[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: HajDob

[Steven Boozer]

Klingon word: HajDob
Part of speech: noun
Definition: leg (served as food)
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(KGT 42):  ... the usual word for the leg of an animal, when prepared as food, is {gham} (limb), the same word used for the leg of the living animal. A leg served as food at a banquet in an upper-class household, however, is likely to be called a {HajDob}, an old word for limb. In another context, such as a meal with warriors in a ship's {SopwI'pa'} (mess hall), only the term {gham} will be heard ... Among the lower classes-except for those working as servants for the higher classes-words like {HajDob} and {tu'lum} [teacup] are known but seldom used...

(KGT 97):  Food-preparation knives, of which there are many types, come in different sizes and shapes for different cutting tasks... For finer work (such as making the slits in limbs needed to extract veins), a small {SIjwI'} (literally, slitter) is commonly employed.

(KGT 112):  In the Mekro'vak region, for example, a common courtship ritual requires the male to use the leg of a *lingta* to forcefully ({pe'vIl}) sweep away ({bI'chu'}) whatever is on the dinner table before declaring his feelings to the female.

ghIv  		limb (of a person; arm or leg) (n) 

(qurgh, 7/27/2010):  Marc described {ghIv} as the "person" version of {gham}. 

('ISqu', 7/28/2010):  Marc Okrand said ... that the person who did the first translation of the opera into Klingon used {QIv} (or possibly {qIv}, as they were not consistent in their use of capitalisations) in the name of a {moQbara'} technique, or a practice form, which involved legs and arms. Neither {QIv} nor {qIv} made any sense of course, but because the singers had already gotten used to singing this line, Marc decided not to change the line too drastically and simply came up with a word that sounded similar to {QIv/qIv} and had the relevant meaning. He also pointed out that {ghIv} only refers to a limb of a person, unlike {gham}, which refers to a limb of an animal. I started speculating that maybe there is yet another term which applies to the legs of objects such as chairs and tables, and Marc said that this is possible.

SEE ALSO:
'uS 		leg (n)
ghab 		meat from midsection of animal (n)
Ha'DIbaH 	animal, meat (n)

"Haunch" - the leg and loin of an animal used for food - might be a better translation for {HajDob}: e.g. a "haunch of venison" which sounds somewhat old-fashioned to me.  OTOH anglophones also say "leg of lamb" and "turkey drumstick".  (Something to do with the size of the animal?)

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons