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

Steven Boozer sboozer at uchicago.edu
Tue Apr 5 09:36:46 PDT 2022


Klingon word:   Qochbe'
Part of speech: verb
Definition:  	agree
Source: 	TKD
_______________________________________________

Qochbe' vaj qel nachDaj 
He/she nods in agreement. 
("he/she agrees so his/her head nods") (qepHom 2020)

Qochbe' 'e' ghaSmeH qel nachDaj 
He/she nods in agreement. 
("his/her head nods in order to indicate that he/she agrees")  (qepHom 2020)

Qochbe' 'e' ghaSmeH qel ghaH 
He/she nods in agreement. 
("he/she nods in order to indicate that he/she agrees") (qepHom 2020)

(MO, st.k 11/1997):  Both {Qochbe'nIS} "he/she/they need to not disagree" (that is, "he/she/they need to agree") and {QochnISbe'} "he/she/they do not need to disagree" are acceptable Klingon formations. The fact that the Dictionary lists {Qochbe'} "agree" (that is, literally, "not disagree") does not mean that no suffix may precede the {-be'}.  It's in there so that someone can easily look up how to say agree.

(MO, st.k, 3/02/1998):  Which brings us to {Qochbe'} and {QochHa'}.  Both consist of the verb {Qoch} "disagree" plus a negative suffix. …  {Qochbe'} implies an absence of disagreeing (hence agree);  {QochHa'} implies that any disagreeing was misplaced or misconstrued or perhaps has been "undone."  English lacks a simple way to say this.

(KGT 159):  The slang term [qang] may be found in such sentences as {jIHDaq Daqang} (You always agree with me, you always cooperate with me; literally, 'You pour [something] into me').  To say that someone pours (always agrees) is somewhat derogatory, implying that the agreeing or cooperating may be for ulterior motives.  Nonslang equivalents of {qang}, though lacking the negative connotation, are {reH Qochbe'} (always agree), {reH yeq} (always cooperate), and {reH jIj} (always be cooperative).

(KGT 105f.):  the Klingon phrase {wa' DoS wIqIp} (We hit one target) or the shorter {DoS wIqIp} (We hit a target) is frequently heard in conversations that have nothing to do with shooting, targets, or even weaponry.  It is a way of saying "We agree." 

(KGT 172):  Agreeing is not a trait typically associated with Klingon nature, however, and apparently, at least under certain circumstances, this may extend to grammar as well.

SEE ALSO:
ghIb 		consent (v)
chaw' 		allow, permit (v)
ma' 		accommodate (v)
HeQ 		comply (v)
laj 		accept (v)

rom		accord (n) (use for an agreement?)

--
Voragh, Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
    Please contribute relevant vocabulary or notes from the last 
    year or two. I’ve fallen woefully behind in updating my files.




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