Punctuation Marks in Okrandian Canon.

I've ceased working on this article for some time now, and though I plan to one day continue this work and merge this article with another one (also unfinished) called »Klingon Punctuation Marks.«, I've not been able to do so yet. (There are many other interesting things about Klingon, apart from punctuation marks...) I've decided not to remove this document, since (a) it may inspire some of you out there to do some own work in this field and (b) to serve as a reminder for myself that there is work to be done. In the meantime, I can recommend the related article »pIqaD, and How to Read It« with more information on Klingon writing in general, and pIqaD in particular.

As is easily observed in The Klingon Dictionary, Okrand's romanized transliteration-system did not originally make use of punctuation marks. This have changed however, and in later canon (most notably The Klingon Way) we see it from time to time.
     Since it is never described when and how to punctuate (or even which punctuation marks that are allowed) I have here tried to figure out Okrands way of doing it, now and again glancing at the SYNTAX-section of The Klingon Dictionary for some curious sentence constructions whose reading Okrand may have simplified with punctuation marks.
     The result of this is presented below, somewhat randomly (or at least not in a user friendly manner). Make the best of it - perhaps one day I will return to this and make it more readable and even add some real recommendations.
     I have received word that there really is such a thing as read pIqaD punctuation marks, featured on the SkyBox trading cards. If anyone has a picture of such text, please send it to me at zrajm@klingonska.org so I can include it here.
     Here is an extract from the letter, telling you everything I know (right now) on the subject:

pIqaD punctuation exists, and is featured on the Klingon trading cards with Okrandian canon text: an upturned filled triangle, and its upside down counterpart. There is no correlation between pIqaD translation and the romanized gloss or English gloss punctuation that I could discern; it seems reasonable to treat the upturned version as a full stop (period), and the upturned version as a semicolon or comma. (cf. Greek punctuation: lower stop = full stop; upper stop = semicolon.)

What punctuation marks are used? (¿?!.,;?)

bI'IQchugh yIvang! [TKW p.8]

Dubotchugh yIpummoH. [TKW p.9]

As can be seen in these examples, Marc Okrand does not always use exclamation marks when the phrase is an imperative, rather (at least in these examples) he uses one when the English translation is imperative. (Bloody bad habit if you ask me.)

When using conjunctions? (both sentence and noun related)

Complex sentences? [TKD p.61]

Subordinate clauses. [TKD p.62]

I.e. sentences whose verb ends in a type 9 suffix (except -wI'), the two sentences follow each other in any order.
Does this mean one period; a period and a comma; or two periods?

Imperatives/Questions/Simple Sentences?

Are these followed by !, ? and period respectively?

tlhIngan maH! [TKW p.3]

Relative clauses? [TKD p.63]

I.e. a sentence whose verb ends in the type 9 suffix -bogh which, this sentence goes into subject or object position in another sentence.
Probably just a period after this one?

Purpose clauses? [TKD p.64]

I.e. a sentence whose verb ends in the type 9 suffix -meH, this sentence always come first in the complex sentence.
Just a period after this one, or a comma and period?

Sentences as objects? [TKD p.65]

I.e. one sentence containing the one of the pronouns 'e' or net, with a preceding sentence as object.
Just a period after this one, or a comma and period?

vIneH [TKD p.67]

Same as sentence-as-object, but second sentence not preceded by 'e' or net.
Just a period after this one, or a comma and period?

verbs of speaking (say, tell, ask etc.) [TKD p.67]

Practically the same thing as sentence-as-object, but the sentences can occur in any order.
Just a period after this one, or a comma and period?

rIntaH [TKD p.67]

Demonstrating that an action is complete. Follows a sentence.
Just a period after this one, or a comma and period?

"To be" constructions? [TKD p.67]

I.e. ||noun pro3 noun-'e'||.
Is the third person pronoun followed by a comma, or is there just a period after the sentence?

Comparatives/Superlatives? [TKD p.70]

I.e. the law'/puS construction.
Is law' followed by a comma?

Direct address? [TKD p.58]

I.e. calling someone by name or title. The direct address follows or precede the sentence.
But should a comma separate the sentence and address?

Separating nouns that are not noun-noun constructions?

Commas?