[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: rIS

Steven Boozer sboozer at uchicago.edu
Fri Dec 29 07:39:37 PST 2017


Klingon word: rIS
Part of speech: verb
Definition: make a cracking or snapping sound, emit a signal
Source: qepHom 2017
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Lieven (LLL) interviews Okrand (MO) [qepHom 2017 p.13]:

   MO: 	For signal I suggest the verb {rIS}. This means "make a
       cracking or snapping sound" but can also be used to mean
       "emit a signal".  Maybe Klingons used to use Geiger
       counters a lot.
   LLL: 	How is this different to {tlhuD} "emit radiation"?
   MO: 	{rIS} originally referred to emitting sound only.  Later
       the meaning was extended to mean emitting any sort of
       signal - sound, radiation, smell, etc.   {tlhuD} refers to
       radiation only.
   LLL: 	So a {rISwI'} would be some sending device, right?
   MO: 	It could mean this, yes.
   LLL:	How would I say that I receive or detect a signal? 
       What about {rISHa'}? Is it the opposite of "sending"?
   MO: 	{rISHa'} would refer to sending a signal improperly, like
       maybe to the wrong person. It wouldn't mean receive or
       detect a signal.  

  yuQDaq Dat rISbogh wabvam Qoylu'. 
  The signature sound of the planet, heard everywhere on the surface.
     (DSC "Si Vis Pacem..." [Lieven's subtitles])

  HoD, paw vay'.  rIS 'op pIvghor 'e' vItu'. 
  Captain, incoming! Warp signatures detected!
     (DSC "Battle At the Binary Stars" [Lieven's subtitles])

 (Lieven, 11/07/2017) :  I need to look back where you mean this, but {rIS} somehow means making a crackling sound, so it can surely be used for any kind of humming or crackling device, and also anything that is emitting something besides of sound or radiation. To detect a warp signature, you actually detect that the warpdrive is {rIS}ing.

SEE ALSO:
*rISwI' 	 	transponder (n) (DSC "Lethe" [subtitles]);  
		sonar (n) (DSC "Si Vis Pacem..." [subtitles])

jabbI'ID 	data transmission (n)
maQ  		signal,  sign (n)
QIn 		message (n)
rI'Se' 		hailing frequency (n)
Se' 		frequency (n)
Sotlaw' 		distress call (n)

Qum 		communicate (v)
lab 		transmit data (away from a place) (v)
lI' 		transmit data (to a place) (v)
rIt  		summon (v)
rI' 		hail (v)
tlhuD 		emit [energy, radiation, etc.] (v)

PUN:  "making a snapping, crackling, or popping sound" -- Rice Crispies, i.e. "snap, crackle, pop"!

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons





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