[Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: jang

[David Trimboli]

On 11/11/2011 10:20 AM, Noah Bogart wrote:
>     As used in canon:
>
>       jang 'avwI' <<jIghung je>>
>       The guard replies, "I am also hungry." PK
>
>       jang 'avwI' <<jI'oj je>>
>       The guard replies, "I am also thirsty." PK
>
>       jang 'avwI' <<lIchopbe'chugh ghewmey!>>
>       The guard answers, "If the bugs do not bite you!" PK
>
>
>     Related verbs:
>     {ghel} "ask (a question)", {yu'} "question, interrogate" & {tlhob}
>     "ask, request, plead"
>
>
>     Mark Okrand described the use of {jang} in an interview with Will
>     Martin (HolQeD [Dec. 1998: p.4-7]):
>
>        [....]
>
>     WM:   Just to mention particular verbs in terms of whether they can be
>           used for speech or not, you are saying that {ghel} is a word that
>           would probably not be used typically as a verb of speech. That
>           even if you are asking a question you would still tend to use
>           {ja'} or {jatlh}.
>
>     MO:   Yes. "He asked me. He said,'blah, blah, blah'." Or "He said,
>     'blah, blah, blah.' He asked me."  It doesn't matter.
>
>     WM:   {jang} - "answer" would be similar?
>
>     MO:   Yes.
>
>     WM:   And {tlhob} would similarly be...
>
>     MO:   {tlhob} also has the non-quoting sense.
>
>        [....]
>
>
> The Power Klingon examples seem to contradict the HolQeD conversation,
> don't they? PK doesn't have: {jang 'avwI'. jatlh <<jI'oj je>>}, which is
> what MO was suggesting, right?

Correct. Power Klingon predates the interview; I believe Okrand hadn't 
yet invented the details discussed in the interview.

A couple of ways to explain the discrepancy: (1) it's an error; (2) 
jokes in general, or this joke in particular, have fossilized forms due 
to their being enjoyed by being repeated exactly, and this form includes 
older grammar no longer found in ta' Hol.

Without further information from Okrand, this will remain a mystery. 
Your best bet is to follow the information given in the interview except 
when telling jokes.

-- 
SuStel
http://www.trimboli.name/