Aspected Verbs: The -pu' Verb Suffix

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As I said in the previous lesson, tlhIngan Hol does not use verb tenses for past, present or future tense. Context is made clear in the sentence.

The examples from the previous lesson again:-

wa'Hu' targh tIq vISop means Yesterday, I ate heart of targ;

DaHjaj targh tIq vISop could read Today, I ate heart of targ/
Today, I am eating heart of targ/
Today, I'll be eating heart of targ;

wa'leS targh tIq vISop could read Tomorrow, I will eat heart of targ.

The Verb Suffix -pu'

This suffix is called the perfective aspect; it indicates that the action has been completed in the past. The closest English equivalent is the English present perfect tense (have done something).

Some of the examples from the previous lesson, now with the -pu' suffix instead of -ta' so you can compare the subtle difference.

DIHoHpu'be'	We have not killed them/ (our best shot failed)
DaSuqpu''a'	Have you got it?/ (Or did someone else get it?)
boSujpu'mo'	Because we disturbed them/ (unintentionally)
paq DaHaDpu''a'	Have you finished studying the book?/ (because you are snoring really loudly)
nuHmey boqempu'mo'	Because you brought weapons/ (and we wanted you to bring the BEER)
nuHmey boqembe'pu'mo'	Because you did not bring the weapons/ (you were told to, but failed to do to)
nuHmey boqempu'be'mo'	Because you have not yet brought the weapons/ (you forgot them and will have to go back)

The differences may seem slight, but the examples above should show you that there is a world of difference between -pu' and -ta'; and that -pu' is the suffix of an almost casual completion of the action.

The Verb Suffix -pu' and The Noun Suffix -pu'

-pu' is both a verb suffix and a noun suffix. This might seem confusing, but remember how English uses the same suffix -es in prizes and downsizes. Both look the same, but they both have different meanings.

-pu' in a noun can only appear after a noun of a being capable of using language: man, woman, fighter, Klingon. The context of the word, its position in the sentence, should make it clear which -pu' you are looking at.

Next lesson: the -taH verb suffix, and continuous actions.

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Plurals 4: People and Sentients

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When making a Klingon noun plural, you attach the suffix -mey to the noun if it is a general thing, an object incapable of using language; or -Du' if it is part of a body, whether animal or human.

What about people - men, women, husbands, Klingon, Ferengi, Captains, warriors, entities, energy beings and so on? Everyone, in other words, who is capable of using language?

For such sentients who are capable of using language, you use the noun suffix -pu'.

Examples

tlhIngan Klingon - tlhInganpu' Klingons

romuluSngan Romulan - romuluSnganpu' Romulans

loD man - loDpu' men

be' woman - be'pu' women

puq child - puqpu' children

SuvwI' warrior - SuvwI'pu' warriors

qama' prisoner - qama'pu' prisoners

Sample Sentences

romuluSnganpu' Suv tlhInganpu' The Klingons will fight the Romulans

tlhInganpu' SIgh be'pu' The women influence Klingons

jaghpu' DoH tlhIngan The enemies back away from the Klingon

Sentients and -mey

It is also possible to use the -mey plural noun suffix in the context of beings able to use language; however, as for using -mey as a plural with body parts, the specific meaning is all over the place, scattered all about:-

SuvwI'mey vIlegh I see warriors all over the place

puqpu' Da loDmey The men all scattered all about are behaving like children

Precedent: jIlajneS. ghIj qet jaghmeyjaj (Picard's acceptance speech, TNG)

Final Summary of Plural Suffixes

- For beings able to use language, use the noun suffix -pu'.

- For parts of a body, whether animal or sentient, use the noun suffix -Du'.

- For everything else and general usage, use the noun suffix -mey.

- The noun suffix -mey, used as a plural suffix for parts of the body or people rather than on things incapable of using language, always carries the specific connotation of all over the place or scattered all about.

- Finally, some awkward nouns have two different forms for the singular and plural such as ray' targets and DoS target. The -mey suffix can be used here, too, with the same connotation of scattered all about.

Other Noun Suffixes

So far, the lessons have only focused on one set of noun mojaqmey (also mojaQmey) suffixes at a time: in this case, the suffixes -pu', -Du' and -mey. These are all what are known as Type 2 noun suffixes.

tlhIngan Hol uses a total of five different categories or types of suffix, numbered Type 1 through to Type 5. Further posts will cover each of these different types of noun suffix.

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