Klingon Word of the Day for Thursday, January 21, 2021 Klingon word: qay Part of speech: verb Definition: use the second (middle) finger Source: HQ:v10n2p7 _______________________________________________ AFAIK never used in a sentence. (HQ 10.2: pp.7-9): [ ... ]the word {nItlh} "finger" means any finger, including the thumb. A hand has {vagh nItlhDu'} (five fingers), not {loS nItlhDu'} (four fingers) and a thumb. There is a specific word referring to each of the five fingers, and these words are nouns derived from verbs by means of the suffix {–wI'} (thing which does); there are two pairs for thumb. The Federation Standard translation of the verbs is a little strained, but they mean something like use (the specific finger). The associated 'finger nouns' would be literally, though quite awkwardly, "thing which is used in a thumb-like manner" or perhaps "thing which thumbs" or even "thumber"; "thing which is used in an index finger-like manner"; and so on. The verbs and the associated nouns are: {Sen} use the thumb, {SenwI'} thumb; {rIl} use the thumb, {rIlwI'} thumb; {SIq} use the index finger, {SIqwI'} index finger, first finger; {qay} use the second finger, {qaywI'} second finger; {qew} use the ring finger, {qewwI'} ring finger, third finger; {qan} use the pinkie, {qanwI'} pinkie, little finger. [ … ] The "finger verbs" are used when talking about specific ways of using a particular device (weapon, computer control panel, even musical instrument) or when describing specific ways to use fingers (as in movements in some martial arts). {…} When used with nouns with the locative suffix {-Daq}, the finger verbs mean "point (with a specific finger) at or towards". [ … ] There are some special uses of the reflexive forms of the finger verbs. For example, while {ghIchwIj vISIq} means "I touch my nose with my index finger" and {ghIchwIjDaq jISIq} means "I point at my nose with my index finger", the phrase {ghIchwIjDaq jISIq'egh} (with {-'egh} oneself), literally "I use at myself my index finger at my nose", is used for {I pick my nose with my index finger}. Similarly, {nujDajDaq rIl'egh ghu}, literally "at his/her mouth, the baby uses at him/herself his/her thumb", is used for "the baby sucks its thumb". PUN: Cf. Lake Cayuga, one of the Finger Lakes in New York state. MNEMONIC: In Anglo-American culture, sticking your middle finger up at someone is an insult; so if you were to {qay} someone, it could be a problem {qay'}. (taD) SEE ALSO: Heng finger holes in a musical instrument (v) 'uy press down (v) ngoH smear; for paint using fingers (v) -- Voragh, Ca'Non Master of the Klingons Please contribute relevant vocabulary from the last year or two. I’ve fallen behind in updating my files and adding cross-references for related words.