[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: bo'Dagh
Steven Boozer
sboozer at uchicago.edu
Thu Oct 13 07:22:11 PDT 2016
> Klingon Word of the Day for Thursday, October 13, 2016
>
> Klingon word: bo'Dagh
> Part of speech: noun
> Definition: scoop, scooping implement (to serve food)
(KGT 97-8): A scooping implement, much like a garden trowel, used to remove food from a pot, is a {bo'Dagh}.
(KGT 125): The phrase {bo'Dagh'a' lo'} is another way to say exaggerate, though it has negative connotations of exaggerating when it is inappropriate to do so. If a warrior, for example, boasts about his recent exploits in a way other warriors find unbelievable, someone might say {bo'Dagh'a' lo'} ("He's using a big scoop"--that is, "He's exaggerating"). It is not uncommon to confront someone by making use of this phrase (for example, {qaHarbe'; bo'Dagh'a' Dalo'} ["I don't believe you; you're using a big scoop"--that is, "You're exaggerating"]) or to use it to assert one's veracity, as in {bo'Dagh'a' vIlo'be'} ("I am not using a big scoop"--in other words, "I am not exaggerating").
The scoop ({bo'Dagh}) in the phrase is the implement used to remove food from the pot in which it was prepared and place it on a serving platter. This is hardly a delicate operation, so scooping with a {bo'Dagh} entails transferring as much food as possible on each trip from pot to platter. Using a big scoop ({bo'Dagh'a'}) would imply transferring even greater quantities of food, perhaps more than the serving plate can handle.
An altered form of this expression substitutes {bo'DaghHom} (little scoop) for {bo'Dagh'a'} (big scoop). The phrase {bo'DaghHom lo'} ("use a little scoop") means make less of something than it really is or minimize the importance of something, again with the connotation that this is inappropriate.
SEE ALSO:
bo'DaghHom little scoop (to serve food) (n)
bo'Dagh'a' big scoop (to serve food) (n)
baghneQ spoon (n)
'un pot (n)
'elpI' serving platter (n)
lo' use, make use of [something] (v)
jab serve food (v)
lach exaggerate (v)
mIy brag (v)
nep lie (v)
N.B. do not confuse {bo'Dagh} with {bo'Degh} "bird (general word)".
--
Voragh
tlhIngan ghantoH pIn'a'
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
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