tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Aug 02 15:08:10 1996
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Re: -neS and batlh
- From: [email protected] (JEFF ZEITLIN)
- Subject: Re: -neS and batlh
- Date: Fri, 02 Aug 96 17:56:00 -0500
- Organization: Execnet Information System - 914-667-4567 - 206.181.98.136
- References: <[email protected]>
T::>mochvaD neH jatlhmeH {-neS} lo'lu' 'e' jatlh vay'. 'ach "Sins of the
::>Father"Daq wo'rIvvaD jatlh pIqarD, {jIlajneS} jatlh ghaH.
::>Someone said that {-neS} is used only to address superiors. But in "Sins
::>of the Father", Picard says to Worf {jIlajneS}.
T::>This happens when Worf asks Picard to be his {cha'DIch}. My question is,
::>is this a correct usage of {-neS}, or did Picard screw up? Clearly, Worf
::>is not his superior, at least in Starfleet. Or did Worf become his
::>superior (in ritual) the instant Picard accepts to be his {cha'DIch}? Or
::>did the writers screw up and that was supposed to be "I am honoured to
::>accept" (which I think would be {jIlaj vaj jIquv} instead of "I accept,
::>your honour"?
Given what I've learned about Klingon culture along with the
language, I'd guess that the _best_ answer to this would have
been "Picard should have said {jIlajneS vaj jIquv}."
My reasoning:
It is established that Klingons are very direct. The logical
extension of this is that even in arranging ritual, economy of
time and directness of conversation is adhered to. Thus,
assuming that both parties are cognizant of the duties of both
parties, establishing the relationship should need no more than
"Would you be my {cha'DIch}?" "I am honored to accept, my
lord (or other appropriate title)". Acceptance and
acknowledgement are simultaneous.
It is also reasonable to assume that in matters pertaining to
the ritual, Worf _is_ the superior, and must be acknowledged as
such by Picard, according to Klingon protocol. Equally
reasonable is the assumption that in any Starfleet matters,
even were they to arise in the middle of the ritual, would
cause the relationship to "revert" to Captain Picard/Lieutenant
Worf, and Worf would be expected to acknowledge that, according
to Starfleet protocols.
N.B. This is just what I would _expect_. I'm no expert on
Klingon culture; just a person with two functioning eyes
sending data to a functioning brain. I may have missed
information or nuances which throw my interpretation into the
recycle bin in the corner of my screen. If I have, I offer my
apologies, and eagerly await correction.
==========================================================================
Jeff Zeitlin [email protected]
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� OLXWin 1.00b � A few more questions Mr. Computer. * Moriarity.