[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: tarngeb

[Steven Boozer]

D'oh!!  I should have remembered pitchblende, as {tar} should have suggested "pitch".  Linguistic puns are usually the way to go.

Have you figured out the pun behind {targhonI'} "tungsten" {tar + gho + nI'} ?  Searching "tungsten + poison/toxic" brings up mixed results:

"Because tungsten is a rare metal and its compounds are generally inert, the effects of tungsten on the environment are limited.  [....]  It was at first believed to be relatively inert and an only slightly toxic metal, but beginning in the year 2000, the risk presented by tungsten alloys, its dusts and particulates to induce cancer and several other adverse effects in animals as well as humans has been highlighted from in vitro and in vivo experiments."  < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungsten >

... so this approach is probably not productive.

-- Voragh

-----------------------------------Original Message-----------------------------------
From: tlhIngan-Hol <tlhingan-hol-bounces at lists.kli.org> On Behalf Of Alan Anderson

Tar is a substance that, when distilled, leaves a concentrated residue called pitch.

The German word “blenden” means “deceptive”, giving a name to the mineral “Blende” or “deceptive galena” (it looks like it has lead in it, but it doesn’t). Another name for Blende is sphalerite. Greek “sphaleros” also means “deceptive”.

Pitchblende is uranium ore.

-- ghunchu'wI'