[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: SonchIy

[Steven Boozer]

Klingon Word of the Day for Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Klingon word: 	SonchIy
Part of speech: 	noun
Definition: 	death ritual (for a leader)
Source: 	ADD
_______________________________________________

(KGT 65):  the painstik, {'oy'naQ} ... is nonetheless usually used ceremonially, playing an important role in ... the {SonchIy}, a ceremony associated with a leader's death.

The {SonchIy} is a special death ritual confirming the death of a leader as part of the Rite of Succession to leadership of the High Council:  the challengers [and the Arbiter of Succession?] confront the corpse and issue the ritual {no’ Hol} challenge {Qab jIH nagil} “Face me if you dare” before poking it with a painstik.  If there is no reaction, the Arbiter (?) replies, {SonchIy} (*Sonchi*, [lit. "He is dead" according to The Star Trek Encyclopedia [1994]).

Although we have no Klingon examples I suspect {lop} "observe/celebrate (a ritual)" is used to describe the action, as in this reference to the {Heghtay} :

  Heghtay lulop latlh tlhInganpu'.  Heghtay luloptaHvIS chaH chaq bey SeQ lujach 
  other Klingons may perform a ceremonial howl or yell as part of the Klingon
  death ritual.  (SkyBox S31)

SEE ALSO:
Heghbat	ritual suicide  (n) [TNG "Ethics"]
Heghtay	death ritual (n) [TNG "The Bonding"]
'aQvoH 		rite of watching over a fallen warrior's body (n) [DS9 "The Ship"]

yejquv DevwI' 	Leader of the High Council (n)
Heghpu'wI' 	dead (person) (n)
cho' 'oDwI'  	Arbiter of Succession (n)

lom 		corpse (n)
'oy'naQ		painstik (n)
nol 		funeral (n)
pel'aQ  		coffin (n)
nev’aQ 		sarcophagus [simple] (n)
nebeylI’ 	sarcophagus [fancy] (n)

Son  		relieve (v)
cho' 		succeed [to authority] (v)
gheS 		assume duties of, take on responsibilities (v)
Sugh 		install [in office] (v)
Deq 		be erstwhile, former, prior, ex-  (v)

--
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.