[tlhIngan Hol] Klingon Word of the Day: veS (noun)

[Steven Boozer]

Klingon word: veS
Part of speech: noun
Definition: war, warfare
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(KGT 46f):  There are two nouns traditionally translated as war:  {veS} and {noH}.  The first, {veS}, is war in the sense of warfare, the concept or idea of war;  {noH}, on the other hand, is used for an individual or specific war...  In short, the nouns {veS} (war, warfare) and {vIq} (combat) and the verb {Qoj} (wage war) all are used to refer to the ideas of warfare, combat, and making war, while the nouns {noH} (war) and {may'} (battle) and the verbs {ghob} (make war, do battle) and {Suv} (fight) are used when referring to specific, concrete instances of war, battle, and fighting.  Thus it is possible to say {noH ghob} or {noH Suv}, both meaning "He/she fights a war" ... but it is not normally acceptable to say {veS ghob} ("He/she fights a warfare").

notlh veS... 'a tugh manotlhchoH je maH 
War is obsolete... as we are in danger of becoming. (ST6) 

(KGT 47):  When Azetbur, leader of the Klingon High Council at the time of the first negotiations for peace with the Federation, expressed concern that "war is obsolete,: she said, {notlh veS}, not {notlh noH}; she felt the idea or nature of warfare, not a specific war, was obsolete.

TREK NOTES:
  "The Klingons are a military dictatorship. War is their way of life." (Kirk, TOS "Errand of Mercy")

  "Today we conquer. If some day we are defeated, well, war has its fortunes good and bad." (Kor, TOS "Errand of Mercy")

  "This is war, a game we Klingons play to win." (Kor, TOS "Errand of Mercy")

  "You've tried to hem us in, cut off vital supplies, strangle our trade! You've been asking for war!" (Kor, TOS "Errand of Mercy")

GRILKA:   The recent hostilities between the Federation and the Empire have been very costly to my family.
                  We have suffered great losses in ships, lands, warriors. 
QUARK:   War. What is it good for? If you ask me, absolutely nothing.  [DS9 "Looking for Par'mach in All the Wrong Places"]

SEE:
 mu'qaD veS 		curse-warfare (n)
  - taghbej mu'qaD veS 
    Curse-warfare has definitely begun. (PK)

veSDuj  			warship (n)

--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons