[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: rang

[Steven Boozer]

Klingon Word of the Day for Monday, March 26, 2018

Klingon word: rang
Part of speech: verb
Definition: be responsible for
Source: Email from Lieven 2018-02-01
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(Lieven, 2/01/2018) :  When I asked for a phrase like "you are responsible for his actions" or "you are responsible for [something]" Maltz gave us the verb {rang} "be responsible for." 

(Lieven < Okrand, 2/02/2018):  I knew about {ngoy'} ["be responsible"] (so did Maltz). The grammatical difference is that {rang} can take an object (the thing the subject is responsible for) -- and it would be weird for it not to have an object -- while {ngoy'} can't. rang means things like "be in charge of, have authority over."  {ngoy'} means things like "be accountable, be answerable".  It can also be used to mean "be responsible" in the sense of be "trustworthy, sensible, dependable".
     So a boss is responsible for his/her workers' actions (or responsible for the factory or whatever); he/she is in charge of the workplace, has authority over the workers, maybe is controlling the workers.  This is {rang}.  If something goes wrong, who's to blame?  Who's accountable?  Whom do the higher-ups come down hard on?  The boss - because he/she is the responsible party ({ngoy'}).
     As the use of {ngoy'} in the TKW example shows, however, the meanings overlap, so the choice may be based on what the rest of the sentence is (is there an object or not?), not just meaning.  <...> 
     Think of {rang} as "be responsible for".  As I mentioned, it takes an object ({ngoy'} does not).  {rang} cannot be used as an adjective.

CULTURAL NOTES:
The Klingon law of heredity (*g'now juk Hol pajhard* "A son shall share in the honors or crimes of his father") would have required the execution of Worf and his brother Kurn for the treachery of their father, Mogh, had not those charges proven false. (TNG "Redemption I")

SEE ALSO:
gheS 		assume duties of, take on responsibilities (v)
Sugh 		install [in office] (v)
Qu' 		duty, assignment, mission (n)
ghIgh 		assignment, task, duty" [slang] (n)

Lieven, <Hov leng: DISqa'vI'rIy> mubhbogh permeylIjDaq wotvam chu' Dalo'ta''a'?

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