[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: joH

[Steven Boozer]

Klingon word: 	joH
Part of speech: 	noun
Definition: 	lord
Source: 	TKD
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  joHwI'! 
  My lord! ST3

  luq joHwI' 
  lu' joHwI' 
  Yes, my Lord. KGT

  lu joHwI' 
  My Lord falls from power. KGT

  DaH nuq ta'pu' Day joH 
  What has Lady Di done now?  RTb 

  vanchuq luqara' joH qeylIS je 
  Lady Lukara and Kahless, they said their goodbyes (PB 184-85)

 (TKD 58):  Names may be used in direct address (that is, calling somebody by name) at the beginning or end of the sentence. Other words used in direct address (such as {qaH} sir, {joHwI'} my lord) are used similarly.

 (KGT 40f, 198):  The leader of a house is afforded the title {joH}, usually translated as Lord. This title is also used to refer to his wife, translated as Lady. If the title is used along with the name, one puts the name first, as is the case with all titles:  {Qugh joH} (Lord Kruge), {ghIrIlqa' joH} (Lady Grilka). When addressing the head of a house, a member of a lower class may use either the name plus {joH} or else {joH} plus {-wI'}  [...]  {joHwI'} (my Lord, my Lady).  This title also has an alternate form, {jaw}, which is used from time to time with no known difference in meaning or connotation, though {joH} is heard far more frequently.

  HISlaH jawwI' 
  I have, my lord. ST3

  Qapla' jawwI' bangwI' je 
  Success my lord and my love. ST3

FYI:  Lursa and B'Etor are addressed as {joHwI'} and "Mistress" by their crew in ST:Generations.
 
(TKD 25):  It is grammatically correct to use the regular possessive suffixes with nouns referring to beings capable of speech (as in {puqlIj} "your child"), but such constructions are considered derogatory;  {joHwIj} for "my lord" borders on taboo.
 
(KGT 190):  Addressing my Lord or my Lady as {joHwIj} rather than {joHwI'} is insulting indeed, since it implies that my Lord or my Lady is a lower order of being. Similarly, a group of heads of households would probably not appreciate being referred to as {joHDu'}, since that would be the appropriate way to say Lords or Ladies only if they were body parts. The only thing worse would be combining mispronunciation with grammatical blundering, such as by saying {joQDu'wIj} (my ribs) ... when {joHpu'wI'} (my Lords, my Ladies) is intended. Mistakes of this kind are simply not tolerated and there are no recorded instances of anyone living long enough to repeat the offense.

(KLS):  The {betleH} wielded by the lord of a great house is called an Honor Blade and is considered the repository of the heart and soul of his or her entire clan.


  nuq DalaD, joHwI'?  mu', mu', mu'. 
  What do you read, my lord? Words, words, words. (NON-CANON: TKH, Hamlet II,2)

--
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.