[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: meqleH

[Steven Boozer]

Klingon Word of the Day for Sunday, June 12, 2022

Klingon word: 	meqleH
Part of speech: 	noun
Definition: 	type of weapon, *mek'leth*
_______________________________________________

(KGT 60):  A smaller, one-handed version of the bat'leth is the {meqleH}, rendered in Federation Standard as mek'leth. For a minority of Klingons who pronounce both b and m identically, as m, the words {betleH} and {meqleH} sound almost the same, especially when shouted in the heat of battle. Because of the importance of the bat'leth in Klingon tradition, however, they have taken to calling the bat'leth {betleH quv} (pronounced /metleH quv/, or `honored bat'leth,' while the mek'leth is {meqleH matlh}, or `loyal mek'leth,' Although {betleH quv} might be considered a bit redundant ("honored sword of honor"), it does the job of maintaining the distinction. The longer {betleH quv} and {meqleH matlh" are sometimes heard even among Klingons who pronounce b and m distinctly, though not as frequently as the one-word forms.

TREK TRIVIA:
  "Klingons carry disruptors, but they prefer to use bladed weapons in combat. The two most common being the bat'leth, a curved, bilateral sword, and the mek'leth, two-pronged dagger. The bat'leth can decapitate its victim with one stroke, while the mek'leth is typically used to slash the throat... or disembowel." (T'Pol to deuterium miners, ENT "Marauders")

  First seen in DS9 "Sons of Mogh".  Worf brought his mek’leth on his quest into the Gamma Quadant to the Hur'q homeworld.  He carried it on his back tucked under his sash. (DS9 "The Sword of Kahless")

SEE ALSO:
'etlh 		sword; blade (n)
taj 		knife

The bat'leth family of weapons include:
betleH  		bat'leth 
meqleH  	mek'leth 
tIqleH  		tik'leth (similar to a longsword)
'aqleH  		 (half ax, half bat'leth)


--
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.