[Tlhingan-hol] list of inherent plurals

[Rohan Fenwick - QeS 'utlh]

ghItlhpu' De'vID, jatlh:
> Are there any others?

jang'egh, jatlh:
> I just remembered {Duj} (both singular and plural},

I must confess here that I was quite bemused by the debate that took place
over whether {Duj} in the sense of "instinct" was singular or plural. Be
careful to remember that *all* Klingon nouns that have no other marking
are not actually singular, but are unmarked for number. I quote TKD:

"In Klingon, a noun without a plural suffix may still refer to more than
one entity. The plurality is indicated by a pronoun, whether a verb prefix
(see section 4.1) or a full word (section 5.1), or by context."
(TKD pp.21-22)

So {Duj tIvoqtaH} is "trust your instinct*s*" only because of the plural
prefix {tI-}. I think it could just as easily have been {Duj yIvoqtaH}
with the meaning "trust your instinct" (as well as "trust your ship").

taH:
> {QaS} (corresponds to no known singular},

Same as {Duj}. I quote again, from KGT this time:

"Accordingly, when dealing with a troop member (QaS) or officer (yaS)
of a ship..." (KGT p.51)

Note the use of "*a* troop member" here, which I think indicates {QaS} is
perfectly fine to be used as a singular. Perhaps it could also be glossed
as "enlisted man", as opposed to "officer" ({yaS}).

QeS 'utlh