KLBC: Re: Klingon WOTD: ram (n)

["Mark J. Reed" <markjreed@mail.com>]

On Sun, Feb 29, 2004 at 12:29:03PM -0500, RNButler2@aol.com wrote:
> doesnt maj'ram mean good night

I've added KLBC to the subject so the beginners' grammarian will jump in
here, but the answer to your question is no.  The word "maj" is an
exclamation; it means "Good!" is in "That's good!" or "Very good!  Carry
on." etc.  So {maj ram} means "Good!  The night."  or some such.  You
might say it if you're happy that night has fallen.

If you wanted to wish someone a good night, you could do so explicitly.
Here are some ideas which may or may not work:

{QaQjaj ram}    May the night be good (in general). 
        Perhaps too general.  What does it mean for a night to be good?
        But we have canon with QaQ used of days, so this is probably
        legit.  Doesn't specifically refer to the listener's experience,
        however.  Effectively wishes everyone everywhere a good night.

*{QaQjaj ramlIj}    May your night be good.
        This is one possible way to make the night's goodness specifically
        relevant to the person spoken to, but I don't really think the posessive
        suffixes can be used this way.  In what sense does the night belong to
        the listener?

*{SoHvaD QaQjaj ram}  May the night be good for you.
        Another possibility, but this is a questionable use of -vaD.

{ram DatIvjaj}  May you enjoy the night.
        Wholly unobjectionable but possibly not the intended meaning.
        
-Mark