Re: KLBC: -ngan Suffix

[Steven Boozer <sboozer@midway.uchicago.edu>]

"Lee Herndon" <maccabeus_the_mad@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >Is the -ngan suffix
> >intended only for planetary residence, or is it a more
> >general term?  That is, would it be proper to refer to someone as,
>
>It's a noun...it means "inhabitant", so I'm sure it can also refer to a 
>city. From KGT (Klingon for the Galactic Traveler) we know that also 
>Gre'thor can have inhabitants, so it's not only restricted to planets:
>
>    page 130:
>     {quvHa'; ghe'tor ngan rur}
>     "dishonored as an inhabitant of Gre'thor"

The use of {ngan} is described more fully in KGT (p.141-42):

     A name for the inhabitant of a planet (and, therefore, the name
   of a race of beings) is formed by adding {ngan} ("inhabitant")
   to the planet name (excluding the number, if any): {lIghonngan}
   ("Ligonian"), {tera'ngan} ("Earther, Terran"), {romuluSngan}
   ("Romulan"). (Actually, there is some phonetic variation here.
   "Ligonian" is often pronounced {lIghongan}, dropping the final
   {n} of {lIghon} before the initial {ng} of {ngan}. This is not
   considered an error, only an alternate pronunciation.)
     Occasionally, and no doubt owing to influence from Federation
   Standard, from which names, as noted, are often taken, an extra
   syllable, {-ya'-}, comes between the planet name and {ngan}. Thus,
   "Denebian"--that is, an inhabitant of one of the Deneb planets--is
   both {DenIbngan} and {DenIbya'ngan}. The planet name itself is
   also heard in two forms: {DenIb} (formed from the name Deneb) and
   {DenIbya'} (formed by dropping the {ngan} from {DenIbya'ngan}).
   The syllable {ya'} seems to be used as if it were a suffix meaning
   "place name." Thus, Ligon has sometimes been called {lIghonya'} in
   addition to {lIghon}, Organia is both {'orghenya'} and {'orghen},
   and Cardassia is both {qarDaS} and {qarDaSya'}. The {-ya'} cannot
   be added to all planet names, however. No one ever says {romuluSya'}
   ("Romulus") or {tera'ya'} ("Earth") and certainly not {Qo'noSya'}
   ("Kronos"), the Klingon Homeworld itself.

Other, more familiar, examples of "phonetic variation" is seen in 
{vulqangan} "Vulcan" which is derived from {vulqan} "Vulcan (planet)" and, 
possibly, {tlhIngan} "Klingon" itself, which *may* be derived from {tlhIng} 
"Kling", a district on the Klingon Homeworld.



-- 
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons