tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Aug 15 09:27:29 2003

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Re: Klingon WOTD: yaD (n-body)

Steven Boozer ([email protected]) [KLI Member] 


>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Friday, August 15, 2003.
>
>Klingon word:   yaD
>Part of Speech: body part noun
>Definition:     toe

As used in canon:

   vaDjaj yaDDu'lIj
   May your toes be flexible

("...apparently a wish for good fortune, or something of the sort." [HQ 
10.2:11])

   A foot has {vagh yaDDu'} "five toes", and each toe has two words,
   a noun and a verb, associated with it. Klingon toes have more
   dexterity than human toes, though not as much as Klingon or human
   fingers. To a degree surprising to humans, Klingons can control
   each toe independently ... The verbs are used in the same way the
   finger verbs are used, though, except for when talking about
   martial arts movements and certain positions in Klingon classical
   ballet (never performed with shoes or boots), the verbs are not
   heard very often and are, in fact, considered archaic. [HQ 10.2:10]

These toe verbs/names are: {mar/marwI'} "use the big toe/big toe", 
{Hom/HomwI'} "second toe", {roS/roSwI'} "third toe", {nan/nanwI'} "fourth 
toe" and {Qay'/Qay'wI'} "little toe".

   On the toe of each high boot ({DaS}), likewise made of animal hide
   ({DIr}), was a clawlike spike called a {pu'}. The word {pu'} now
   means "phaser," and the newer meaning probably developed from the
   older "spike" because of the lightning speed with which one delivered
   a blow with the sharp {pu'}. In contemporary Klingon, the spike on
   the toe of a boot is always called a {DaSpu'} ("boot spike"), never
   {pu'} alone.  [KGT 58]

   Similarly, a slang word for "sword" is {yaD} (literally, "toe"), based
   on the Krotmag pronunciation of {yaD} as {yaN}, which to most Klingons
   will sound like {yan} ("sword").  [KGT 22]

Cf. also {qam} "foot", {mov} "top of foot", {bem} "sole (of foot)".  Some 
people use *{yaDpach} for "toenail" (based on {nItlhpach} "fingernail").



-- 
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons

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