On 11/8/2021 10:29 AM, Steven Boozer wrote:
I assume that charghwI’ was responding to this post when Marc Okrand was asked how to say "a fast ship":
(MO, qepHom 2012 [via Lieven 11/22/2012]): Maltz was unaware of an adjective meaning “fast” (or “slow” for that matter). He said in Klingon you wouldn't say that something is fast - you'd say it moves fast. So instead of “You have a fast ship”, you could say {nom leng DujlIj} “Your ship travels fast” or {nom leng Duj Daghajbogh} “The ship that you have travels fast.” If “your fast ship” is supposed to be the subject or object of a sentence, you say something like {tInqu' nom lengbogh DujlIj} “Your ship that travels fast is very big” (or, less literally, “Your fast ship is very big”) or {nom lengbogh DujlIj vIlegh} “I see your ship that travels fast” (or “I see your fast ship”).
Presumably this method works for slow ships as well. <g>
I didn't remember this bit of canon, but this was going to be my response as well. The only time the lack of a verb for /be fast/ is a problem is when you want to compare speeds — *nom leng*/travel fast/ doesn't fit into the Q of a comparative. But otherwise, there is really no issue here. A /fast ship/ is a *nom lengbogh Duj* or a *nom vIHbogh Duj.* To say /That ship is fast,/ say *nom leng Dujvetlh* or *nom vIH Dujvetlh* or something like that. And the verb you attach *nom* to doesn't have to be *leng* or *vIH.* You could say *nom nIn natlhbogh QuQ*/gas-guzzling engine/ and *nom bumbogh nav va'chum*/fast-absorbing paper towel/ *(nom woHbogh woHwI'!).* And of course it works for /slow/ as well. In fact, it works for most adverbials. -- SuStel http://trimboli.name