tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Feb 21 07:53:01 2006
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Re: Klingon WOTD: mI' (verb)
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Tuesday, February 21, 2006.
>
>Klingon word: mI'
>Part of Speech: verb
>Definition: dance, run in place, do calisthenics, exercise
Discussed by Okrand:
Sometimes seemingly ordinary concepts cannot be expressed easily.
For example, the Klingon verb {mI'} may be translated "dance",
but it also means "exercise, do calisthenics, do martial arts
movements". The central idea of {mI'} is that a physical activity
is performed that results in no change, other than, perhaps, in
the well-being of the person performing the action. Thus, it is
wrong to use {mI'} for "run to a place", though it is quite appro-
priate to use it for "run in place". No term in Federation Standard
means quite the same thing as Klingon {mI'}. By the same token, no
word in Klingon means quite the same thing as Federation Standard
"dance". At many Klingon festivals, a popular group of performers
is called the {qul mI'wI'pu'}, usually translated as "fire dancers".
Since what the performer is doing is properly designated by the
verb {mI'} but not really accurately described by the translation
"dance", the visitor--particularly one who learned the Klingon word
only by its usual Federation Standard translation--is in for quite
a surprise when the show begins. (KGT 207)
Cultural notes:
The [toe] 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)
Related verbs:
{qet} "run", {yIt} "walk", {gho'} "step on", {qeq} "practice, train"
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons