Klingon Word of the Day for Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Klingon word: rItlh naQ Part of speech: noun Definition: pigment stick
(KGT 80-81): What the Federation would classify as a painting - that is, a {nagh beQ} featuring an image not carved into it but painted onto it - is made by applying {rItlh} (pigment, paint, dye) derived from either an animal or plant source. This may be done either by using fingers ({nItlhDu'}) or an implement called a {rItlh naQ} (pigment stick), a stick with flattened ends. The ends (sometimes referred to as the {nItlhpachDu'} [literally, "fingernails"]) are made in assorted sizes, making it possible to produce varied patterns. No doubt because of the phonetic similarity of the words {nItlh} (finger) and {rItlh} (pigment), the practice of applying pigment with fingers, and the habit of referring to the ends of pigment sticks as {nItlhpachDu'}, a pigment stick is also often called a "nItlh naQ" (literally, "finger stick"), though this term is used almost exclusively by the artisans themselves. The word {DIj} means "use a {rItlh naQ}, paint with a {rItlh naQ}. [...] Compared to Federation Standard, Klingon terminology associated with colors is rather limited. First of all, there is no noun meaning color. There is, however, a verb, {nguv}, which means something like "be dyed, stained, tinted", though it is seldom used [...] The verb {ngoH}, meaning smear in other contexts, is used for paint using fingers. Lieven Litaer interviewed Marc Okrand (posted 10/29/2015): MO: A stamp (rubber stamp, a tool/device, not postage stamp) is a {toqwIn}. To use a stamp, you ink it up and then you {Dut} it (slam [it] down). The word for ink is {rItlh}, and the ink pad is called {rItlh 'echlet}. The image that results from using a rubber stamp is {yang}. LL: When you ink it up, do you simply {Dut} it into the {rItlh 'echlet}? MO: Yes, but there is a way to say that you're applying ink. To "ink up" a rubber stamp is to {laS} it. This verb is also used to refer to putting paint on a {rItlh naQ}. Maltz said that there's a slang term for this action also: {pID}. SEE ALSO: rItlh pigment, paint, dye, ink (n) wuS rItlh naQ lipstick (n) rItlh 'echlet ink pad (n) ghItlhwI' stylus (n) ngoH smear, paint using fingers (v) DIj use/paint with a pigment stick (v) laS ink up, put paint on [something] L(v) nguv be dyed/stained/tinted (v) chum be colorful (v) PUN: Ritz is the biggest company producing dyes for home use in the U.S. -- Voragh tlhIngan ghantoH pIn'a' Ca'Non Master of the Klingons