[Tlhingan-hol] Prospero año nuevo

[Robyn Stewart]

> > Suchepjaj expresses the wish for us all, and if we are going to accept
> > <DIS chu'> as a valid description of a year that has just begun,
>  > then what could be the problem with it as a timestamp?
> 
> Nothing at all. I simply didn't realize it was being used as a time stamp.

It's a noun phrase, with no type-5 suffix, occurring before a verb that
carries a no-object prefix.  I can think of no other option for it, in a
Klingon sentence. I'm saying this not for SuStel's benefit, because he knows
that well, but for beginners who might wonder how they could be expected to
know that.

How was SuStel, a good speaker, fooled into not immediately realizing it was
a timestamp? There are a lot of options that have to be resolved when we
read or hear a sentence.

DIS chu' boSIQjaj. = May you endure a new year -- the verb has a prefix that
expects an object, so we read DIS chu' as that object. The sentence could
also mean "May you endure it in the new year." More context would be
required to know.

DIS chu' jan. = A device activates the cave.  -- What might appear to be a
noun phrase is followed by another noun, and then the sentence ends, so chu'
here must be the main verb.

DIS chu'wI'. = The newcomer confesses. -- DIS is followed by a noun, so DIS
must be the verb.

DIS chu' SuchepDI'. = It activates the cave when you prosper. -- chep has a
type-9 suffix, so it can't be the main verb, but something has to be,  so
it's DIS.

Primed by the not invalid assumption that a beginner may have made an error,
the possibilities expand even further. This shows how important it is to
adhere to the minutia of grammar, for understanding, not pedantry. In
helping beginners we have to consider not only all the errors you might have
made, but the astounding possibility that you might have got it right in the
first place. 

taghwI'pu', SaparHa'qu'. qarjaj mu'tlheghmeyraj, 'ej mujDI', batlh bIHmo'
Sughojjaj.

  - Qov ‘utlh
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