[tlhIngan Hol] does {yay'} have a positive or a negative meaning ?

Steven Boozer sboozer at uchicago.edu
Tue Oct 29 09:04:52 PDT 2019


Dumbfounded means to be so surprised as to be left speechless, i.e. “dumb” as in the phrase “deaf and dumb”.  It’s not inherently positive or negative, but rather that the surprise or shock is so sudden or profound that it temporarily “discombobulates” you (another good word to look it up in M-W).

About the verb {Duq} “be stunned” (also “be astonished, astounded, dumbfounded, shocked”) revealed at qep’a’ 2017:

(qurgh, 7/29/2017):  [Okrand] also said about {Duq} and {yay'}, which have similar meanings, that they are synonyms but {Duq} tends to be more so than {yay'}.

PUN: “Or one could say... ‘bowled over’. ({Duq} also means a small bowl.)” (Felix, 7/20/2017)

SEE ALSO:
mer                       surprise [someone]
mIS                       be confused, mixed up

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons

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From: mayqel qunen'oS

The verb {yay'} is given as "be shocked, dumbfounded".
As I read in m-w, the verb "shocked", is usually used for something, which upsets people.
And as far as the "dumbfounded" goes, I couldn't make sense, whether it has an inherent positive or negative meaning.
So, does someone know, if {yay'} is to be used only for pleasant or only for unpleasant surprises ?

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