Word order
Klingon follows an object–verb–subject word order. Adverbs usually go at the beginning of the sentenceOkrand 1992, p.56. Note exceptionneH
''only, merely'' from p.56 and jayʼ
(swear word) from p.177. and prepositional phrases go before the object.
Sentences can be treated as objects, and the word ʼeʼ
is placed after the sentence. ʼeʼ
is treated as the object of the next sentence. The adverbs, indirect objects and locatives of the latter sentence go after the subject, but before the ʼeʼ
Nouns
Klingon has threeraS
''table'' can mean ''a'' table or ''the'' table. The difference between the two is inferred from context. Suffixes
There are five types of noun suffixes. A word cannot have two suffixes of the same type.Okrand 1992, p.21 The suffixes are ordered based on type number; a type 2 suffix goes before a type 3 suffix, but after a type 1 suffix. In the following example, all five suffix types are used in the correct order.Type 1 (size, affection)
This type has three suffixes: * The-ʼaʼ
,
* The -Hom
,
* and the endearment suffix -oy
.
:* If the noun to which the endearment suffix is added ends with a vowel, a glottal stop is inserted between them:
Type 2 (plurals)
This type of suffix forms plurals. There are three suffixes, one for each noun class. * The suffix-puʼ
is for beings capable of using language.
*The suffix -Duʼ
is for body parts,
*The suffix -mey
is used for all other nouns.
:*When -mey
is used for nouns that would normally take -puʼ
or -Duʼ
, it carries the connotation of being all over the place.
A noun does not require a plural suffix if a pronoun, pronominal prefix, or context serves to indicate that it is plural, or if it is being used in conjunction with a number.Okrand 1992, p.55
; Duypuʼ chaH
or Duy chaH
: ''They are emissaries.''
; raSmey DIghor
or raS DIghor
: ''We broke the tables.''
Type 3 (accuracy)
This type of suffix indicates the speaker's opinion of the applicability of the noun. There are three suffixes: * The suffix-qoq
indicates that the speaker thinks what they are referencing is not actually represented by the noun.
* The dubitative suffix -Hey
indicates the speaker is not entirely sure if the object they are referencing is represented by the noun.
*The suffix -naʼ
indicates that the speaker is entirely sure that the object is represented accurately by the noun.Okrand 1992, p.25
Type 4 (possession, determiners)
This type of suffix indicates possession or specifies which object is referred to. It contains twelve suffixes. There are ten possession suffixes, indicating who is the possessor of the object, which may be a person. For first- and second-person possessors, there are different forms depending on whether the "object" is a being capable of using language. There are also two determiner suffixes: *-vam
''this'' indicates an object that is nearby or that is being discussed
* -vetlh
''that'' indicates an object that is not nearby or that had previously been discussed
Examples:
* Non-language-user possessives:
* Language-user possessives:
*Determiners:
Type 5 (syntactic role)
This type of suffix serves a syntactic role in the sentence. It contains five suffixes. * The-Daq
indicates the action of the sentence is taking place in, at or on the noun.Okrand 1992, p.27 With certain verbs, it indicates motion towards the noun.
* The -voʼ
indicates that the action is taking place away from the noun. Again, with certain verbs, it indicates motion away from the noun.
* The -moʼ
indicates that the action is occurring because of the noun.
* The -vaD
indicates the indirect object, and/or the noun for which the action has been done.
* The topicalizing suffix -ʼeʼ
indicates the topic of the sentence or emphasises the noun in the phrase, and also marks the head noun of a relative clause.
Verbs
Klingon verbs mark for aspect but not for tense, which is indicated where necessary by context and by time adverbs. Prefixes mark subject and object. There are ten types of suffix, and as with nouns, a verb can have no more than one suffix of any type. (The tenth type, called ''rovers'', are an exception.) Again as with nouns, the types of suffix must appear in a strict order, indicated by their type number: a type 2 suffix goes before a type 3 suffix, but after a type 1 suffix. A rover suffix can go between any of them.Okrand 1992, p.44 Unlike English, there is no infinitive.Okrand 1992, p.33 The presentation of the verb stem as an infinitive in this article's example sentences is just to show the individual morphemes.Prefixes
Klingon verb prefixes mark both the subject and the object.-luʼ
Suffixes
Type 1 (reflexive/reciprocal)
This type of suffix forms reflexive verbs. There are two suffixes. * The reflexive suffix-ʼegh
indicates that the individual subject(s) does/do the action to her/him/itself/themselves.
* The -chuq
indicates that the individual subjects do the action to each other.Okrand 1992, p.36 Intransitive verbs cannot take this suffix.
Type 2 (volition/necessity)
This type of suffix deals with the subject's volition. There are five suffixes. * The suffix-nIS
indicates that the subject is required to or has the necessity to complete the action.
* The suffix -qang
indicates that the subject is willing to perform the action.
* The suffix -rup
indicates the subject is prepared to complete the action.
*The suffix -beH
indicates that the subject has been set up to complete the action. -beH
is used with devices, whereas -rup
is used with beings.
* The suffix -vIp
indicates that the subject is afraid to do the action.Okrand 1992, p.37
Type 3 ( inceptive/
-choH
indicates a change of state to that indicated by the verb:
* The suffix -qaʼ
indicates the action had been stopped, but is now resuming, or that the action is being performed again.
Type 4 (causative)
There is only one suffix in this category, the-moH
. This suffix indicates that the subject is causing something to happen. If the verb to which it is added is transitive, the object becomes the indirect object. Many Klingon words are derived this way. For example, the verb ''clean'' (SayʼmoH
) is derived from the verb ''be clean'' (Sayʼ
).Okrand 1992, p.38
Intransitive verb:
: Causative form:
Transitive verb:
: Causative form:
Type 5 (undefined subject; capability)
There are two unrelated suffixes in this group. The suffix-luʼ
indicates an undefined subject. The verb prefixes that are normally used for first or second person ''subject'' with third person singular ''object'' are used to indicate first or second person ''object''. The suffix indicates that the subject is capable of performing the action of the verb.
Examples:
* -luʼ
without prefix:
: much bej
: ''He/she watches the presentation''
* -luʼ
with prefix:
: vItlhaʼ
: ''I chase it''
* -laH
:
Type 6 (perfection; uncertainty)
This type indicates the speaker's opinion of the action of the verb. There are four suffixes. * The suffix-chuʼ
indicates that the speaker considers the action is done in the best possible manner.
* The suffix -bej
indicates that the speaker is completely sure the action is occurring.
*The dubitative suffix -lawʼ
indicates that the speaker thinks the action is occurring, but is not sure.
* The suffix -baʼ
indicates that the speaker thinks that it is obvious that the action is occurring.Okrand 1992, p.175
Type 7 (aspect)
This type indicates the verb's aspect. There are four Type 7 suffixes. Note that aspect is different from tense and independent of it. A "completed" event (-puʼ
or -taʼ
) can just as easily be set before, during, or after the time of description (past, present, or future tense), or unspecified for tense. For simplicity, this section says "is completed", not "was, is, or will be completed." (Do not confuse perfective aspect with "perfectly done".)
* The -puʼ
indicates that, in the time context of the sentence, the action is completed.
* The suffix -taʼ
also indicates that the action is completed, and further specifies that it was done on purpose.
* The suffix -taH
indicates that the verb is occurring continuously.
*The suffix -lIʼ
indicates that the verb is occurring continuously, but that it has a definite ending point.Okrand 1992, p.42
The perfective aspect can also be indicated by the use of the verb form rIntaH
after the main verb. This carries the connotation of irreversibility.
: ghorluʼ rIntaH
''It has been broken (and it cannot be mended)''
Type 8 (honorific)
There is only one suffix in this group, the-neS
. It is used when addressing any type of superior, be it social, political, or military, and only when being very polite or having high regard for that person. It is never required.Okrand 1992, p.43
: -neS
:
Type 9 (syntactic)
Eleven suffixes specify syntactic roles in the sentence.-wIʼ
is used to form words for -ghach
is used as a = Modals
= These two suffixes inflect the verb in specific-ʼaʼ
is used to form yes–no questions.
*The -jaj
is used to indicate a wish or desire of the speaker.
= Subordinators
= The following seven suffixes are used to form-paʼ
indicates that the event described in the main clause occurs chronologically before the event of this clause.
: jItlheDpaʼ, HIboQ
''Before I depart, assist me''
: (jItlheD
''I depart'', HIboQ
''assist me'')
*The suffix -vIS
indicates that the main clause is occurring at the same time as this clause. It is always used in conjunction with the type-7 suffix continuous suffix -taH
.
: lumtaHvIS, pagh taʼ
''He accomplishes nothing while he procrastinates''
: (lum
''procrastinate'', taʼ
''accomplish'', pagh
''nothing'')
* The suffix -DIʼ
indicates that the event of the main clause occurs immediately after the event of this clause is completed.
: jImej chocholDIʼ
''As soon as you approach me, I leave''
: (jImej
''I leave'', chochol
''you approach me'')
''Cause and effect''
* The suffix -chugh
is used to form DaSamlaHchugh, DaSuqlaH
''If you can find it, you can take it''
: (DaSamlaH
''you can find it'', DaSuqlaH
''you can acquire (take) it'')
* The suffix -moʼ
indicates the main clause is occurring because of this clause.
:bIʼIlmoʼ, qavoq
''Because you are sincere, I trust you''
:(bIʼIl
''you are sincere'', qavoq
''I trust you'')
''(Relative and purpose clauses)''
* The suffix -bogh
is used in relative clauses. Their usage is covered in the -meH
is used in purpose clauses. Their usage is covered in the purpose clauses section.
Rovers
This type of suffix is known as alengwIʼ
in Klingon, which is translated as ''rover'' (leng
''wander'' + wIʼ
). There are four rovers. These suffixes have no defined position, and can go after the verb stem or after any suffix – even another rover – except after a type-9 suffix or where the result would be meaningless. They modify whatever directly precedes them.
* The rover suffix -beʼ
negates what precedes it but in the imperative mood -Qoʼ is used.
* The rover suffix -Qoʼ
negates what precedes it in the imperative mood. In the indicative mood it indicates refusal by the subject. It can only be used between verb suffixes of Type 8 and Type 9.Okrand 1992, p.47
* The rover suffix -quʼ
emphasises what precedes it.
*The rover suffix -Haʼ
reverses what precedes it; that is, it indicates that the opposite of what precedes it is being done, or that the action is being undone. If used on a verb that cannot be undone and has no meaningful opposite, it means to perform the action wrongly, not in the proper way, somewhat like the English prefix ''mis-'' in ''misspeak, mistype, misspell'', etc. Unlike the other rovers, it can be placed only just after the stem; its classification in the rover category is attributed to the insistence of fictional Klingon grammarians.Okrand 1992, p.49
The position of the rover suffixes affects the meaning of the word. Contrast
: luSoplaH
''They are able to eat it''
: luSoplaHbeʼ
''They are not able to eat it''
: luSopbeʼlaH
''They are able to not eat it''
:: (In context, possibly equivalent to ''They can refuse to eat it'')
: luSopbeʼlaHbeʼ
''They are not able to not eat it''
:: (In context, possibly equivalent to ''They cannot refuse to eat it'')
Pronouns and copula
Klingon has no verb that corresponds to the verb ''to be''; the concept is expressed using a different grammatical construction. Pronouns can be used as verbs that act as the pronoun plus the verb to be. The pronoun can take verb suffixes, which then modify the pronoun like any other verb. A third-person subject that is not a pronoun must go after the pronoun-verb and carry the type-5 noun suffix-ʼeʼ
Okrand 1992, p.68
Examples:
* qonwI' tlhIH
''You are composers''
* ghojwIʼ ghaH HaDwIʼʼeʼ
''A studier is a learner''
Adjectives
Klingon does not have adjectives as a distinct part of speech. Instead, many intransitive verbs can be used as adjectives, in which case they follow the noun they modify. Contrast (wep
''coat'', and yIQ
''be wet'')
: wep yIQ
: ''the wet coat''
with
: yIQ wep.
: ''The coat is wet.''
In this construction, the only verbal suffixes allowed are rover suffixes such as -quʼ
and -Haʼ
.
Type-5 ''noun'' suffixes that would normally be attached to the noun are instead attached to the adjectival verb:
; paʼDaq
: ''in the room''
; paʼ tInDaq
: ''in the big room'' (tIn
''big'')
Adverbs
-Haʼ
to denote the opposite adverbial.
; Doʼ
: ''fortunately''
; DoʼHaʼ
: ''unfortunately''
Conjunctions
Klingon has seven conjunctions, and they are different for nouns and for sentences. The noun conjunctions areje
for a joq
for a ghap
for an ʼej
for a qoj
for a pagh
for an ʼach
(or ʼa
) ''but'' is used to contrast sentences.
Clauses
Relative clauses
In a relative clause, the verb has the type-9 verb suffix-bogh
added to it.Okrand 1992, p.64 The order of the words in relative clauses remains the same as in regular clauses, but the head noun may optionally get the type-5 suffix -ʼeʼ
added.
Since there is already a type-5 noun suffix marking the head noun, nothing other than the subject or the object can be marked as head noun. Two sentences are formed instead to form the same idea. Relative clauses can have nouns with type 5 suffixes as modifiers, but it can be ambiguous as they can be misinterpreted as being part of the main sentence.
Purpose clauses
A purpose clause expresses the reason or goal of the action of the main clause. If it is modifying a noun it states the purpose of the noun. A purpose clause always goes before the clause or noun it modifies. This is the cause of some grammatical ambiguity in Klingon, as a-meH
modifying a noun at the beginning of a sentence can be misinterpreted as modifying the entire sentence. This can be resolved in writing with punctuation.
* -meH
with sentence:
* -meH
with nouns:
Comparatives
In this section,lawʼ
(''to be many''), puS
(''to be few''), rap
(''to be the same''), and rur
(''to resemble, to be like'') to contrast the nouns. However, many (but not all) of the comparatives have unusual word orders that don't parse as regular Klingon sentences.
* The main Klingon comparative structure is ''NP1 A lawʼ
NP2 A puS
''. lawʼ Hoch
A puS
'' is used to form Hoch
= ''all, everyone, everything'')
* The inverse structure, ''Hoch
A lawʼ
NP1 A puS
'' is used to indicate rur
'' is used to form Questions
A yes–no question in Klingon can be formed by adding the suffix to the regular form. The word for yes isHISlaH
or HIjaʼ
and the word for no is ghobeʼ
. Interrogative pronouns go where the answer would normally go, and don't reorder the sentence. Interrogative adverbs go at the beginning of the sentence.
Numbers
Klingon uses a base-10 system to count numbers. To form a multiple of 10, 100, 1 000, 1 000 000, the word for the multiple of ten is suffixed to the digit. For example,chorghmaH
''eighty'' is a combination of the word chorgh
''eight'' and the number forming suffix ''ten''.
Larger powers go before smaller powers: chorghmaH Soch
is ''eight-ten seven''. The number suffix is used to form ordinal numbers, and the number suffix indicates how many times an action has been repeated: loSDIch
''fourth'', waʼmaH chaʼlogh
''twelve times''.Okrand 1992, p.53-55
Notes
Sources
* * Okrand, Marc. ''paq'batlh''. uitgeverij. 2011.References
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