
The Klingons have attacked the Cardassians, right? (KGT)
wejHu' qoSlIj Dalopta', qar'a'? =
(MO's FaceBook text to Andre, 2/11/2014)
Examples of {teH} "be true":
- parmaq choH pagh teHqu', choH tu'DI' lajDaj. =
Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds =
(Sonnet 116)
qeylIS tIghmey'e' DaH tIQoy / teH tIghmey 'ej bIH bolIjlaHbe' =
Hear now, [.] the ways of Kahless, for they are true and
unforgettable. PB
AFAIK there are no examples of {vIt} "tell the truth" in a sentence.
--
Voragh
tlhIngan ghantoH pIn'a'
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
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