[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: raQ

[Steven Boozer]

Klingon word: raQ
Part of speech: verb
Definition: manipulate by hand, handle
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betleH raQ 
He/she controls a bat'leth. KGT

Duj raQ 
He/she controls the ship manually. KGT

(KGT 79):  The closest to a general term in this realm may be the verb {raQ}, which means "manipulate by hand, handle".  It can be applied to carving, sculpting, metalworking, and the like but is really much less specific, referring to activities that involve having some control over some object.  For example, in addition to saying {betleH yan} (He/she wields a bat'leth), one could say {betleH raQ} (He/she controls a bat'leth).  By extension, the term {raQ} is also used when referring to controlling a space vessel "manually" (that is, when the controls are manipulated directly by a person rather than a computer):  {Duj raQ} (He/she controls the ship manually).

(HQ 11.2):  Maltz thought that the best word for operate (an aircraft) was {'or} ... In general, {'or} would not be used to refer to the activities of the captain of a spacecraft, or even those of its helmsman, but Maltz said it could be used for the controlling of a shuttlecraft. He was comfortable translating {'or} as "pilot" (the verb)

HOMONYMS:
raQ  		camp (military term),  outpost (n)

SEE:
ruQ  		control manually (by hand) (v) [never used AFAIK]

SEE ALSO:
SeH 		control (v)
chIj 		navigate (v)
'or 		operate (an aircraft), pilot (v)

ghop  		hand (n)
jI'ev   		handle,  knob,  doorknob (n)
ret'aq 		handle/hilt (of knife) (n)
DeS 		ax handle (n)
DeSqIvDu'           V-shaped handles (of a {nevDagh} pot)

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons