[Tlhingan-hol] Concerning the purpose clauses

[André Müller]

Actually {-meH} isn't that complex. Its meaning really is to state purpose
and it can modify sentences or single nouns. It's position is before (or
after) the sentence if it modifies a sentence. Or before the noun, if it
modifies a noun.

If it modifies a sentence, the structure is like this:
a) [X-meH] [B verb A] = "A verbs B in order to X."
Usually the subject of the subordinate clause [X-meH] is also the subject
of the main clause, here: A. But not necessarily. We could have a sentence
like this:
b) [D verb-meH C], [B verb A] = "A verbs B, so that C may verb D."
I would put a comma in such a sentence to avoid confusion between the two
nouns C and B. But as I said, they are very very seldom.

A real-life ad hoc example for b) is:
[tlhIngan Hol luHaDmeH HaDwI'pu'lI'], ['ampaS 'elnIS ghojmoHwI'].
= "The teach must enter the academy, so that his students may study Klingon.

Usually it's much easier, though, like in a), but maybe with an object,
e.g.:
[tlhIngan Hol vIHaDmeH] [paqvam vIje'nIS].
= "I mut buy this book in order to learn Klingon.

Even though the subject is not stated in the meH-clause, it has to be
marked on the verb.

Now, if the meH-clause modifies a noun, it's usually even easier, because
it simply has no verb prefix, it's just:
c) [X-meH] [N] = "an N for X-ing"

And we had a lot of real life examples before, here's another one:
[HaDmeH paq]
= "study book" (a book for studying)

When you are very confused about a sentence and cannot really figure out
the structure, try reading it from the end. That works pretty well. Maybe
that helps you.

I have probably just repeated what others and what TKD said with my own
words, but often a more formular approach helps in understanding. Not sure
if I was successful, though. ;)

- André

2015-11-09 17:20 GMT+01:00 SuStel <sustel at trimboli.name>:

> On 11/9/2015 11:14 AM, qunnoQ HoD wrote:
>
>> the only way this can be fixed,is for me to fire thrusters,so that my
>> position will be seen and then someone hopefully fire a tractor
>> beam,thus pulling me out of this jay' nebula..
>>
>
> maj. nabvam nIv law' Hoch nIv puS. QInvam DangeHpu'pa' nab nIb vIchup 'e'
> vIHech.
>
>
> --
> SuStel
> http://trimboli.name
>
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