Klingon verb prefixes indicate both the subject and the object of the sentence.
OBJECT | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SUBJECT | None | Me | You | Him/Her/It | Us | You Plural | Them |
I | jI | -- | qa- | vI- | -- | Sa- | vI- |
you | bI- | cho- | -- | Da- | ju- | -- | Da- |
he | 0 | mu- | Du- | 0 | nu- | lI- | 0 |
we | ma- | -- | pI- | wI- | -- | re- | DI- |
you (plural) | Su- | tu- | -- | bo- | che- | -- | bo- |
they | 0 | mu- | nI- | lu- | nu- | lI- | 0 |
0 in the chart means that the particular subject–object combinations are indicated by the absence of a prefix before the verb; -- in the chart notes subject-object combinations which cannot be expressed with the Klingon verb prefix system. For such meanings, suffixes and/or pronouns must be used.
The prefixes in the first column of the chart (headed "none") are used when there is no object; that is, when the action of the verb affects only the subject (the "doer'"). This set of prefixes is also used when an object is possible, but unknown or vague. It cannot, however, be used for understanding a language or understanding a person. The remaining prefixes combine subject and object.
Example with root "legh" (see) | |
---|---|
qalegh (I see you) | cholegh (you see me) |
vIlegh (I see him/them) | mulegh (he sees me, they see me) |
Salegh (I see you (plural)) | tulegh (you (plural) see me) |
Dalegh (you see him/them) | Dulegh (he sees you) |
julegh (you see us) | pIlegh (we see you) |
legh (he sees him/them, they see them) | lulegh (they see him) |
OBJECT | none | me | him | us | them |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
you | yI- | HI- | yI- | gho- | tI- |
you (plural) | pe- | HI- | yI- | gho- | tI- |
A special set of prefixes is used for imperatives. Commands can be given only to you; or you(plural). The single exception is when a command is given but there is no object. In such cases, a special prefix pe- is used to give a command to several people. Exclamation points in the translation indicate that it is a command.
Examples | |
---|---|
yIQong (sleep!) | peQong (you (plural) sleep!) |
HIqIP (hit me!) | ghoIp (hit us!) |
yIqIp (hit him!) | tIqIp (hit them!) |
Suffix or Prefix | Meaning | Category |
---|---|---|
-'a' | Augmentative | Aug/Dim |
-Hom | Diminutive | Aug/Dim |
-oy | Endearment | Aug/Dim |
-pu' | Plural, sentient beings | Number |
-Du' | Plural, body parts | Number |
-mey | Plural, general usage | Number |
-qoq | So-called | Qualification |
-Hey | Apparent | Qualification |
-na' | Definite | Qualification |
-wIj | My [inanimate] | Possession |
-maj | Our [inanimate] | Possession |
-lIj | Your, sng. [inanimate] | Possession |
-raj | Your, pl. [inanimate] | Possession |
-Daj | His, her, its [inanimate] | Possession |
-chaj | Their [inanimate] | Possession |
-wI' | My [sentient] | Possession |
-ma' | Our [sentient] | Possession |
-lI' | Your, sng. [sentient] | Possession |
-ra' | Your, pl. [sentient] | Possession |
-vam | This | Specification |
-vetlh | That | Specification |
-Daq | Locative | Syntactic Markers |
-vo' | From | Syntactic Markers |
-mo' | Due to, because of | Syntactic Markers |
-vaD | For, intended for | Syntactic Markers |
-'e' | Topic | Syntactic Markers |
This suffix is used to indicate that the action described by the verb affects the performer of the action, the subject. It is translated by English self. When this suffix is used, the prefix set indicating "no object" must also be used.
root | + -'egh |
---|---|
jIqIp (I hit) | jIqIp'egh (I hit myself.) |
bIqIp (you hit) | bIqIp'egh (you hit yourself) |
qIp (he hits) | qIp'egh (he hits himself) |
It is also possible to use this suffix with imperative verbs. As with nonimperatives, the prefix indicating "no object" must be used.
root | + -'egh |
---|---|
yIja' (tell!) | yIja''egh (tell yourself!) |
This suffix is used only with plural subjects. It is translated each other or one another. The prefix set indicating "no object" is also used when this suffix is used.
Examples with -chuq | |
---|---|
maqIpchuq (we hit each other) | SuqIpchuq (you (plural) hit each other) |
qIpchuq (they hit each other) | peqIpchuq (hit each other!) |
Suffixes of this type express how much choice the subject has about the action described or how predisposed the subject is to doing it.
root | + -nIS |
---|---|
legh (see) | vIleghnIS (I need to see him) |
Sop (eat) | bISopnIS (you need to eat) |
root | + -qang |
---|---|
Hegh (die) | Heghqang (he is willing to die) |
ja' (tell) | qaja'qang (I am willing to tell you) |
There is a verb ghuS which means to be prepared to launch or project (something). It is used primarily in reference to torpedoes -- if the object is not otherwise specified, torpedoes are the assumed object, although it can be used in reference to other projectiles and weapons. -rup is never used with ghuS, but should be used in most other cases of preparedness.
root | + -rup |
---|---|
Hegh (die) | Heghrup (he is ready to die) |
legh (see) | qaleghrup (I am ready to see you) |
ja' (tell) | nuja'rup (they are prepared to tell us) |
root | + -beH |
---|---|
poj (analyze) | pojbeH ((the device) is set up to analyze it) |
lab (transmit data) | labbeH ((the device) is ready to transmit data) |
This suffix is rarely used with a prefix meaning I or we. Though it is grammatically correct, it is culturally taboo.
root | + -vIp |
---|---|
HoH (kill) | choHoHvIp (you are afraid to kill me) |
qIp (hit) | muqIpvIp (they are afraid to hit us) |
Suffixes of this type indicate that the action described by the verb involves a change of some kind from the state of affairs that existed before the action took place.
The translation of this suffix may be English become or begin to. The implication of the second example is that the subject was going either nowhere or somewhere else before this phrase was uttered.
root | + -choH |
---|---|
Do' (be lucky) | maDo'choH (we are becoming lucky, we are undergoing a turn of luck) |
ghoS (go) | ghoSchoH (he is beginning to go (somewhere)) |
root | + -qa' |
---|---|
nej (search) | vInejqa' (I am resuming the search, I am searching for him again) |
Adding this suffix to a verb indicates that the subject is causing a change of condition or causing a new condition to come into existence.
root | + -moH |
---|---|
tIjwI'ghom (boarding party) chen (take form, take shape) | tIjwI'ghom vIchenmoH (I form a boarding party, I cause a boarding party to be formed) |
Qoy (hear) | HIQoymoH (let me hear (something), cause me to hear (something)) |
This suffix is used to indicate that the subject is unknown, indefinite, and/or general. Since the subject is always the same (that is, it is always unstated), the pronominal prefixes are used in a different way. Those prefixes which normally indicate first-person or second-person subject and third-person singular object (vI-, Da-, wI-, bo-) are used to indicate first-person or second-person object.
Verbs with -lu' are often translated into the English passive voice; when -'lu is used with the verb tu' find, observe and a third-person-singluar subject pronoun, the resulting verb form is often translated to English there is.
root | + -lu' |
---|---|
qaw (remember) | Daqawlu' (someone/something remembers you, you are remembered) |
legh (see) | wIleghlu' (someone/something sees us, we are seen) |
Sop (eat) | Soplu' (someone/something eats it, it is eaten) |
naDev (hereabouts) puqpu'(children) tu' (find, observe) | naDev puqpu' tu'lu' (there are children around here, someone/something finds children here) |
root | + -laH |
---|---|
Qong (sleep) | jIQonglaH (I can sleep) |
legh (see) | choleghlaH (you can see me) |
Qaw' (destroy) | nuQaw'laH (he can destroy us) |
These suffixes show how sure the speaker is about what is being said.
root | + -chu' |
---|---|
yaj (understand) | jIyajchu' (I understand clearly) |
baH (fire (a torpedo)) | baHchu' (he fired (the torpedo) perfectly) |
root | + -bej |
---|---|
chIm (be empty) | chImbej (it is undoubtedly empty) |
SeH (control) | nuSeHbej (he is certainly controlling us) |
This suffix expresses any uncertainty on the speaker's part and may even be thought of as meaning I think or I suspect.
root | + -law' |
---|---|
chIm (be empty) | chImlaw' (it appears to be empty, I think it's empty) |
SeH (control) | nuSeHlaw' (he seems to be controlling us, I suspect he is controlling us) |
This suffix is used when the speaker thinks that his or her assertion should be obvious to the listener. Nevertheless, there is still room for doubt; the suffix does not imply as strong a conviction as -bej certainly.
nepwI' Daba' He/she is obviously lying
nepwI' (liar) |
Da (act in the manner of, behave as) |
Klingon does not express tenses (past, present, future). These ideas come across from context or other words in the sentence (such as wa'leS tomorrow). The language does, however, indicate aspect: whether an action is completed or not yet completed, and whether an action is a single event or a continuing one.
The absence of a Type 7 suffix usually means that the action is not completed and is not continuous. Verbs with no Type 7 suffix are translated by the English simple present tense. When the context is appropriate, verbs without a Type 7 suffix may be translated by the English future tense (will), but the real feeling of the Klingon is closer to English sentences such as We fly tomorrow at dawn, where the present-tense verb refers to an event in the future.
This suffix indicates that an action is completed. It is often translated to the English present perfect (have done something).
root | + -pu' |
---|---|
legh (see) | Daleghpu' (you have seen it) |
neH (want) | vIneHpu' (I wanted them) |
ja' (tell) | qaja'pu' (I told you) |
This suffix is similar to -pu', but it is used when an activity was deliberately undertaken, the implication being that someone set out to do something and in fact did it. English translations seldom reveal the distinction.
root | + -ta' |
---|---|
Suq (get, acquire) | vISuqta' (I have acquired it) |
HoH (kill) | luHoHta' (they have killed him (on purpose)) |
Instead of using the suffix -ta', a special verbal construction can follow the verb which indicates the accomplished action. This special verb is rIn be finished, accomplished and in this usage it always takes the suffix -taH continuous and the third-person pronominal prefix (0). The resulting construction, rIntaH, literally means it continues to be finished or it remains accomplished. It is used to indicate that the action denoted by the preceding verb is a fait accompli: it is done, and it cannot be undone. The English translations of rIntaH and -ta' are usually the same. The notion of absolute finality implied by rIntaH seldom comes across. It should be noted that rIntaH is sometimes used for dramatic effect, even in cases when the action could be undone.
The suffix indicates that an action is ongoing, that is, it is a continuing activity (versus a one-time action).
root | + -taH |
---|---|
ghoS (approach) | nughoStaH (it is approaching us) |
ghoS (approach, proceed on a course) | yIghoStah (maintain this course! steady on course!) |
This suffix is similar to -taH continuous in that it indicates that an activity is ongoing. Unlike -taH, however, -lI' implies that the activity has a known goal or a definite stopping point. In other words, it suggests that progress is being made toward that goal. The suffix -taH continuous can be used whether there is a know goal or not. -lI', on the other hand, can be used only when there is an implied goal. It is possible to consider -lI' a continuous counterpart of -ta', and -taH a continuous counterpart of -pu'.
root | + lI' |
---|---|
chol (get close, come near) | chollI' (it is getting closer (to a target)) |
There is but one suffix in this category. It is used to express extreme politeness or deference. It is used only in addressing a superior, someone of higher rank in the Klingon social, political, or military hierarchy. It is never required and infrequently used by Klingons.
root | + -neS |
---|---|
legh (see) | qaleghneS (I am honored to see you |
ja' (tell) | HIja'neS (do me the honor of telling me) |
These verb suffixes have to do with the verb's role in the sentence.
root | + -DI' |
---|---|
SeH (control) | DaSeHDI' (as soon as you control it) |
ra' (command) | qara'DI' (as soon as I command you) |
root | + -chugh |
---|---|
neH (want) | DaneHchugh (if you want them) |
ja' (tell) | choja'chugh (if you tell me) |
root | + -pa' |
---|---|
ja' (tell) | choja'pa' (before you tell me) |
ra' (command) | qara'pa' (before I command you) |
This suffix is always used along with the type 7 suffix -taH continuous.
root | + -vIS |
---|---|
Sutlh (negotiate) | SutlhtaHvIS (while they are negotiating) |
Qong (sleep) | bIQongtaHvIS (while you are sleeping) |
This is the relative-clause marker.
This marks purpose clauses.
This suffix indicates that the sentence is a yes/no question. Questions of other types require special question words.
root | + -'a' |
---|---|
legh (see) | cholegh'a' (do you see me?) |
yaj (understand) | yaj'a' (does he understand?) |
This suffix turns verbs into nouns.
root | + -wI' |
---|---|
So' (cloak, hide) | So'wI' (cloaking device) |
baH (fire (a torpedo)) | baHwI' (gunner) |
joq (flutter, wave) | joqwI' (flag) |
This suffix is identical to the Type 5 noun suffix -mo' and has the same meaning, due to, because of.
bIganmo' (because you are old) |
Heghpu'mo' (because the officer died) |
This suffix is used to express a desire or wish on the part of the speaker that something take place in the future. When it is used, there is never a Type 7 aspect suffix. -jaj is often translated with may or let, and it is particularly useful when placing a curse or making a toast.
jaqhpu'lI' DaghIjjaj (may you scare your enemies) |
tlhonchaj chIljaj (may they lose their nostrils) |
In Klingon, there are many instances of nouns and verbs being identical in form (e.g., ta' accomplishment, accomplish). It is not known if all verbs can be used as nouns, but it is known that verbs ending in suffixes (such as -Ha' undo in lobHa' disobey) can never be nouns. The Type 9 suffix -ghach, however, can be attached to such verbs in order to form nouns. Compare the following sets:
Noun | Verb |
---|---|
lo' (use [noun]) | lo' (use, make use of) |
lo'laHbe'ghach (worthlessness) | lo'laHbe' (be worthless) |
naD (commendation) | naD (commend) |
naDHa'ghach (discommendation) | naDHa' (discommend) |
naDqa'gha'ch (re-commendation) | naDqa' (commend) |
There is one additional set of verb suffixes which Klingon grammarians call lengwI'mey rovers (from leng travel, roam, rove, -wI' thing which does, -mey plural). Rovers are verb suffixes which do not have a fixed position in relation to the other suffixes following a verb but, instead, can come just about anywhere except following a Type 9 suffix. Their position is determined by the meaning intended. There are two types of rovers: the negative and the emphatic.
This is the general suffix of negation, translated as English not. It follows the concept being negated, illustrated below with the vocabulary cho- (prefix) you -- me, HoH (verb) kill, -vIp (Type 2) afraid, -be' (rover) not. -be' cannot be used with imperative verbs.
placement of -be' | translation |
---|---|
choHoHvIp | you are afraid to kill me |
choHoHvIpbe' | you are not afraid to kill me |
choHoHbe'vIp | you are afraid to not kill me |
This negative suffix is used in imperatives and to denote refusal. The position of -Qo' does not change: it occurs last, unless followed by a Type 9 suffix.
root | + -Qo' |
---|---|
yI- ((prefix) imperative: you--him), ja' ((verb) tell) | yIja'Qo' (don't tell him!) |
cho- ((prefix) you--me), ja' ((verb) tell), -chugh ((Type 9) if) | choja'Qo'chugh (if you won't tell me, if you refuse to tell me) |
HI- ((prefix) imperative: you--me), HoH ((verb) kill), -vIp ((Type 2) afraid) | HIHoHvIpQo' don't be afraid to kill me!) |
This negative suffix implies not merely that something is not done (as does -be'), but that there is a change of state: something that was previously done is now undone. For convenience, it will here be translated as undo, but it is closer to the English prefixes mis-, de-, dis- (as in misunderstand, demystify, disentangle). It is also used if something is done wrongly. Unlike -be', -Ha' can be used in imperatives. -Ha' always occurs right after the verb.
root | + -Ha' |
---|---|
chen ((verb) take form), -moH ((Type 4) cause), -laH ((Type 5) can, able) | chenHa'moHlaH (it can destroy them) |
yI- ((prefix) imperative: you--it), chu' ((verb) engage, activate) | yIchu'Ha' (disengage it!) |
bI- ((prefix) you), jatlh ((verb) say), -chugh ((Type 9) if) | bIjatlhHa'chugh (if you say the wrong thing, if you misspeak) |
-Do' ((verb) be lucky) | Do'Ha' (it is unfortunate) |
This suffix emphasizes or affirms whatever immediately precedes it or follows verbs when they are used adjectivally. See the below example for how placement of -qu' changes the emphasis using the vocabulary pI- (prefix) we--you, HoH (verb) kill, -vIp (Type 2) afraid, -be' (rover) not.
placement of -qu' | translation |
---|---|
pIHoHvIpbe'qu' | we are NOT afraid to kill you |
pIHoHvIpqu'be' | we are not AFRAID to kill you |
pIHoHqu'vIpbe' | we are not afraid to KILL you |
This suffix indicates that what the noun refers to is bigger, more important, or more powerful than it would be without the suffix.
Root | +'a' |
---|---|
SuS (wind, breeze) | SuS'a' (strong wind) |
Qagh (mistake) | Qagh'a' (major blunder) |
woQ (power) | woQ'a' (ultimate power) |
This is the opposite of the augmentative suffix. It indicates that what the noun refers to is smaller, less important, or less powerful than it would be without the suffix.
Root | +'Hom' |
---|---|
SuS (wind, breeze) | SuSHom (wisp of air) |
roj (peace) | rojHom (truce, temporary peace) |
This is an infrequently used, but nonetheless very interesting noun suffix. It is a very peculiar suffix because it is the only suffix that begins with a vowel rather than a consonant. (Though there are no examples, it is suspected that for those few nouns which end in a vowel, ' is inserted before this suffix.) The suffix usually follows a noun referring to a relative (mother, father, etc.), but it could also follow a noun for an animal, especially a pet, and means that the speaker is particularly fond of whatever the noun refers to. It is strongly suggested that non-native speakers of klingon avoid this suffix unless they know what they are getting into.
Root | +'oy' |
---|---|
vav (father) | vavoy (daddy) |
be'nI' (sister) | be'nI'oy (sis) |
Singular nouns have no specific suffix indicating that they are singular. Plural nouns may optionally take a plural suffix, and adding a plural suffix to a plural noun is never incorrect. Thus, not all nouns without plural suffixes are singular, and a noun without a plural suffix may still refer to more than one entity. The plural is indicated by a pronoun, whether a verb prefex or a full word, or by context. For example, yaS officer may refer to a single officer or to a group of officers, depending on context or other words in the sentence.
Compare:
Singular | Plural |
---|---|
yaS vImojpu' (I became an officer.) | yaS DImojpu' (We became officers.) |
yaS jIH (I am an officer.) | yaS maH (We are officers.) |
In the first pair of sentences, the only difference is the verb prefix: vI- I, DI- we. In the second pair, the pronouns are different: jIH I, maH we.
Without this information, the only way to know whether the noun refers to one or more than one entity is by context. For example, yaS mojpu' can be translated either he/she became an officer or they became officers, depending on context.
There are three different plural suffixes in Klingon.
Singular | Plural |
---|---|
yaS (officer) | yaSpu' (officers) |
Duy (emissary) | Duypu' (emissaries) |
Singular | Plural |
---|---|
gam (foot) | gamDu' (feet) |
tlhon (nostril) | tlhonDu' (nostrils) |
Singular | Plural |
---|---|
mID (colony) | mIDmey (colonies) |
yuQ (planet) | yuQmey (planets) |
When the suffix -mey is applied to beings capable of using language, it adds a notion of "scattered all about" to the meaning:
puq (child) |
puqpu' (children) |
puqmey (children all over the place) |
The suffix -mey cannot be used with body parts. It should be noted, however, that Klingon poets often violate this grammatical rule in order to evoke particular moods in their poetry. Thus, forms such as tlhonmey nostrils scattered all about do occur.
Some nouns in Klingon are inherently or always plural in meaning, and therefore never take plural suffixes.
ray' (targets) |
cha (torpedoes) |
chuyDaH (thrusters) |
The singular counterparts of such words are utterly distinct:
DoS (target) |
peng (torpedo) |
vIj (thruster) |
The singular forms may take the -mey suffix, but the meaning always carries the "scattered all about" connotation:
DoSmey (targets scattered all about) |
pengmey (torpedoes all over the place) |
Inherently plural nouns are treated grammatically as singular nouns in that singular pronouns are used to refer to them.
Suffixes of this type indicate the speaker's attitude toward the noun, or how sure the speaker is that the noun is being used appropriately.
This suffix indicates that the noun is being used in a false or ironic fashion. Saying rojqoq so-called peace, rather than simply roj peace, indicates that the speaker does not really believe that peace is legitimate or likely to endure.
This suffix indicates that the speaker thinks the object referred to by the noun is accurately described by the noun, but has some doubts. For example, if the scanner on a Klingon ship senses an object, and the officer reporting its presence assumes, but is not yet sure, that the object is a vessel, he will probably refer to it as DujHey an apparent vessel, rather than simply Duj vessel.
This is the counterpart of -Hey. It indicates that there is no doubt in the speaker's mind as to the accuracy of his or her choice of words. Once the Klingon officer referred to above is sure that the object the scanner has found is a vessel, he might report the presence of Dujna' a definite vessel, undoubtedly a vessel.
Type 4 is the largest class of noun suffixes. It consists of all the possessive suffixes, plus suffixes which can be translated as English this and that.
-wIj (my) | -maj (our) |
-lIj (your) | -raj (your (plural)) |
-Daj (his, her, its) | -chaj (their) |
Thus, juH home can become juHwIj my home, juHlIj your home, juHchaj their home, etc.
When the noun being possessed refers to a being capable of using language, a special set of suffixes is used for first-person and second-person possessors:
-wI' (my) | -ma' (our) |
-lI' (your) | -ra' (your (plural)) |
These suffixes occur in, for example, joHwI' my lord and puqlI' your child. It is grammatically correct to use the regular possessive suffixes with nouns referring to beings capable of speech, but such constructions are considered derogatory; joHwIj for my lord borders on the taboo.
To indicate that one noun is the possessor of another noun (e.g., enemy's weapon), no suffix is used. Instead, the two nouns are said in the order possessor-possessed: jagh nuH enemy's weapon, literally enemy weapon. This construction is also used for phrases translated by of the in English, such as weapon of the enemy.
There are two suffixes indicating how close to the speaker the object referred to by the noun is.
There is no Klingon equivalent for English a, an, the. In translating from Klingon to English, one must use context as a guide to when to use a, an, or the. This guide uses an, or the in translations to make the English sound more natural.
This suffix indicates that the noun refers to an object which is nearby or which is the topic of the conversation.
nuHvam (this weapon (near me as I speak)) |
yuQvam (this planet (that we've been talking about)) |
When used with a plural noun (one with a plural suffix or an inherently plural noun), -vam is translated these. For example:
nuHmeyvam (these weapons) |
This suffix indicates that the noun refers to an object which is not nearby or which is being brought up again as the topic of conversation.
nuHvetlh (that weapon (over there)) |
yuQvetlh (this planet, as opposed to the one we were just talking about) |
When used with a plural noun, -vetlh is translated those:
nuHmeyvetlh (those weapons) |
These suffixes indicate something about the function of the noun in the sentence. As in English, subjects and objects are normally indicated by the position of the noun or nouns in the sentence. For example, Dogs chase cats and Cats chase dogs have the same words, but the sentences have different meanings due to the order of the words. Subjects and objects in Klingon are likewise indicated by word order.
In other instances, English indicates the function of nouns in a sentence by adding words, particularly prepositions. For example, in the sentence Dogs chase cats around canaries, the word around before canaries indicates that the canaries are neither chasing nor being chased.
Similarly, in Klingon, nouns which indicate something other than subject or object usually must have some special indication of exactly what their function is. Unlike English, this is accomplished by using suffixes.
This suffix indicates that something is happening (or has happened or will happen) in the vicinity of the noun to which it is attached. It is normally translated by an English preposition: to, in, at, on. The exact translation is determined by the meaning of the whole sentence. For example, pa'Daq is pa' room plus the suffix -Daq. It may occur in sentences such as the following:
pa'Daq jIHtaH (I'm in the room.) |
pa'Daq yIjaH (Go to the room.) |
In the first sentence, jIH I is used in the sense of I am, so in is the most reasonable translation of -Daq. In the second sentence, the verb is jaH go, so to makes the most sense as a translation of -Daq. An English preposition need not be part of the translation. Klingon Dung means area above, and DungDaq is overhead, literally something like "at the area above."
It is worth noting at this point that the concepts expressed by the English adverbs here, there, everywhere are expressed by nouns in Klingon: naDev hereabouts, pa' thereabouts, Dat everywhere. These words may perhaps be translated more literally as "area around here," "area over there," and "all places," respectively. Unlike other nouns, these three words are never followed by the locative suffix. (Note that pa' thereabouts and pa' room are identical in sound; pa'Daq, however, can mean only in/to the room.)
There are a few verbs whose meanings include locative notions, such as ghoS approach, proceed. The locative suffix need not be used on nouns which are the objects of such verbs.
Duj ghoStaH (It is approaching the ship.) |
yuQ wIghoStaH (We are proceeding toward the planet.) |
In the first example, Duj means ship or vessel, and ghoStaH means it is approaching it. In the second, yuQ means planet, and wIghoStaH means we are proceeding towards it.
If the locative suffix is used with verbs like these, the resulting sentence is somewhat redundant, but not out-and-out wrong.
DujDaq ghoStaH (It is approaching toward the ship.) |
This suffix is similar to -Daq but is used only when action is in a direction away from the noun suffixed with -vo'.
pa'vo' yIjaH (Leave the room!, or, Go from the room) |
This suffix occurs in sentences such as:
SuSmo' joqtaH (It is fluttering in the breeze.) |
The noun SuSmo' means due to the breeze, so the whole sentence is literally "due to the breeze, it [a flag] is fluttering."
This suffix indicates that the noun to which it is attached is in some way the beneficiary of the action, the person or thing for whom or for which the activity occurs.
Qu'vaD lI' De'vam (This information is useful for the mission.) |
The noun Qu'vaD means for the mission, and in this sentence -vaD indicates that the information is intended to be used somehow for the mission under discussion.
This suffix emphasizes that the noun to which it is attached is the topic of the sentence. In English, this is frequently accomplished by stressing the noun (saying it emphatically) or by special syntactic constructions.
lujpu' jIH'e' (I, and only I, have failed. It is I who has failed.) |
De''e' vItlhapnISpu' (I needed to get the INFORMATION. It was the information (and not something else) that I needed.) |
Without the 'e', these same sentences would have no noun singled out for emphasis:
lujpu' jIH (I have failed.) |
De' vItlhapnISpu' (I needed to get the information.) |