Appendix:Klingon/nuqneH

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Klingon

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Pronunciation

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This appendix needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

Interjection

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nuqneH< c="" =""></>

  1. what do you want?
    • 1988 June 1, Gar and Judith Reeves-Stevens, Memory Prime (Star Trek #42), New York: Pocket Books, →ISBN, →OL:
      "NuqneH, vulqangan?" the Klingon growled.
      "What do you want, vulcan?", the Klingon growled.
    • 1989 June 29, “The Emissary”, in Star Trek: The Next Generation, season 2, episode 20, spoken by William Riker (Jonathan Frakes):
      nuqneH, qaleghneS
      What do you want? I am honored to see you.
    • 1990 February 1, Peter Morwood, Rules of Engagement (Star Trek #48), Pocket Books, →ISBN, →OL, page 145:
      HIja'neS nuqneH?
      Do me the honor of telling me what you want?
  2. (proscribed) hello

Usage notes

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  • nuqneH can be used as a general greeting to initiate a conversation when someone approaches you, but it's rather used as an actual question expecting an answer than a greeting. Klingons generally don't greet each other, prefering instead to begin conversations by directly stating one's main point. nuqneH is more common among Terrans as a greeting adressing Klingons, but this usage is distinctly foreign to a Klingon ear.