tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Oct 31 07:17:50 2006
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Re: Klingon WOTD: Doq (verb)
>This is the Klingon Word Of The Day for Tuesday, October 31, 2006.
>
>Klingon word: Doq
>Part of Speech: verb
>Definition: be orange, red
Used in canon:
Doq bIQtIq
The river is red. KGT
Doq bIQtIq bIQ
The river water is red. (idiom) KGT
["The phrase can be traced back to an old drinking song that commemorates
the slaying of the tyrant Molor by Kahless. On that day, according to the
song, the River Skral ran red; that is, it was filled with the blood of
Molor." (KGT 123)]
Doq'a' SuvwI'pu'
Are warriors red? PK
>Additional Notes:
>KGT p. 82. As for the specific colors, in addition to the verb {qIj} ("be
>black") and {chIS} ("be white"), there are only two terms used: {SuD} ("be
>blue, green, yellow") and {Doq} ("be red, orange"). For everyday
>purposes, these four words suffice, since there is usually not much reason
>to distinguish, on the basis of hue alone, between two items that are
>both, say, {Doq} ("red, orange"). When it is necessary to talk about
>colors more precisely, as it might be for the creator of a {nagh beQ},
>various devices are employed. One option is to make use of the emphatic
>suffix {-qu'}. The word {Doqqu'} (literally, "very {Doq}") refers to a
>color more red than orange. Similarly, {SuDqu'} ("very {SuD}") would
>probably be described as "green" in Federation Standard. Phrases
>containing the words {wov} ("light, bright") or {Hurgh} ("dark") further
>refine the description of the color. Thus, {SuD 'ej wov} means "(it) is
>{SuD} and light," a way to refer to a yellowish tinge; {SuD 'ach wov}
>("{SuD} but light") is also heard. If more specificity is necessary, the
>item in question is generally compared to something else that typically
>has a particular color. For example, {Doq 'ej beqpuj rur} means "(it) is
>{Doq} and resembles [bekpuj]," a common mineral that is bright
>orange. Note that with the basic terms, the verbs, or verbs plus the
>emphatic {-qu'}, may be used adjectivally and modify preceding nouns: {bIQ
>SuD} ("blue/green/yellow water"), {HIq Doqqu'} ("red liquor"--probably
>bloodwine). This adjectival construction is not possible with the
>lengthier formations, however. To describe yellow tea ({Dargh}, "tea"),
>one must say {SuD Dargh 'ej wov} ("The tea is {SuD} and light") or
>{SuDbogh Dargh 'ej wovbogh} ("The tea that is {SuD} and light"). The fact
>that neither {SuD} nor {Doq} includes what is called "violet" or "purple"
>in Federation Standard may be related to Klingon physiology--that is,
>exactly how the Klingon eye processes different wavelengths of light.
More notes:
"As noted earlier ... the Klingon word {Doq} ("be red") ... really means
much more than {red}. It refers to a rather wide spectrum of colors ranging
from deep red to bright orange and includes pink. Nearly all Klingon bodily
fluids, including blood, can be described as {Doq}." (KGT 123)
"What we call "brown" would be described in Klingon by using the verb {Doq}
"be red, orange". If the context is clear (such as contrasting a brown
thing with a thing that cannot be described as {Doq}, such as something
that's {SuD} "blue, green, yellow"), {Doq} alone is good enough. Thus, if
there are two drinking cups, one brown and one blue, one might say: {HIvje'
Doq qaneH} "I want the {Doq} cup" [sic! for {vIneH}]. Only the brown cup
could be described as {Doq}; the blue cup is definitely not {Doq} since it
is {SuD}. On the other hand, to be more precise when talking about the
color (when, for example, there's a brown cup and a red cup), Klingons
would typically use the phrase: {Doq 'ej wovbe'} "be orange/red and not be
bright". To get even more specific (to be able to refer to different kinds
of browns) would involve comparisons. For example: {Doq 'ej Qaj wuS rur}
"be orange/red and resemble kradge lips". The lips of the kradge are
presumably a particular shade of brown." [st.klingon 2/98]
"{'Iw HIq} ("bloodwine") is served warm to hot ... and should be very dark
red in color." (KGT 95)
"For Klingons, even though there is a word for "cry" ({SaQ}), there is no
word for "tear" or "tears", undoubtedly because Klingons have no tear
ducts. The only thing Maltz could think of that eyes do from time to time
is "redden" ({DoqchoH}, literally "become red" or "change to red")." (HQ
12.4:9)]
Internet resources:
DloraH has a web page showing the gradations between {Doq} and {SuD} at
http://www.frontiernet.net/~rhcheesbro/color.jpg
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons