[Tlhingan-hol] Canon: Associate Producer

[Rohan Fenwick]

ghItlhpu' lojmIt tI'wI' nuv, jatlh:
> But the only real rule is that (with few exceptions like {lI'be'} and {lo'laH}) verbs are monosyllabic.

In addition, for HoD qunnoQ's information, it's important also to know that most of the apparent exceptions listed in TKD are there simply as lookup aids (for instance, {jubbe'} "be mortal", {HeghmoH} "be fatal"), and {lI'be'} falls into that group as far as we know. Marc has addressed this idea explicitly in a posting to the MSN Newsgroup:

"For the most part, entries in The Klingon Dictionary (and also in the addendum in Klingon For the Galactic Traveler) that consist of verb + suffix are indeed just that, verb + suffix. For example, one entry in the Dictionary is pujmoH "weaken." This is really puj "be weak" and the suffix -moH "cause" (thus "weaken" is "cause to be weak"). Since -moH is a Type 4 suffix, if a suffix of Type 1, 2, or 3 is to be used (such as -chuq "each other" [Type 1] or -nIS "need" [Type 2]), it would precede the Type 4 -moH; for example, pujchuqmoH "they weaken each other" or pujnISmoH "he/she needs to weaken [somebody]." It is, of course, possible to add the suffix -moH to lots of verbs; not all of the verb + -moH combinations are listed in the Dictionary as distinct entries. The ones that are listed are there as much as a matter of convenience for the user as anything else. For example, there is an entry for "commit suicide" just in case anyone wants to look that word up; but the Klingon equivalent is simply HoH'egh, literally "kill oneself" (HoH "kill" plus Type 1 verb suffix -'egh "oneself")." (Okrand to MSN Newsgroup,  30 Nov 1997)

So despite the gloss, {HeghmoH} (for instance) isn't an adjectival verb as the gloss "be fatal" might suggest; it's a verb-suffix compound. {bIHeghmoH} means "you cause [an unspecified object] to die" - more simply, "you cause [things] to die", or "you are fatal". Marc does go on to note, though, that {lo'laH} *is* an exception, and despite its superficial similarity to {lo'} + {-laH} (from which it may be descended), it is indeed a disyllabic and indivisible root in ta' Hol. So it'd be {jIlo'laHchoH} "I become valuable", {Dalo'laHmoH} "you cause it to be valuable". {Dalo'moHlaH} means something entirely different, "you can cause [someone] to use it".

QeS
 		 	   		  
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