[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: 'uS

Steven Boozer sboozer at uchicago.edu
Thu Oct 3 09:02:36 PDT 2019


Klingon word: 'uS
Part of speech: noun
Definition: leg
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DeS 'uS je 
an arm and a leg (TKD)

DeS 'uS joq 
an arm or a leg or both (TKD)

DeS 'uS ghap 
either an arm or a leg (but not both) (TKD)

to'baj 'uS lughoDlu'bogh tIlaj 
Accept these stuffed *tobbaj* legs! (PK)

'uSDaj chop! chev! 
Bite his/her leg off! (PK)

moratlh 
   DaH bIHaw'laHtaHbe' 
   puj 'uSDu'lIj 
Now, Morath 
   You can run no more, 
   Your legs are weak.  (PB)

wa'logh mup betleH 
'ej 'uSDu' teqta' 
[bat’leths] Ripped open armor, 
And cut off legs in a single stroke. (PB)


('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.

(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} are known but seldom used…

TREK TRIVIA:
  Kira wanted to visit the Klingon restaurant on Deep Space Nine with Odo, as she had a craving for *krada* legs.  (DS9 "The Sound of Her Voice").

SEE ALSO:
ghIv 		limb [of a person] (n)
gham 		limb (of an animal (n)
HajDob  	leg (served as food)

qam 		foot (n)
'IvtIH 		hip (n)
qIv 		knee (n)
yaD 		toe (n)

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons




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