[Tlhingan-hol] 'ar again

[David Trimboli]

On 1/30/2013 3:01 AM, De'vID wrote:

> Voragh:
>> {'ar} "how many" expects a number as an answer:
>> {'ar} "how much" probably expects a number as well:
>
> That's a very helpful way of looking at it. {Hol 'ar DajatlhlaH?} "How
> many/much language(s) do you speak -- and I expect a number for an
> answer?" It seems fairly obvious the question is intended to ask the
> number of languages rather than the number (numeric percentage?) of
> one language

I don't think {'ar} ever means "what portion?". With countable nouns it 
means "how many?", and with non-countable nouns it means "what amount?". 
{'ar} only means one thing; it's just our English translations that need 
adjustment.

taj 'ar
how many knives?

bIQ 'ar
how much water?
(unless you're talking about water served in cups, in which case the 
translation would be "how many waters?", but the distinction is an 
English one, not a Klingon one)

Since {Hol} is a countable noun, the correct translation would be

Hol 'ar
how many languages?

The translation would not be "how much of a particular language?", 
though I could see a metaphorical "sea of language" {Hol bIQ'a'} leading 
to the phrase {Hol 'ar} "how much (of the sea of) language?".

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