[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: Ho'

[Steven Boozer]

Klingon Word of the Day for Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Klingon word: Ho'
Part of speech: noun
Definition: idol (slang)
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(KGT 152-53):  This is actually the word for tooth, but it is applied to someone who is admired or revered. It might be used in a phrase such as {Ho' SoH} ("You are an idol" or "You are someone worthy of emulation"; literally, "You are a tooth") or {Ho' ghaH HoD'e'} ("The captain is an idol"; literally, "The captain is a tooth"). Grammatically, even as slang, {Ho'} follows the rules appropriate to its literal meaning. Thus, even though it may refer to a person, its plural is {Ho'Du'} (teeth), making use of the plural suffix for body parts ({-Du'}), not {Ho'pu'}, with {-pu'}, the plural suffix for beings capable of using language. Similarly, it never takes the possessive suffixes associated with beings capable of using language. That is, "my idol" (literally, "my tooth") is {Ho'wIj} (with {-wIj}, the general suffix for "my"), not {Ho'wI'} (with {-wI'}, the suffix for "my" used with beings capable of using language). The slang meaning of {Ho'} is no doubt influenced by the identically sounding verb {Ho'} (admire), and, indeed, the closest nonslang counterpart is probably a phrase with this verb:  {HoD Ho'lu'} ("The captain is admired"). 

SEE:
Ho'  		tooth (n)
Ho'  		admire (v)

SEE ALSO:
Sub 		hero (n)
naD 		commend, praise (v)
quvmoH 	honor (v)
vuv 		respect (v)

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons