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

[Steven Boozer]

Qov:
> ngem leghvIp puq.

David Joslyn:
> {legh} means "see", but I could not find {-vIp}, so I can't
> make sense of the sentence.

-vIp   afraid (V2 suffix):

TKD 37:  This suffix is rarely used with a prefix meaning "I" or "we. Though it is grammatically correct, it is culturally taboo.

TKD 4.2.2:  suffixes of this type express how much choice the subject has about the action described or how predisposed the subject is to doing it. 

choHoHvIp 
you are afraid to kill me. TKD

choHoHvIpbe' 
you are not afraid to kill me. TKD

choHoHbe'vIp 
you are afraid to not kill me. TKD

nuqIpvIp 
they are afraid to hit us. TKD

HIHoHvIpQo' 
Don't be afraid to kill me! TKD

pIHoHvIpbe'qu' 
We are NOT afraid to kill you. TKD

pIHoHvIpqu'be' 
We are not AFRAID to kill you. TKD

pIHoHqu'vIpbe' 
We are not afraid to KILL you. TKD 

bIHeghvIpchugh bIHeghpu' 
If you are afraid to die, you have already died. TKW

nItebHa' molor HI''a' SuvvIpghach puj je HarghmeH yeq chaH 
United to do battle together! Against the tyrant Molor! Against fear and against weakness! PB 


--
Voragh
tlhIngan ghantoH pIn'a'
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons