Newsgroup message of July 19, 1999

Subject: [chegh] and new word [tatlh]

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chegh return seems to work like this:

lupDujHomDaq jIchegh	I return on the shuttle.
lupDujHom vIchegh	I return to the shuttle.
lupDujHomDaq may'Duj vIchegh	I return to the battle cruiser on the shuttle.
tera'vo' Qo'noS vIchegh	I return to Kronos from Earth.

(lupDujHom shuttle, -Daq locative suffix, jIchegh I return consisting of jI- I [no object] plus chegh return; vIchegh I return to consisting of vI- I [do something to] it plus chegh return [to]; may'Duj battle cruiser; tera' Earth, -vo' from, Qo'noS Kronos)

Note that chegh return means return to a place; the place being returned to is the object of the verb. If the place being returned to is not mentioned (as in, for example, the first sentence above, I return on the shuttle), the verb takes a prefix indicating no object (here jI-). If the place being returned to is mentioned (as in the final three sentences), the verb takes a pronominal prefix that indicates the object (vI- in the examples).

A different verb, tatlh, is used for return in the sense of returning a library book or returning a weapon to the weapons rack.

If someone were to say something like I return the plate to the table, the appropriate verb would be tatlh:

raSDaq jengva' vItatlh

(raS table, -Daq locative suffix, jengva' plate, vItatlh I return it consisting of vI- I [do something to] it plus tatlh return)

Though not common, it is also possible to use tatlh with the reflexive suffix -'egh (do something to oneself) to convey a meaning similar to that of chegh:

pa'Daq jItatlh'egh I return to the room.

(pa' room, -Daq locative suffix, jItatlh'egh I return myself consisting of jI- I, tatlh return, -'egh reflexive suffix)

The tatlh'egh form seems to suggest that the doer of the action is forcing himself/herself to do something, perhaps because it is difficult or not desirable.

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• The unformatted post archived at Klingonska Akademien