2013-06-25

Saying "Don't!" And Refusing Orders: -Qo'

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Klingon has one more rover suffix to go with -Ha' undo, -be' not and -qu' emphatic: before moving on, it deserves to be included.

-Qo'

-Qo' means don't!, won't. The rover suffix -be' cannot be used in an imperative command. This is what -Qo' is for; -Qo' means Don't! in an imperative command, and won't or refuse in a non-imperative verb.

novvetlh yIHotQo'Don't touch that alien!
paqvetlh yIlaDQo'Don't read that book!
qama'pu' tIHoHQo'Don't kill the prisoners!

Hu'Qo' qama'The prisoner refuses to get up
De' QayQo' vu'wI' QIpThe stupid manager is refusing to transfer the data
Dargh tlhutlhQo' 'oSwI'The emissary is refusing to drink the tea

For a rover, -Qo' shows very unusual behaviour. It always appears last in the sequence of suffixes, unless there is a Type 9 verb suffix (such as -'a' interrogative, -mo' because, due to, -pa' before or -DI' while) in which case the Type 9 comes after -Qo'.

SopQo''a' ghuIs the baby refusing to eat?
nobmey vInIHQo'mo'Because I won't steal the gifts
SopQo'mo' ghuBecause the baby refuses to eat
DaH pe'el lIchaw'Qo'pa'Enter now, before he refuses to permit you!

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