Multiple Adverbials

It is not clear whether the use of multiple adverbials in one phrase is allowed or not, or where is the limit, if there is any. There are some canon examples with more than one adverbial used, mostly from paq'batlh, but it's not clear if there is any rule about it.

Canon Examples

Theoretical approach

There are two ways to analyze this:

Single adverbial-type theory

Some Klingonists refer to TKD where Klingon only has three classes of words : Noun, verb, and anything else (chuvmey). Although it is said that there are only these three kind of words, TKD goes into detail talking about "Adverbials", but does not differentiate these adverbials. TKD simply says that adverbials "usually come at the beginning of a sentence" (1).

From this point of view treating all adverbials equally, any phrase with more than one named adverbial is using multiple adverbials and it's not clear how one is allowed to do.

Multiple adverbial-type theory

It is - in theory - possible that there are some adverbials with a semantical similar meaning, which may be classified into "types", just like the verb suffix types. In that case, it would make sense to use one adverbial of each type without colliding their meaning.

Averbials of time:
DaH - reH - not - tugh

Adverbials of intention
bong - chIch

On the other hand, it can indeed make sense to mix these adverbials, as the english "Now we can learn forever", DaH reH maghojlaH.

See ➞ word order for relative ordering of adverbials

Summary

Until we get further information, it seems like one can mix multiple adverbials as long as they make sense. When in doubt, try to follow the examples seen in paq'batlh.

See also

• Adverbial
• Portal Grammar

References

1 : The Klingon Dictionary, Chapter 5.4 Adverbials, p. 55