[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: bortaS

Steven Boozer sboozer at uchicago.edu
Tue Aug 13 08:37:16 PDT 2019


Klingon word: bortaS
Part of speech: noun
Definition: revenge
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bortaS nIvqu' 'oH bortaS'e' 
Revenge is the best revenge. (TKW)

bIr; bortaS rur 
cold as revenge (common simile, KGT)

jIDoghqu' 
    vIghIjlu’mo' 'ej bortaS vIneHmo' 
    jIleghlaHbe' 'ach chovuvtaH 
What a fool I have been, 
    blinded by fear and spite, 
    and still you find me worthy.  (PB)

ghe'torDaq lengbe'meH
    qorDu'wI' vIQan
    muyonmoH bortaS neH
I will save my kin
    From Gre'thor
    And take revenge!  (PB)

jIDoghqu'
    vIghIjlu'mo' 'ej bortaS vIneHmo'
    jIleghlaHbe' 'ach chovuvtaH
[translation unavailable] (PB)

bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay' 
Revenge is a dish best served cold. {TKD )

[Quoted by Khan Noonien Singh to Kirk in ST2.  Used by Mario Puzo in The Godfather (?) and by  Goebbels in his book _Vom Kaiserhof zur Reichskanslei_; originally a quote by one of the Borgias? 

(QeS, 12/15/2011):  … the English version was also attributed as an "Old Klingon proverb" by Quentin Tarantino in the intro of the film "Kill Bill Vol. 1", and the Klingon phrase was directly quoted by Jim Parsons [i.e. Sheldon Cooper]  (at Wil Wheaton!) in The Big Bang Theory episode "The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary". 

TREK TRIVIA:
An honorable death (e.g. in personal combat) requires no vengeance. (DS9 "House of Quark")

Kirk: "I'm interested in justice!" 
McCoy: "Are you? Are you sure it's not vengeance?" (TOS "The Conscience of the King")

"Let bloody vengeance take its final course! And see what difference it makes to this universe of yours." (Anton Karidian/Kodos to Kirk, TOS "The Conscience of the King")

SEE ALSO:
ruv 		justice (n)
DIb 		right (n)
pung 		mercy (n)
noD 		retaliate, seek revenge (v)

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons




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