[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: mebpa'mey

[Steven Boozer]

Klingon Word of the Day for Sunday, June 27, 2021

Klingon word: 	mebpa'mey
Part of speech: 	noun
Definition: 	hotel
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Quj wa'DIch juH qachmey mebpa'mey je qa' raQmey chu' monmey chu' je 
Custom OUTPOSTS and CAPITALS replace original Houses and Hotels.  (MKE)

(ghunchu'wI' [date?]):  The translation "hotel" is a convenient noun that exists in English, but apparently Klingon has no unique word for a collection of guest rooms. It is rather like talking about a professor's "rooms":  you mean his apartment, but you refer to the collection of rooms instead of using a singular noun. However, rooms isn't a singular noun:  "The professor's rooms are cluttered," not "The professor's rooms is cluttered." ... I guess that {mebpa'mey} works the same way. You could talk about a single {mebpa'} or plural {mebpa'mey}, but there's no unique noun to describe the collection of these rooms, a hotel.

CULTURE:

 (CK):  When visiting a Klingon planet the first thing you will want to do, once you have finish answering the guard's questions, is rent a room. No matter where you stay the accommodations will be stark compared to what you are used to. Klingons are predisposed to rejecting anything whose sole function is physical comfort. They will, however, make some concessions for visitors. For example, your room will almost certainly be equipped with a bed, though it is likely to be made of the same material as the floor. Checking into your room is a painless procedure, as long as you have made reservations ahead of time. Simply identify yourself to the desk clerk ... In the hotel you will have to do everything yourself. Do not expect to find housekeeping or room service either, while this may be a little inconvenient, it is also inexpensive. There is never any need to tip. As accommodating as it is, you will not want to spend all of your time in your room.

(KGT 4):  "Klingon for the Galactic Traveler" … is not a typical guidebook for tourists. No restaurant or hotel recommendations are made…

M.J. Friedman's "Star Trek: Federation Travel Guide" (1997) is a 60-page vacation pamphlet with restaurant and hotel locations for different planets, including 4 pages on Qo'noS.

SEE:
meb  	guest (n)
pa'  	room, quarters (TKD); enclosed area (KGT glossary); chamber (KBoP)

--
Voragh, Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
    Please contribute relevant vocabulary from the last year or two. I’ve fallen 
    behind in updating my files and adding cross-references for related words.