To Be
There is more than "one" way to express in Klingon the English verb "to be".
Adjectives: to be big
If the sentence is describing someone or something with an
adjective, this is often said with a
state verb serving as both the verb
to be and the
adjective.
bIval. You are clever. The verb
val (to be clever) embodies both the verb
are and the adjective
clever. The pronoun
you is in the verb prefix
bI-.
HoS SuvwI'. The warrior is strong. The verb
HoS (to be strong) embodies both the verb
is and the adjective
strong.
A
state verb can take all the verb prefixes and suffixes as any other verb.
Locatives: to be somewhere
If the sentence is describing
where someone or something is located, this is often said with a
pronoun serving as the verb
to be. It seems like there must be an
aspect suffix added to the pronoun, but that is not confirmed and only derived from the existing examples:
- meHDaq ghaHtaH. He is on the bridge. The pronoun ghaH embodies both He and is.
- meHDaq ghaHtaH HoD'e'. The captain is on the bridge. Here ghaH only means is because a subject is present.
In
clipped Klingon, the pronoun is dropped:
nuqDaq puchpa'?
Negation
When saying that you are
not at a place, the negation suffix follows the aspect suffix.
- pa' jIHpu'be'. I wasn't there.
Unclear Canon
The following two examples are confusing, as they do not have an aspect suffix. This may be because they are
questions (?), or because these are things which do not change their location, so adding a suffix might not be necessary?
- nuqDaq 'oH puchpa''e'? Where is the bathroom?
- nuqDaq 'oH Qe' QaQ'e'? Where is a good restaurant?
This phrase from
Power Klingon is an insult, used in
curse warfare. It seems to be lacking the aspect suffix, but the first part may also be interpreted as a
noun-noun-construction (i.e.
ghe''orDaq luSpet = "black hole in the netherworld"). In that case though, it violates the rule that only the second noun in the NN-constuction may take a
type 5 suffix:
- ghe''orDaq luSpet 'oH DaqlIj'e'. You belong in a black hole in the netherworld"
Descriptive: to be something
If the sentence is identifying someone or something, the
pronoun is also used as the verb
to be.
tlhIngan jIH. I am a Klingon. The pronoun
jIH embodies both
I and
am.
verenganpu' chaH qama'pu''e'. The prisoners are Ferengi.
If a subject noun is present, as above, it
must carry the
-'e' suffix. The pronoun used must agree with the subject in number and type. If the subject is capable of speech, then either
ghaH or
chaH must be used.
'oH or
bIH are used with things or beings incapable of speech. A pronoun functioning as the verb
to be can take verb suffixes:
tlhIngan SoH'a'? Are you a Klingon? nuch ghaHba'. He is obviously a coward. DISDaq 'oHtaHbogh targh'e' the targ which is in the cave
When subject and object are in a different number, the pronoun aggrees with the subject, not the object. In the following example from
paq'batlh,
wa' Dol is singular and
qa''e' porgh'e' je are plural. Actually this is not surprising, since pronouns can be translated as the verb "to be", so it is the subject that rules over the verb. Literally "they are (pl.) something (sg.)." Since klingon syntax is backwards, the verb (pronoun in this case) logically follows the subject.
from paq'batlh:
DaH mararchuq
mayIntaHvIS
wa' Dol bIH qa''e' porgh'e' je
We are now connected,
Spirit and body are one,
Until our time comes.
Questions: To be what?
Question words such as
nuq (
what?) and
'Iv (
who?) function the same way pronouns do in questions with
to be in the English translations. Thus, the question
yIH nuq (
What is a tribble?) is exactly parallel to the statement
yIH 'oH (
It is a tribble). The answer to the question
yIH nuq (
What is a tribble?) would presumably be a definition or description of a tribble.
Commands: Be something!
Expressing
imperative "to be" is problematic in Klingon. Below are some suggestions for saying "Be a Klingon". The deeper significance of this concept is left as an exercise for the reader. The following paraphrases are listed in ascending order of abstractness and descending order of practicality.
tlhIngan yIDa. Act like a Klingon.
tlhIngan yIrur. Resemble a Klingon.
tlhIngan yIgheS. Take on the responsibilities of a Klingon.
tlhIngan yImoj. Become a Klingon.
tlhIngan Dotlh yIghaj. Have a Klingon's status.
tlhIngan SoH 'e' yIqaSmoH. Cause yourself to be a Klingon, Make it come to pass that you are a Klingon.
tlhIngan SoHmeH yIchen. Take shape in order that you are a Klingon, Come into being as a Klingon.
See also
References
:
:
,:
: