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Relative Clauses
So, now you know how to put together a relative clause with the Type 9 verb suffix -bogh which, that syntactic marker, how do you use them in a sentence?In English, you'd use relative clauses in sentences such as I saw the man who owns that pet, The man who was hiding turned to attack me, The salad that came with the main course was very tasty, Why did the woman kick the boy who ran? and so on.
First of all, to recap, relative clauses use -bogh to modify a noun, called the head noun. Here are the examples from last time, along with a few new ones.
| taDmoHbogh taS | A freezing solution/ (a solution which causes freezing) |
| So'taHbogh ghoqwI' | A spy who is hiding/ a hiding spy |
| He'So'bogh naH | A fruit that stinks/ a stinking fruit |
| qetbogh loD | A running man |
| baHtaHbogh Dujmey | The ships that are firing |
| bejchu'bogh 'avwI' | The watchful guard/ (the guard who watches perfectly) |
| mu'mey choHlu'pu'bogh | The words which had been altered |
| lutmey ja'lu'pu'bogh | The stories which had been told |
| Dargh tlhutlhlu'bogh | The tea which is being drunk |
| nay' Soplu'ta'bogh | The meal which has been eaten |
| Soj je'lu'pu'bogh | The food which was bought |
| nuHmey lo'lu'ta'bogh | The weapons which were used |
| nuHmey lo'lu'bogh | The weapons to be used |
Using And Not Using -lu'
When do you use -lu' indefinite subject?If the phrase translates as "be" something or "was" something, -lu' can be used if you have no definite subject in mind.
Examples Using -taH
Some of these examples use the Type 7 verb suffix -taH continuous aspect marker, e.g. So'bogh loD man in hiding compared to So'taHbogh loD man in hiding; baHtaHbogh Dujmey the ships that are firing as compared to baHbogh Dujmey the ships that are firing. There does not seen much difference between one and the other; but with -taH, the meaning of the modified noun implies that the act is ongoing in spite of something which would other prevent it happening - So'taHbogh loD could imply that the man remains in hiding despite strenuous attempts to uncover his location; baHtaHbogh Dujmey could imply that the ships are still firing, perhaps despite taking considerable damage.If the phrase translates as "be" something or "was" something, -lu' can be used if you have no definite subject in mind.
| nuHmey lo'lu'ta'bogh | The weapons which were used |
| nuHmey lo'lu'bogh | The weapons to be used |
| be'Hom qIplu'pu'bogh | The girl who was hit |
When you know the subject, you do not use -lu' with -bogh:-
| nuHmey lo'ta'bogh | The weapons which they used |
| nuHmey lo'bogh | The weapons they use |
| be'Hom qIppu'bogh | The girl whom she (third party) hit |
Using Relative Clauses In A Sentence
Here's where things get interesting.When using a head noun modified by a relative clause, that whole construction is treated like a noun. It can be the subject or object of the sentence:-
The modified noun is the subject.
Examples:-
| lI'be' nuHmey wIvta'bogh | The weapons which they chose are useless |
| nagh pe'laH nuHmey lo'bogh | The weapons they use can cut stone |
| loDnI'wI' QIHta' be'Hom qIppu'bogh | The girl whom she (third party) hit wounded my brother |
The modified noun is still the subject.
Examples:-
| DaH pumlI' meQtaHbogh qech | The burning building is now falling |
| HeghvIp So'bogh loD | The hiding man is afraid to die |
The modified noun is the object.
Examples:-
| meQtaHbogh qechvetlh vIQaw' rIntaH | I have destroyed that burning building |
| So'bogh loD HoHta' tlhIngan | The Klingon has killed the hiding man |
| Compare with:- loD So'lu'bogh HoHta' tlhIngan | The Klingon has killed the hidden man |
The modified noun is the object.
Examples:-
| taDmoHbogh taS wIlo' | We are using a freezing solution/ (a solution which causes freezing) |
| naDev be'Hom qIplu'pu'bogh'e' | Here is the girl who was hit |
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