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

[Steven Boozer]

John R. Harness wrote:
>> Q for everyone: Can you put -mo' in the midst of the law' / puS
>> construction?

I know of no examples. 

Qov: 
> How to do things with a law'/puS construction ...
> 
> Express degree of certainty: qamwIj tIn law' qamlIj tIn puS 'e'
> vIHar/vISovchu'/vIHon.  = I believe/am certain/doubt that my feet are
> bigger than yours.
> Use -mo': qamwIj tIn law' qamlIj tIn puS. ngoDvammo' qamlIj vIgho'. =
> Because my feet are bigger than yours, I step on yours.
> Ask a yes/no question: qamwIj tIn law' qamlIj tIn puS, qar'a'?  = Are my
> feet bigger than yours?
> Use -DI': tugh HIvje'lIj buy' law' HIvje'wIj buy' puS. qaSpu'DI' HIrI'. =
> Call me when your mug is fuller than mine.
> Use -taHvIS: rut 'IQchoHghachwIj 'ugh law' tIqwIj 'ugh puS. qaStaHvIS
> jISaQ. = I cry when my impending sadness outweighs my heart.

Most of Qov's examples used a follow-up comment.  Okrand tends to use introductory phrases or clauses (which I've marked with <angle brackets>):

  <jonlu'meH> wo'maj pop tIn law' Hoch tIn puS 
  Our Empire's highest bounty has been placed on his
   head. (ST5 notes)

  <reH latlh qabDaq> qul tuj law' Hoch tuj puS 
  The fire is always hotter on someone else's face. PK

  <qIbDaq SuvwI''e'> SoH Dun law' Hoch Dun puS 
  You would be the greatest warrior in the galaxy. ST5

  <tlhutlhmeH> HIq ngeb qaq law' bIQ qaq puS 
  Drinking fake ale is better than drinking water. TKW

  <noH ghoblu'DI'> yay quv law' Hoch quv puS 
  In war there is nothing more honorable than victory. TKW

  <tlhIngan wo' yuQmey chovlu'chugh> Qo'noS potlh law' Hoch
   potlh puS 
  The principal planet of the Klingon Empire, Qo'noS... S27

So you could say {<VERB/NOUN-mo'> A Q law' B Q puS}.

Although not using {-mo'}, Okrand's most complicated law'/puS sentence comes from SkyBox S7 and is well worth studying.  Note the {noun phrases} in the A and B slots:

  {DujvamDaq tlhIngan nuH tu'lu'bogh} pov law' Hoch pov puS
    'ej {DujvamDaq 'op SuvwI' tu'lu'bogh} po' law' {tlhIngan
     yo' SuvwI' law'} po' puS 
  It [IKC Pagh] has the best weapons and some of the finest
   warriors in the Klingon fleet. S7

For the collective:  Are there any law'/puS examples in the paq'batlh?



--
Voragh
tlhIngan ghantoH pIn'a'
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons