[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: chaQ

[SapIr]

On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 11:20:26AM -0400, SuStel wrote:
> On 10/17/2016 10:59 AM, kechpaja wrote:
> > On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 10:46:44AM -0400, SuStel wrote:
> >> On 10/17/2016 10:27 AM, kechpaja wrote:
> >>> On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 01:55:22PM +0000, Steven Boozer wrote:
> >>>>> Klingon Word of the Day for Saturday, October 15, 2016
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Klingon word: chaQ
> >>>>> Part of speech: verb
> >>>>> Definition: thrust upward with end of *bat'leth*
> >>>> (KGT 59):  There is an extensive vocabulary for the moves associated with bat'leth use. To thrust or lunge toward one's opponent, for example, is {jop}. To deflect a thrust--that is, to parry--is {way'}. To thrust either end of the bat'leth (as opposed to the long part of the blade) upward is {chaQ}. To change the approximate orientation of the weapon from horizontal to vertical is {ngol}; the reverse is {lev}. To slide the blade of one's bat'leth along the blade of the opponent's weapon is {DIj}. To twirl or rotate the bat'leth is {jIrmoH} and to toss it from one hand to the other (the same word is used whether left to right or right to left) is {baQ}.
> >>>>
> >>> This makes me wonder: is there a specific term that we know of meaning
> >>> "to thrust either end of the bat'leth *downward*"? That seems to be a
> >>> fairly common move in the combat shown on screen in Star Trek, usually
> >>> parried by holding the blade horizontal to catch the thrust. Or would
> >>> you just say {jop} and it would be assumed that that was what you were
> >>> describing?
> >> I'd expect *Qach* to be used for that motion; it's the same motion you'd
> >> use with**an axe or club.
> >>
> > In KGT, {Qach} is defined as "wield or swing (a weapon)", without any
> > specification as to which direction the weapon is being swung in, so it
> > seems a bit more general than what I had in mind.
> 
> In the word-list, yes, but it's also explained as the specific word you 
> use for swinging an *'obmaQ* /ax (general word),/**a 
> *jey'naS*/double-headed ax/, an *'alngegh*/axe with an added spike at 
> the end,/ an *'aqleH*/ax with half a bat'leth at the end of a handle, a 
> /*jeqqIj */club, bludgeon, /and a *ghanjaq*/mace./
> 
> You typically swing axes and clubs overhand, in an arc downward, just as 
> SapIr was considering. Thus, I expect a bat'leth swing in the same 
> manner to use the same verb, *Qach.* I don't know for sure that *Qach* 
> means /swing a weapon in a downward arc as you would an ax or club,/ but 
> that's my working theory.
>
Hmm... that makes sense. It also makes sense for that to be the more
default way of thrusting/striking with the bat'leth, since the attacker
is working with gravity rather than fighting it. 

Do we have any examples where {Qach} is used to indicate a side-to-side
swing, in a context where we know that that's what was happening? 

 - SapIr