[Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: ngaDmoH

[David Trimboli]

On 10/26/2011 9:55 AM, Steven Boozer wrote:
>
> {ngaD}     be stable, be balanced (vb.) {ngaDHa'}  be unstable, be
> unbalanced  (vb.)
>
> These have also never been used in a sentence, but Okrand did discuss
> the slang phrase {Duj ngaDHa'} "irresponsible/undisciplined person":
>
> KGT 150:  This expression means literally "unstable vessel,
> unbalanced vessel." [...] the verb {ngaD} ("be stable, balanced",
> here followed by the negative suffix {-Ha'}) normally applies to a
> ship or a physical object, not to a situation or a person. It would
> be inappropriate to refer to a person as {ngaD} or {ngaDHa'} in a
> phrase such as *{tera'ngan ngaDHa'} ("unstable Terran"). A standard
> verb that is close in meaning is {ngIj} ("rowdy, unruly"), as in
> {tera'ngan ngIj} ("rowdy Terran").

{Duj ngaDHa'} in KGT was also the first time we saw {-Ha'} on an 
adjectivally acting verb. Prior to that we'd only seen {-qu'} in TKD 
({veng tInqu'Daq} "in the big city") and {-be'} in CK ({wa'maH yIHmey 
lI'be'} "ten useless tribbles").

-- 
SuStel
http://www.trimboli.name/