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

[Steven Boozer]

Voragh:
>> {ngaDHa'}  be unstable, be unbalanced  (vb.)

>> [...] 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").

SuStel:
> {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").

Another example from KGT is {'eyHa'}:

KGT 84:  All food is considered to be good in its natural state; it takes the intervention of a "cook" to ruin it. Thus, the word {'eyHa'}, used to describe food that is edible but is not particularly tasty, means something like "undelicious", implying that someone caused it to cease being delicious.


--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons