[tlhIngan Hol] Words for tools

Steven Boozer sboozer at uchicago.edu
Tue Jul 12 08:26:55 PDT 2016


qunnoq:
>> (KGT 163):  The word {Qop} means “be worn out” and is usually 
>> applied to old weapons, tools, mechanical devices, and the like.

Here's the full quote:

(KGT 163):  The word {Qop} means "be worn out" and is usually applied to old weapons, tools, mechanical devices, and the like. It is also used to mean "be dead," but only in reference to an animal that one was expecting to eat live. If a bowl of dead {qagh} ("*gagh*, serpent worms") is placed before a Klingon, the disappointed diner will probably criticize the cook for preparing {qagh Qop} ("dead *gagh*"). The normal way to say "be dead," referring to a person or animal, is by using the form {Heghpu'} ("has died"):  {Heghpu' SuvwI'} ("The warrior has died"). It is not appropriate to say {SuvwI' Qop} ("dead warrior, worn-out warrior.")

> this is a beautiful application of the word {Qop}; but I need to ask.
> does this mean that we can't use {Qop} in order to say "I'm worn out"
> as in "I'm very tired"?

That's how I read it:  "only in reference to an animal ... It is not appropriate to say {SuvwI' Qop}."  

{Doy'} "be tired" in canon:

  puq Doy' 
  tired child TKD

  wa'leS jIDoy' 
  Tomorrow I'll be tired. CK

  jIDoy'qu' 
  I am very tired. PK

  jIDoy'be' 
  I am NOT tired! PK

  jIH Doy' law' SoH Doy' puS 
  I am more tired than you are (HQ 13.1:10)

  mu'mey Doy' 
  "tired words" (refers to older Klingons' language) [KGT 35]

The only way I know of to say "I'm very tired, I'm exhausted, etc." is simply {jIDoy'qu'}.  You can always add one of the Type 6 (qualification) suffixes to add nuance:  {-ba'} obviously; {-bej} certainly, undoubtedly, definitely; {-chu'} clearly, perfectly; {-law'} it seems (to be), apparently.  

Since soldiers like to gripe Klingons may well have slang expressions for this - in fact, I'd be surprised if they didn't - but we don't know them.  

SEE ALSO:
QopmoH  	wear out (TKD K-E only)
ngo' 		be old (not new) (v)
qan  		be old (not young) (v)
tIQ 		be ancient (v)
notlh 	be obsolete (v)
ghoQ 		be fresh, be just killed (meat) (v)



--
Voragh
tlhIngan ghantoH pIn'a'
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons





More information about the tlhIngan-Hol mailing list