[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: rIl

[Will Martin]

I’ve always been amused by the verbs for fingers and toes, with the actual fingers and toes being the verb with {-wI’} added. It’s weird, because the verb doesn’t mean “do what the thumb does” such that the thumb is the thing doing what the thumb does. {rIl} means “use the thumb”, and the thing which uses the thumb, deserving the title of “thumb user” isn’t the thumb. It’s the person the thumb is attached to.

I haven’t noticed any other use of {-wI’} comparable to this one.

A {jabwI’} serves food. {jab jabwI’}. A thumb doesn’t use a thumb. {not rIl'egh rIlwI’}.

I mean, maybe the cow in Restaurant at the End of the Universe could be described as {jab’egh jabwI’}, but that would be an uncommon circumstance.

pItlh

charghwI’ ‘utlh
(ghaH, ghaH, -Daj)




> On Dec 14, 2023, at 10:36 AM, Steven Boozer via tlhIngan-Hol <tlhingan-hol at lists.kli.org> wrote:
> 
> Klingon word: rIl
> Part of speech: verb
> Definition: use the thumb
> Source: HQ:v10n2p9
> _______________________________________________
> 
> nujDajDaq rIl'egh ghu 
> the baby sucks its thumb (HQ 10.2:8-9) 
> ("at his/her mouth, the baby uses at him/herself his/her thumb")
> 
> Most commonly used in reference to a child using a thumb. Cf. the synonym {Sen} "use the thumb" which is most commonly used in reference to an adult using a thumb.  (HQ 10.2)
> 
> (HQ 10.2:7-8):  The two sets of words relating to thumb are pretty much interchangeable, though small children usually use {rIl} and {rIlwI'} rather than {Sen} and {SenwI'}.  Similarly, adults speaking to or about children tend to use {rIl} and {rIlwI'}.  Both words are used together in an idiomatic expression meaning everybody, everyone:  {SenwI'Du' rIlwI'Du' je}, literally "thumbs and thumbs".  This expression is often heard without the plural suffixes:  {SenwI' rIlwI' je}. 
> 
> SEE:
> rIlwI'  		thumb (n)
> 
> SEE ALSO:
> Sen  		use the thumb (v)
> SenwI'  		thumb (n) 
> 
> Heng 		finger holes in a musical instrument (v)
> 'uy 		press down (v)
> 
> N.B. Do not confuse with the verb {rIl} "play (a wind instrument)", often with the noun {gheb} "horn (musical instrument)" -- {gheb rIl} !
> 
> --
> Voragh, Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
>    Please contribute relevant vocabulary from recent qep’a’mey 
>    or qepHommey. I’ve fallen woefully behind in updating my files.
> 
> 
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