[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: rIl

[DloraH]

That may be just the simple English translation.
Think of it more like, 
wiggle -> wiggler, 
poke -> poker, 
point -> pointer.
Perhaps rIl IS what the thumb does, but how would we list that action
in a dictionary for /normal/ people... "use thumb".


- DloraH


On Thu, 2023-12-14 at 13:15 -0500, Will Martin via tlhIngan-Hol wrote:
> 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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> 
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