Klingon Verb Rovers
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If you've read the other page on Klingon verbs, you know that there are 9 groups of verb suffixes. Well, there's one additional group called rovers. These are endings which don't have one fixed spot, but instead can come anywhere except after a type 9 suffix. Depending on what you want to communicate, the rover's position may vary
-be' not
This is the general negation suffix in Klingon, translated into english as "not". It follows the concept which is being negated.
......juleghlaHbe' you cannot see us
| juleghlaHbe' | ||
|---|---|---|
| ju- | (prefix) | you-us |
| legh | (verb) | see |
| -laH | (type 5) | can |
| -be' | (rover) | not |
maSaHchoHbejbe' We are certainly not beginning to care
| maSaHchoHbejbe' | ||
|---|---|---|
| ma | (prefix) | we |
| SaH | (verb) | care, be concerned about |
| choH | (type 3) | change in state |
| bej | (type 6) | certainly, undoubtedly |
| -be' | (rover) | not |
jIQuchbe' I am not happy
| jIQuchbe | ||
|---|---|---|
| jI | (prefix) | I |
| Quch | (verb) | be happy |
| -be | (rover) | not |
The Roving nature of -be' can be shown in the following example:
......chojonvIp You are afraid to capture me (jon = capture)
......chojonvIpbe' You are not afraid to capture me
......chojonbe'vIp You are afraid to not capture me
In the first example, be' is negating vIp (afraid -> not afraid). In the second example, the rover negates jon (capture -> not capture).
NOTE: This suffix/rover is not used with commands. Another suffix covers that.
-Qo' don't! / won't
This negative suffix indicates refusing to do something, and is used in commands (imperatives)
| tIngevQo' | ||
|---|---|---|
| tI | (prefix) | you-them |
| ngev | (verb) | sell |
| Qo' | (rover) | don't/won't |
DaQaQQo'chugh If you won't be good, if you refuse to be good
| bIQaQQo'chugh | ||
|---|---|---|
| bI | (prefix) | you |
| QaQ | (verb) | be good |
| Qo' | (rover) | won't |
| chugh | (type 9) | if |
Unlike be', the place of Qo' doesn't change: it is always placed last, unless followed by a typre 9 suffix. However, it is still considered a rover suffix because it is the imperative form of be'.
-Ha' undo
This negative rover suffix indicates not only that something isn't being done (like be' implies), but also that a change of state which just happened is now undone. For convenience, the translation here will be "undo" although it is closer to the english prefixes de- mis- dis- (detach, misunderstand, disengage). It can also be used if something is done wrongly, and it can be used with imperatives (commands).
jIrarHa'lu'ta' : I have been disconnected (Someone has disconnected me)
| jIrarHa'lu'ta' | ||
|---|---|---|
| jI | (prefix) | I |
| rar | (verb) | connect |
| Ha' | (rover) | undo |
| lu' | (type 5) | indefinite subject / passive |
| ta' | (type 7) | done |
This example could also mean something like, "Someone has caused my connection to be undone". One phrase in Klingon can have many different english translations, because the meaning of the words is more important than how they are presented
tIchu'Ha' Deactivate them! (e.g., the machines)
| tIchu'Ha' | ||
|---|---|---|
| tI | (prefix) | imperative: you-them |
| chu' | (verb) | activate, engage |
| Ha' | (rover) | undo |
majatlhHa'vIp we are afraid to say the wrong thing
| majatlhHa'vIp | ||
|---|---|---|
| ma | (prefix) | we |
| jatlh | (verb) | say, speak |
| Ha' | (rover) | undo |
| vIp | (type 2) | afraid |
The above example shows how Ha' can be used to mean "wrongly", though the example could also mean "If you misspeak".
NOTE: In Klingon, Ha' always occurs after the verb, and no one really knows why Klingon grammarians call it a rover. However it's best not to argue with the makers of the language, so I'll call it a rover too.
-qu' emphatic
This suffix emhasizes whatever comes immediately before it. Here is an example set.
nujonvIpbe'qu' They are NOT afraid to capture us
nujonvIpqu'be' They are not AFRAID to capture us
nujonqu'vIpbe' they are not afraid to CAPTURE us
| nu- | (prefix) | they-us |
| jon | (verb) | capture |
| -vIp | (type 2) | afraid |
| -be' | (rover) | not |
| -qu' | (rover) | emphatic |
And that concludes the Rover page
If any Klingon speaker wants to add onto this page, by all means.
-Nero (yInjaj Holmaj!)
Source: Okrand, Marc. 1992. The Klingon Dictionary. New York: Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster Inc.
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