[Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: veSDuj

[Lieven]

Am 16.10.2015 um 19:51 schrieb qunnoQ HoD:
> why {veSDuj} and not {veS Duj} ?

A more general answer:

First, Okrand has once answered to this kind of questions that since 
Klingon was intended as a spoken (not written) language, he did not 
think much about the difference of compound nouns being written with or 
without space, because you don't hear the difference.

Next, Okrand does not follow a specific pattern, he even sometimes 
writes the same word with or without space (unintentionally).

Third, there still is not much difference in the meaning. Compare the 
english translations "warship" and "ship of war".

The only difference there is, is that when with two separate words, the 
first word may take a suffix, which will not work with some of the 
compound words. You cannot tear apart all of the compound nouns.

Briefly summarizing, we don't know for sure, and simply need to accept 
that's it's just the way it is. You cannot drive in a parkway, but you 
park in the driveway.

-- 
Lieven L. Litaer
aka Quvar valer 'utlh
Grammarian of the KLI
http://www.facebook.com/Klingonteacher
http://www.klingonwiki.net