tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Wed Apr 09 07:42:37 2014
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Re: [Tlhingan-hol] Klingon Word of the Day: 'Iv
Voragh:
>> pum fall, fall down, fall off of something (v)
De'vID:
> Where are these definitions from?
"that is, fall down or fall off of something" (st.k 11/05/99)
... extracted from Okrand's long post to startrek.klingon ("Re: And then...? And then...? (And then along came Jones...)", 11/05/1999). The relevant part:
[. . . .]
In addition to ngugh, there is an idiomatic expression involving the suffix -DI' "when, as soon as" used to mean "by that time, by the time that [something] occurred (or will occur)." The event that has occurred (or will occur) is typically expressed in the immediately preceding sentence or clause, though it could have been uttered earlier.
The idiom is found in two forms. The shorter (and more frequently heard) version is the single word pumDI' "when it falls" (pum fall [that is, fall down or fall off of something], -DI' when). The longer version consists of pumDI' followed by a subject noun specifying what falls. The most common noun heard is 'etlh "sword, blade" (thus: pumDI' 'etlh, literally "when the blade falls"). Presumably the expression originally referred to a fight between two combatants wielding bladed weapons. The time at which one of them dropped the weapon and was thus defeated (or was as good as defeated) was a significant moment.
Some speakers, however, are rather creative and use nouns other than 'etlh. For example: pumDI' DaS "when the boot falls," pumDI' 'obmaQ "when the ax falls," pumDI' nagh "when the stone falls," pumDI' rutlh "when the wheel falls." There seems to be no restriction on what noun may be used here, as long as it is something that could possibly fall. (Thus pumDI' QoQ when the music falls" would not be used.)
Choosing one noun or another to use in the idiomatic phrase is a form of word play. Depending on the topic being discussed, the noun could add a touch of irony or even humor. In any event, the choice of noun does not change the idiomatic meaning of the phrase. pumDI' X, where X is the subject noun, is used to mean "by then, by that time."
The idiom might be used when talking about a feast that had taken place a few nights ago. If a guest arrived late - after the eating had already begun - one might say something like:
tagha' pawpu' meb 'ach pumDI' Heghpu' qagh
or:
tagha' pawpu' meb 'ach pumDI' 'etlh Heghpu' qagh
"The guest finally arrived, but by then the gagh had died."
Unlike subordinate clauses in general, pumDI' X, when used idiomatically, always precedes the main clause (Heghpu' qagh in the example above). When idiomatic usage is not involved, subordinate clauses may either precede or follow the main clause.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
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