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

[Steven Boozer]

> Klingon Word of the Day for Tuesday, July 02, 2013
> 
> Klingon word: ngup
> Part of speech: noun
> Definition: authority, power, one in authority or in charge (slang)


KGT 157:  Literally meaning "cape", this slang term is an example of metonymy, whereby one word (or phrase) stands for another with which it is associated. In this case, the leader of the Klingon High Council typically wears a ceremonial cape. The slang sense of {ngup} does not refer only to this position on the High Council, however, but to anyone in power or even to "the power structure." Someone unsatisfied with the status quo, a rebel, might be said to want to {ngup qaD} (challenge those in charge; literally, "challenge the cape"). Nonslang equivalents of {ngup} are {woQ} (authority, political power) and {qum} (government).

HQ 12.3 (p.9):  The idea expressed by "exceed one's authority" might be translated {wogh} "transgress, do more than is acceptable".  {bIwogh}, literally "you transgress" or "you do more than is acceptable", is probably best translated idiomatically as "you go too far".

Note that in Monopoly {ngup'a'} is used for The Dominion.


--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons