Type 4 Noun Suffixes: This and That

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By now, you have noticed that tlhIngan Hol does not make a distinction between Klingon, a Klingon and the Klingon. In English, the distinction is made with what are called the definite article "the" and the indefinite article "a;" but Klingon does not use these articles, and the pronouns and use of the type 5 -'e' noun suffix are needed to make the context clear.

However, tlhIngan Hol does have suffixes to specify this and that, as in this Klingon or that Terran.

-vam	this
-vetlh	that

The suffixes are classed as Type 4; they come after Types 1, 2 and 3 and before Type 5. Type 4 suffixes are described as "possession / specification:" these are the "specification" part.

This And That

Doch	(no suffix) thing
Dochvam	this thing
Dochvetlh	that thing

Dochvam and Dochvetlh also carry the meanings this and that.

Dochvam nuq	What is this?
Dochvetlh nuq	What is that?

Examples

Some of these examples are using noun and verb suffixes, and sentence constructions, which you have yet to come across. They are presented here with no further explanation. You will see them again in later lessons.

puqpu'ma' buQmo'ta' jagh, jaghvetlh vIHoHnISta'	I had to kill that enemy because he was threatening our children
moHmo' tera'ngan qama'vetlh tera'nganvetlh vIpup	Because that Terran prisoner is ugly, I kicked that Terran
nuHvetlh vIwIvnIS	I must select that weapon
nobvam vIqem rIntaH	I brought this gift
chabvam vISop vIneH	I want to eat this pie
chabvam'e' vISop vIneH	I want to eat this pie

Next: how to ask the question why?

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