[Tlhingan-hol] using adverbials or {-qu'} with comparison?

[SuStel]

On 3/6/2015 9:41 AM, De'vID wrote:
> Can someone remind me whether it's possible to use an adverbial with a
> comparison? Or attach {-qu'} to {law'/puS}?
>
> If I wanted to express "the time to do this mission is much more than
> the time we have", would it be:
> tlhoy Qu' poH nI' law' poH wIghajbogh nI' puS.
> Qu' poH nI' law'qu' poH wIghajbogh nI' puSqu'.
>
> Or something else?

The only way to modify a comparison/superlative is to change {law'} and 
{puS} into different, similarly comparative verbs of quality. This is 
described in KLINGON FOR THE GALACTIC TRAVELER. For instance, you can 
change {law'} and {puS} into {HoS} and {puj}. This is considered 
intentional ungrammaticality—it's not strictly according to the rules, 
but it's sometimes done for effect.

However, the basic formula of {A Q law' B/Hoch Q puS} hides some 
important techniques. A and B need not be simple nouns; they can be noun 
phrases, such as your {poH wIghajbogh} above. Other words can be added 
to the front of a comparative/superlative, just as they can a normal 
sentence. For instance, {qIbDaq SuvwI''e' SoH Dun law' Hoch Dun puS}, 
which adds a locative and a topic to the superlative. Adverbials 
attached to the sentence also work, as do adverbials attached to 
relative clauses in the noun phrases.

What you apparently can't do is add affixes to the {law'} or {puS} (or 
substitutes). Also, Q must be a verb describing a state or quality, not 
an action. You can use {HoS} (a quality) but not {HoSmoH} (an action). 
We've never seen an adverbial modifying the Q; I wouldn't expect this to 
be allowed.

Here's how I might translate your original:

Qu'vamvaD poH poQlu'bogh nI' law' poH wIghajbogh nI' puS.

Using {Qu'vam'e'} instead of {Qu'vamvaD} might even be preferable.

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