tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Aug 23 12:21:33 2002

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Re: Klingon WOTD: nan (v)




>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Friday, August 23, 2002.
>
>Klingon word:   nan
>Part of Speech: verb
>Definition:     gouge

Never used in a sentence by Okrand, but is mentioned passim in KGT (p.79):

   Statues are carved of stone ({nagh}, "rock, stone") by various
   techniques. Thus, among other things, the sculptor ({Hew chenmoHwI'}
   [literally, "statue creator") may {nan} (gouge), {tey} (scrape), or
   {ghItlh} (engrave). To apply these techniques, specialized tools are
   employed: the {nanwI'} (chisel; literally, "gouger"), {teywI'} (file;
   literally, "scraper"), and {ghItlhwI'} (stylus).

N.B. There is a homonymous verb: {nan} "use the fourth toe".  Okrand 
comments in HolQeD (June 2001):

   The verbs {nan} "use the fourth toe" and {nan} "gouge" are probably
   etymologically related, since {nan} is used to refer to a particularly
   effective martial arts kick.

In that same article, Okrand mentions another derived noun {nanwI'}, or the 
fourth toe - not to be confused with the tool {nanwI'}, or chisel.



-- 
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons



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